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Guidelines & Procedures 
  1. Westminster College students applying for the Take a Friend Home Program are responsible for meeting all deadlines.  *** NOTE:  Any part of this program is contingent upon the receipt of appropriate funding for the Take a Friend Home Program.  Numbers of students selected for this program will also be dependent upon the funds available at the time of selection.  Proper notification to all participants will be made as time allows. ***
  2. Applications for the Take a Friend Home Program consist of three (3) parts:
    • The completed application form (available during International Education Week in November of each year),
    • Collaborative cover letter from the "team,"
    • Individual essay
      It is your responsibility to check with the Office of International Programs to ensure that all elements of the application are submitted on time.
  3. Deadlines and Procedures:
    • Applications for the Take a Friend Home Program must be completed no later than the first Friday of the first week of classes in the spring semester in January.   Applications and all supporting materials should be turned in to Tonya Veltrop, Director of International Programs (Westminster Hall, #146).
    • Members from the Global Education Task Force will review the applications within two weeks of the above date and issue as many or as few invitations for interviews as it sees fit.  Ideally, interviews will take place in the last week of January or first week of February.
    • Applicants will be notified in writing of the results of the competition in February.
    • Students will be required to enroll in the appropriate trailer course in the spring semester prior to departure for the international friend's home.
  4. Selection Guidelines for the Take a Friend Home Program:
    • PLEASE NOTE:  The Take a Friend Home Program for 2008 is contingent upon availability of funds.  All applicants for this program will receive notification of the funding once information is available. 
    • Generally, the cultural exchange in this particular program should be between an international student and an American student.  Permanent residents may be eligible depending on the "American" experience which can be offered to the international student during his or her stay in the home.  Applicants would be encouraged to expand upon this information in the application process, specifically the essay and cover letters.
    • Eligible students should have completed one academic year at Westminster College and be eligible to return.  Seniors in their last academic year and who will graduate prior to the summer of the international travel portion of the Take a Friend Home Program are not eligible to participate due to requirements for follow-up activities in the following academic year.
    • Students shall be in good academic and social standing at the College and shall model exemplary behavior as representative of our College mission statement. 
    • Applications will be reviewed on both individual and team merits.  Rankings for each team of students will be established by members of the Global Education Task Force and will be forwarded to the Dean of Faculty, Associate Dean of Faculty and Dean of Student Life for approval. 
    • Countries of travel must not be listed on current travel warnings at time of departure as listed with the Department of State at www.travel.state.gov. 
    • Westminster College shall be responsible for providing funds to cover transportation expenses to and from the international student's home country for both the domestic and international students participating in the program.  In addition, the College can purchase student global health insurance plan for the domestic students to cover the duration of the program's overseas travel and stay. 
    • Parents, guardians, or the family of the international student friend are expected to provide lodging, board, and in-country travel expenses during the time the domestic students are guests with the international students.  Domestic students are expected to reciprocate by bringing the international students home during one of the school breaks: Thanksgiving, winter break, spring break.