The Dean Rusk International Studies Program awards grants to Davidson students and faculty members for research, study, service, internships, and experiential learning abroad.

Grants are awarded twice each year: once in the fall, for projects during Winter Break and spring semester, and once in the spring, for summer, fall and year-long projects. Applications are reviewed by the Dean Rusk International Studies Program's staff and awarded by the Faculty Advisory Committee.

The goal of the student grant program is to facilitate students' interaction with diverse cultures, languages, environments, standards of living, and political climates. To achieve this, the Faculty Advisory Committee has shown a strong preference for longer term independent projects that have a high degree of cultural interaction.

The Dean Rusk Program has funded projects around the world, taking students to places such as China, Liberia, India, South Africa, Cambodia, Italy, Bolivia, and Syria-just to name a few. Projects have ranged from teaching English in the impoverished area of the Managua Dump to researching German environmental policy.

We have some special grants funds to serve students with particular interests, such as to fund medical volunteers in developing countries or students going to the Middle East . A complete list of special funds can be found here.

The grant program has grown considerably since it began in 1985. In the 1985-86 academic year, $7,075 was distributed among 9 students. During the 2006-07 academic year, grants awarded grew to over $125,000, divided among over 100 students, and in 2007-08, 120 students were awarded grants totalling nearly $165,000.

A NOTE TO GRANT APPLICANTS FOR THE 2008-2009 AND 2009-2010 ACADEMIC YEARS:
THE DEAN RUSK PROGRAM'S TRAVEL GRANT FUNDS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE RECENT ECONOMIC DOWNTURN THAT HAS AFFECTED THE COLLEGE AND PROGRAM'S ENDOWMENT. APPLICANTS--PLEASE BE AWARE OF THIS CONSTRAINT WHEN YOU APPLY, AND REVISIT YOUR OWN TRAVEL BUDGET AS YOU REQUEST FUNDS FOR YOUR TRAVEL.