Application deadlines: May 1 & December 15
$3000 is available to HS students and $2000 to MS students – for EACH deadline
Click Here to Download the 2024 Travel Scholarship handout
High School Travel & Education Scholarship Application download Link
Link to electronic High School Travel & Education Scholarship application
Middle School Travel & Education Scholarship Application download Link
Link to electronic Middle School Travel & Education Scholarship application
Caylee Brooker, a 2024 High School Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon her return:
“I had a fantastic trip. I explored Edinburgh and the highlands of Scotland while studying creative writing. I experienced so much like visiting Loch Ness and trying haggis for the first time. I also gained so many skills like learning to navigate an airport by myself and so many other lessons of independence. Traveling to a foreign county by myself definitely came with some challenges, but overall I had an amazing trip. I am so grateful to PIE for helping me out and helping make this trip possible.”
Chad Lazaro, a 2024 High School Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon his return:
“This summer I went to Tallinn, Estonia for a Diplomacy and Peace program through CIEE. This trip was my second time being out of the US so I was a little nervous going without
anyone I knew but when I got there I met many new friends and had a very nice time. Here are some of the highlights of my trip. I tried many new foods in Estonia like Russian dumplings, Blood sausage, and Kvass. I went to St. Olaf’s church and climbed up the tower of the church which is the oldest Church in the city being around 800 years old. I went up the tallest building in Estonia, the Tallinn TV tower. One of my favorite places I visited was the Jägala waterfall. It was very pretty and after I saw it I also explored the surrounding area and saw the river the waterfall ran into. Another interesting place I visited was the Victims of Communism memorial. This memorial had the names of almost anyone who had died under Soviet rule and it also had pictures of many of the people who died. I also went to the Estonian parliament and was guided by one of the parliament members. Then I ran into the future prime minister of Estonia and we go to get our picture taken with him. I had a lot of free time there so I was able to learn to be more independent, explore the city, try many new things, and meet new people. This was an amazing experience and I am very thankful that I was able to go on this trip.”
Finn Crossman-King, a 2023 Middle School Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon his return:
My Experience at Hurricane Island
“Some people might think living on an island off the coast of Maine wouldn’t be the most ideal situation, but being able to have these kinds, this kind of experiences might make you look at it a different way. This is how my experience at Hurricane Island went…
Before I left home, I was already homesick, not because I was afraid or anything, but because I would be leaving my friends, parents and all my usual daily activities.
The very first day at Hurricane I met my first four friends; they were all around my age; we all liked the same stuff and were interested in the same stuff. I am fortunate to have the ability to make friends easily.
To start off the day we would wake up at 7:00 a.m.; we would grab our clothes, get dressed and brush our teeth. I was always the slowest one because I was not fully awake. After that we would wait in our cabin rooms till the breakfast bell rang, then morning circle which is when we all gather around in a circle, play a few games and sometimes remind one another of our names. After that came one of my three favorite times of the day, Breakfast!
When we were done eating breakfast, we would start our first activity. Each group had a different activity. There were two groups, Marine ecology, and Island ecology. I was in island ecology where we would learn many important things about the island and its history. We went rock climbing, clamming and even lobstering. My favorite part was the rock climbing; having that type of experience that I wouldn’t be able to have at home was really exiting but a bit scary. Everyone in my group got a chance to spot, which is where two people are attached to either end of a rope; one person would be on the ground and one person on the rock wall climbing. The person on the ground is responsible for the person on the wall getting up and down safely. The person on the ground would then also have a chance to climb.
After each activity my group would head down to the spot where both groups met up for all meals; then to our last activities of the day. Once we finished them, we would head back down to the circle, play a game, and talk about one thing we enjoyed doing that day. After that we would just hangout and wait until the dinner bell rang. I remember everyone was always so hungry after a long day of activities. After we finished dinner, we would head down to the beach and watch the sunset. We would then head back to our cabins, grab our toothbrush and toothpaste brush our teeth.
Once we were done brushing our teeth we would get into pajamas, wait till nine to shut off the lights; then we would head off to sleep…”
Brielle Davis-Oakes, a 2023 Middle School Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon her return:
“This summer I attended camp center stage which is a theater based camp. I was thrilled to be able to have the new experiences and meet many new people. I enjoyed every activity they offered and I made many new friends!”
Check out this video summary of some the film and dance activities Brielle experienced!
Becca Osgood, a 2022 Middle School Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon her return:
“This summer, I went to Maine Teen Summer Camp and it was the best thing I have done all year. I had an amazing time and made lots of friends that I still talk to all of the time! I learned how to play guitar which my dad was very happy to hear, and I learned new songs on my ukulele which are now my favorite songs to listen to and play. I also went a full two weeks without my phone and didn’t miss it one bit. It actually felt really weird getting it back. I wasn’t homesick either and I got to meet people from all over the world! My first friend I made there, Ana, is from Puerto Rico and my best friend, Tamara, is from Spain, which my mom thinks is really cool. I also got to use a little bit of my education and speak French! I can’t wait to go back next year, this time for even longer!”
Natalie Philip, a 2022 Middle School Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon her return:
“Thank you so much for my camp scholarship. I went to Camp Mechuwana for theater camp. We learned a musical in four days! We went swimming and we went boating. My favorite part was putting on the play. It was very hot that week, some people got heat stroke and had to go home. I ate a lot of freeze pops. I knew three people there when I got there and I made a lot more friends. I learned a lot of camp songs and sing them all the time now and make my family annoyed. I can’t wait to go back next year.”
Brandon Philip, a 2022 High School Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon his return:
“This summer, I went to Maine Academy of Modern Music Rock Band Camp at the University of Maine Machias. It was a camp where you get music instruction during the day and at night you do activities. During the classes, they worked with student musicians on songs that the groups chose. The instructors were musicians from throughout the state of Maine. Some of the activities I did were board games, frisbee golf, UNO, swimming at the UMM pool and a trip into downtown Machias.
To be honest, the camp really wasn’t great for me. It would have been better if it had been more challenging. It was really designed for beginner guitarist. It would be good if you were just learning guitar, but it was not at my skill level. I didn’t feel challenged by the music.
But, I learned a lot about myself during the time. I learned that I need to ask for help when I’m feeling homesick and overwhelmed. I learned that even though it was hard to relate to the people there and fit in, that the people there were really nice once I tried. I also learned how to play frisbee golf. It was really hard for me, and I ended up leaving before the final performance, but I am glad that I gave it try. I learned that it is important to try new things and not exile myself when I am feeling uncomfortable. That mindset really helped me during my first two weeks at my new school.
Although it wasn’t what I was hoping for in a camp, I really appreciate PIE sending me there. I never would have been able to go without the help of PIE and I learned some valuable lessons there. I would like to thank the members of PIE for all of the support that you gave me over the last couple of years. I got to experience a lot of things because of PIE.”
Dreyenn Osgood, a 2021 High School Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon her return:
“In July I went to the University of Maine, Machias for a week at Whale Camp with my friend Ingrid. During this week we studied whales and their anatomy, how to identify them, watersheds, aquaculture, and other marine biology topics. I learned how to identify whales such as the finback, hump back, minke, and right whale. I also learned about the effects aquaculture has on wild ecosystems. The thing I enjoyed most was the whale watches. We didn’t see very many whales, only minkes, but it was still a really enjoyable experience that I haven’t had the chance to do before.
The most challenging part was having our phones taken away for the first two and a half days. At first this was a rough time for me – but I got used to it, and actually ended up enjoying being away from my phone.
Although I was skeptical in the beginning, I was really glad I had the opportunity to participate in Whale Camp with my friend. The experience made me more prepared and excited for when I go to college this fall. I got to be in a learning environment with people I’ve never met and I got used to being away from home, even if it was just for a week.”
Ingrid Stockman, a 2021 High School Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon her return:
“ I loved Whale Camp! We did a lot of hiking, exploring different ecosystems, whale watching and working with a professor at UMaine, Machais to study the health of one of the streams close to campus. I especially enjoyed visiting the Downeast Institute because I am interested in aquaculture and would like to learn more about it. We also did a lot of team building activities which helped us make friends at camp and get to know the counselors, who are really cool people.
During the whale watches, Dreyenn and I made friends with one of the guys working on the boat, who is my age, and also lobsters up in Eastport. It was really interesting to talk with him because everything is similar to Vinalhaven, but they don’t lobster as hard, and a lot of the boats have converted scallop trawling. He could also identify whales by where they were, if they were with another whale, and by markings on their dorsal fin. I am really happy we got to go!”
Brandon Philip, a 2020 Middle School Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon his return:
“I went to Hurricane Island Middle School Marine Biology camp for a week in July. I really enjoyed swimming at camp, and also going out on the boats. My favorite game was the raft challenge. Each team had to build a raft from materials they provided and you had to go across the pond. My team lost, but it was still fun. The food was amazing. Philip, the cook, should be on the Food Network.
Hurricane Island grows scallops. We dissected them and learned about their anatomy, and then we got to eat them. I had never eaten scallops before. We also went lobstering as part of the program, and I got to show the rest of the kids how to tell the difference between a male and female lobster. I am going to give some of my extra traps to Hurricane so they will have better traps, and show other kids how to lobster.
The challenging part for me was being away from home, but the staff was exceptional and really helped me through it. I didn’t know anyone when I got there, but I made some friends by the end. I learned that I can be away from home and can go to other camps and it will be fun eventually, after I get used to it. I’m really glad I was able to go.”
Sadly, no Travel & Education trips in 2020 due to Covid-19.
Hannah Newton, a 2019 Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon her return:
“Growing up I always had the feeling that I wanted to help people, however I was never really set on what occupation I truly wanted to join. I went from veterinarian to police officer to doctor before finally setting on nursing. Though even with my mind mostly made up I was still worried about if I would actually enjoy nursing and be able to handle everything a nurse has to do. This is the main reason I decided to attend Envision’s National Youth Leadership Forum on medicine. I knew that I needed to be 100% sure I wanted to be a nurse before going through the many steps that are needed to attend nursing school and become a registered nurse. Luckily Envision was everything I was hoping it would be and more. It helped me finally decide that I wanted to be a nurse and narrow down a specialty I am hoping to pursue, pediatric nursing.
However it wasn’t until the live surgical video of a prostatectomy that I really knew I could handle what it takes to be able to be a nurse. I was always afraid I wouldn’t be able to handle the injuries I would be facing in the future, but watching the surgery I realized I was more interested in what was happening than disturbed by it. Being able to watch as an organ is surgically removed from the body and knowing that after a few months of recovery, the patient will be fine was awe inspiring. The amount of cauterization a surgeon uses to stop the small bleeds in a surgery was unbelievable. My roommate Brianna and I joked that the surgeon had “cooked” the patient, we were both amazed how someone recovers.
Being able to stay on a college campus was an amazing opportunity for me. It gave me the chance to decide that even though I loved Tufts and Harvard that I don’t think I want to attend a college outside of Maine. Though I will always keep my options open, I would rather be close to my family and friends than somewhere that I wouldn’t feel comfortable. Having the opportunity to tour not only one medical school but two was unimaginable. Especially two prestigious campuses such as Tufts Medical School and Harvard Medical School.
The NYLF medical program was the most exciting experience I’ve ever had. Without it I would not be as prepared for my future as I am now. I made many friends that I hope to stay in contact with such as my roommate Brianna. We had many of the same interests and have even talked about meeting up in the future. However we joked that she would never want to come see me in Maine and I would never want to visit her in Alabama; we’d have to meet somewhere in the middle. Looking back now, I’m extremely grateful that I was given the opportunity to attend NYLF medicine and am excited for all of the possibilities that the program has opened up for me. Without the generous help of Partners in Island Eduction, I would not have been able to attend the program and for that I am extremely grateful.”
Anastacia Simpson, a 2019 Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon her return:
“I am very thankful for the opportunity to attend the MSSM summer camp this year. One of the best parts was I met people with similar interests to mine who were eager to learn. The camp this year presented many new challenges and opportunities to try new things. The two weeks taught me important intellectual and social skills that will aid me on Vinalhaven. Overall, camp this year was a great experience.
The first week was the one where I developed connections with people. Unlike last year, I did not know anyone. This gave me a chance to talk to more people instead of sticking by a familiar friend. All the friends I made at camp varied a lot from each other, but we were all there to learn. My roommate Charlotte came from a small town, Mt. Chase. It was interesting to compare our small communities. It gave me a lot to think about what the world is like outside of Vinalhaven. It was easy making friends with people and bonding over small activities like board games.
All six of the classes I took were very informative. A Rubik’s cube class I took the first week taught me a lot about math and patterns. Included in the pictures, I solved one of the cubes. We ended that class by building a six hundred cube mosaic of Bob Ross. Another course, Brave New Worlds, taught us about different patterns occurring in nature. While we made antler headbands and eye pendants we looked at what made these structures occur. Two more classes taught about circuits and circuitry. Electronic fabrics taught us how to use circuits to power LEDs and how that can be applied to common objects. The other focused more on magnetic fields and generating electricity. Both were very interesting. Finally, the class called “Just launch it” focused on teaching trajectory and force using catapults and trebuchets. We even got to build our own trebuchet to take home.
The course that was most relevant to my experiences on Vinalhaven was the robotics class. I was looking for things that could benefit our robotics team and the robotics scamp. I was paired with a girl, Samantha, from Falmouth. We had different levels of experience but worked well together. Sam programmed a lot as she was more comfortable with it than building. I took the challenge to build the best attachments for the task. The robots from the teams varied from small rovers like ours to massive tanks. I learned more about building and programming that will be useful for helping with the robotics camp.
MSSM Summer Camp this year was very informative and fun. I met new people and learned about topics I am interested in. The classes were engaging. Overall, Camp this year was a great learning experience.”
Callie Warren, a 2019 Middle School Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon her return:
“The ride to and from was very long because I had to ride from Augusta to Limestone and it was crowded, being in a bus with a lot of girls for 5 or so hours. But I think the ride was worth it because I loved being at camp and I met some really nice people there. My roommate there was my friend Ana, who is in 10th grade currently. The mentors and councilor in green wing I was staying in were very nice. The classes I took were Advanced Lego Robotics, Eclipse Explorations, and Money Ball. There was also activities you could sign up for that day I remember doing Japanese kites one of the days, and I also did solve the cube. Unfortunately I did not solve it, but the lady was nice and gave me a little booklet on how to solve it and I got to take the booklet home. In Advanced Lego Robotics I built my robot to do certain tasks, and I was doing one of the hard tasks. The tasks were all similar you had to trace a box/line, what made the one I was working on harder is I was working on a squiggly circle. In Eclipse Explorations we studied the moon, Jupiter, and the sun. My teacher had special equipment so we could look at the sun, in the human eye with no censors or anything the sun looks bigger than what it really is, we used a type of glass and looked through it to look at it. At night we looked through a telescope to see Jupiter. In Money Ball we would make a math chart that had, the time we were in game, how many people we got out, and then the average of the two. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner they had a lot of food you could choose from. For me my food allergy is red meat so some nights they would have chicken available for people to eat and when they didn’t I would eat the salad and some side food they had to that meal. There would be a free time sign up where you got to go to a piece of paper and signup to do things. I choose the Japanese kites for two days as you saw earlier in the paper for two days, swimming, solve the cube, and art for two days.”
Timothy Farrelly, a 2018 Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon his return:
“On the afternoon of July 13th, I met my Putney Student Travel group in New York City. The next morning at 4 a.m. we were to begin our trip to Nepal, where we would participate in community service activities. After two flights and over thirty hours of travel, via Hong Kong, we arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal. By this point, thanks to the travel, our entire group had already bonded. We were all from different areas of the United States, but the fact that we chose a lesser-developed country to travel to, over, for example, Europe, said a lot about our personalities, and that brought us closer together.
This trip to Nepal was my first time traveling outside of the United States, and it was very valuable to me for multiple reasons. For one, I am very interested in learning about other countries and cultures so I got to learn firsthand about Nepal and its many cultures. Also, I got to learn about the issues countries like Nepal face including: poverty, child mortality, access to education, and sex trafficking. Finally, and most importantly, I built connections with people in Nepal. Specifically The Small World who help eradicate the issues mentioned above, and most memorably the friends I made in my group who made it three of the best weeks I had ever had.”
Jackson Day, a 2018 Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon his return:
“From July 2 to July 12, I was attending Stanford University in sunny Palo Alto, California for a 10-day program on Intensive Law and Trial. Upon getting to the campus, the hardest thing for me to get used to would be being around that many new people at a time. Once everyone was settled in, we went to the first of many lectures that we went through in the 10 days we were there. These lectures would teach us the structure and basic procedure during a trial as well as teach us different loopholes to get us out of certain situations. Then on the last day, we had a mock trial to get real experience of how it all comes together in the real world.
It was a busy time with a lot to do, but here are some of my favorite parts. While we were there, the 250 scholars attending the program were split into groups that were called our Firms. Any time our firm got together to discuss and work on preparing our trial, it was not only fun but educational as well. Our advisor was helpful, and had been doing mock trial for a few years. She knew what she was talking about, and made it easier to follow than the experts giving lectures. I also enjoyed going to the Fishermen’s Wharf on Pier 39 in San Francisco. There was a lot to do there and I got to make stronger bonds with the kids in my firm. Overall, it was an interesting experience, and appreciate the opportunity the scholarship gave me. Thank you!”
Ben Burgess, a 2018 Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon his return:
“Thank you for investing in my future by granting me the generous P.I.E. Scholarship. Without it, I would not have been able to attend the Pre-College Program at the Maine College of Art. I had an amazing experience at MECA.
While I was there, I took three main classes. These classes were Ceramics, Woodworking and Furniture Design, and Life Drawing. In ceramics, I learned how to wedge clay, use underglaze, and I used the pottery wheel. In Woodworking and Furniture Design, I learned how to manage my time wisely to finish all of my projects, how to sculpt wood, and I also got to see how different this class was compared to my father’s shop class. In Life Drawing, I got to use charcoal, charcoal dust, and graphite to draw my projects. I had never been in a Live Drawing class before – when I went to MECA, it was a whole new experience for me but I easily liked the class.
I also did a lot of activities within the city of Portland. I went to a gelato shop, a small store on the side of the road that sold gelato. I also went to the movie theater where I saw Ant man and the Wasp. We enjoyed a morning at Portland Headlight exploring the fort ruins. I attended a Sea Dogs baseball game followed by fireworks.
I had a really fun and amazing time at MECA. I gained a lot of knowledge and skill in Woodworking, Ceramics, and Life Drawing. I explored the area around MECA, looked around at all the different shops, and I went to the movies. I made a lot of friends that I still contact today. I thought this experience was important because it helped to find a career that I could look forward to after I graduate from high school.”
Polina Walsh, a 2017 Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon her return:
“Future Leader Camp (FLC) was a window that allowed me to view into my upcoming freshman year at Norwich University (NU). Knowing the standards that NU sets for students in the Corps of Cadets (CC), I understood that I had signed up for intense training in FLC. By motivating myself to step out of my comfort zone I would become ready to take on the real world.
Every day was something new. My least favorite activity was when I rappelled off an 88-foot cliff; my favorite was paintballing and the Field Training Exercise (FTX). We learned how to tie knots, build a hooch (a tent made of logs and leaves), read maps, identify tracks and build snares, start fires, find edible plants, and filter water. We shot airsoft rifles, learned what to bring when camping, did archery, and built a bonfire the size of three cars.I’m proud of myself for sticking through the two weeks, and I am proud and ready to attend Norwich University.”
Jordan Radley, a 2017 Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had this reflection upon his return:
“From June 29th to July 1st I attended the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders in Lowell, Massachusetts. Thousands of student delegates from across the country congregated at the Tsongas Center in downtown Lowell to discover secrets of success from some of the most influential people in the fields of science and technology. Among the dozens of speakers were MIT graduates and Nobel Prize winners.
My favorite speaker was Dr. Robert Metcalfe, inventor of the ethernet, founder of 3com, and a recipient of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. I was lucky enough to meet Dr. Metcalfe (who has ties to Vinalhaven) before his presentation and talk to him about the Congress and the importance of making lasting connections. Ironically, this summer, I ran into him at Greets Eats and he invited me to have lunch with him and his friends, who each gave me tips on decisions regarding my future education.
The experience at the Congress helped me rethink my future and taught me that the key to success is to work hard, never give up, and do what you love.”
Gilleyanne Davis-Oakes, a 2017 Travel & Education Scholarship recipient had these thoughts upon her return:
“My trip to Costa Rica with others from across the US, gave me a chance to participate in new activities, meet new people, try to speak a new language, eat new foods, and really immerse myself in the Costa Rican culture.
We went tubing down rivers, zip lining through the jungle, and white water rafting. I stayed with a Spanish speaking family, saw landmarks such volcanos and hot springs, and went on night hikes to learn about animals in the forest. We built a wall for a local home, and played with kids at a local school. During our free time, our group shared lots of fun and laughter.
I am very thankful to PIE for giving me unforgettable memories from this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel and experience all these adventures.”
Andrea Shane, a 2016 Travel & Education Scholarship recipient, returned from a 5-month stay in Guatemala, with this reflection:
“I decided my Junior year that I was going to take a gap year and come to Guatemala. I’m so glad that I stuck with my decision because it has been life changing.
I have volunteered with both children and animals, most of my time with exotic animals. We rescued animals people brought to us or animals being smuggled across the border. We treated and released them back into the wild if they were able, but if not they lived with us permanently. It is such a unique experience I would have never had if I did not come to Guatemala.
Not only did I get to volunteer and help people and animals, but I experienced a whole different life I never really knew existed. I have a better understanding of the world and what’s outside of my tiny little island that I grew up on. Living in a third world country also made me appreciate the life I have back home. I am so fortunate to have everything I do and that I was able to come on this trip and realize this.
If you are thinking about volunteering abroad, do it, you will not regret it. Thank you to the Island Institute and to PIE for helping me make this happen.”
Unfortunatly, due to Covid, EIL has reduced scholarship funding and enrollment projections for summer abroad 2022 programs. They will, however, be offering fully funded (free) programs including The Experiment Digital Youth Leadership & Community Service this summer as well as their domestic US-based program for Iraqi and US youth, IYLEP (Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program). The IYLEP application deadline is on December 6th and The Experiment Digital application will be in April 2022. We hope that we can resume our partnership with The Experiment for the summer of 2023 where PIE offers a scholarship to ONE high school student per year who applies and is accepted into The Experiment summer program. PIE will contribute $2500 and The Experiment will contribute $2500 to this scholarship, making a total of $5000.
Madison Young was our 2018/19 EIL scholarship recipient. Madison returned from Mongolia with this reflection:
“This trip to Mongolia has become an absolute trip of a life time, everything from the cultural difference and language, to the personalities of the individuals I had met on this journey will stick with me for a long time. Out of all the things I had gathered and observed on this trip; the one thing I learned the most about is myself. During my travels I, and many others, had a lot of time to sit with ourselves and reflect on our own experiences.
Coming into this trip I was excited for the adventures and travelling we would be doing within Mongolia, however as enjoyable as it was as a whole, I am very thankful to have had the times sitting with myself and getting to learn more about me as an individual. Being with all these people I hadn’t known beforehand helped me grow into a more natural me; none of us were here to impress each other, we all came for the same reason: an amazing month long journey across the world. I felt as though I could be completely open and honest with my new friends about who I am, and they all seemed to feel the same.
Being able to do little laundry and a small variety of clothing helped me to become more accepting of myself. Back at home I put a lot of effort into how I look during the day, I would never leave the house without makeup on, and sometimes changing my outfits multiple times a day. With a limited wardrobe I became more aware I don’t have to always look nice for people to like me, and I became more confident in how I look naturally. Since returning home, I will go out in public without makeup and not looking the best I could, and I have enjoyed this new realization that I will not be judged for going out with such little effort.
The group I was with on this trip was absolutely wonderful, we all got along fantastic. They played an important role for me in learning to accept me for who I am. They made it easy for me to be the true person I am. I enjoy pleasing people, I try to be liked by everybody I meet. Although I didn’t have issues with not getting along with anybody, it showed me that I don’t have to take the extra step in making everyone my friend and that it is okay if you someone doesn’t get along with me for who I am.
Overall this trip has really brought me to become a more understanding person with myself; even other people from home have noticed how much I have changed. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity that was made possible by you and others who had helped me along that way.”
Keaton Lear was our first EIL scholarship recipient in 2017 who traveled to Spain in the Language and Cultural Traditions program. Here is a reflection from
Keaton upon his return:
“My trip to Spain through the PIE/Experiment in International Living Scholarship was unforgettable and has certainly made a difference in my life. It changed the way I view myself by showing me that I can learn a lot while still having a good time. Not only did I learn a great deal about Spain – the country the language and the people – I learned that there are people just like us all over the globe who like to travel, make friends, and have fun. I am most thankful for the opportunity PIE and The Experiment gave me to become lifelong friends with some of them.”
Click Here to Download The 2020 Experiment Scholarship information sheet