Ansari Travel Scholarship in Religion and International Affairs

About the Scholarship

Since at least the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 90s, religion has become a crucial feature of global affairs. Whether used by groups as a language of resistance to what they see as injustice, or by governments to oppress citizens, the role of religion in international and domestic political life is complex and highly sensitive to specific contexts and cultures. The Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict’s student research awards are grounded in the conviction that students experience exponential learning and growth when they can travel and learn firsthand about other cultures and societies. Critical to our vision is preparing the next generation of citizens and leaders to think more deeply and clearly about how religion influences and shapes world affairs.

Eligibility and Process

Details

The Ansari Travel Scholarship in Religion and International Affairs is available to one undergraduate student each year to travel to carry out research, attend specialized training programs, or participate in an internship related to the study of religion in international affairs.

Scholarship: One $2,500 award.

Renewal: This scholarship may be renewed, but students must re-apply each year. 

Recipient expectations: Scholarship recipients will present their research findings or program/internship experiences at a Center event upon their return and will become ambassadors of the Center in their future endeavors.

Note: Students applying to the Ansari Travel Scholarship automatically apply to the Friends of the Center Awards

Eligibility

Applicants must be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student, demonstrate financial need as defined by the university, and have a 3.0 or higher cumulative average GPA (non-weighted). Award recipients will be selected based on the following criteria:

  • The strength of their proposed project (a research project, training program, or internship) and its ability to contribute to their overall program of study and career development.
  • Financial need as demonstrated by the FAFSA form on file with ASU Financial Services. Required for this award.

Travel Requirements
Students requesting travel-related funds must follow all university guidelines. Students traveling internationally are required to register for any university-related international travel. Review the following:

Application Requirements

Applicants should be prepared to provide the following in the form:

  1. In approximately 500 words, describe your plan of research or the peacebuilding training program you propose to attend and its relationship to your career aspirations. Include a statement of financial need and a brief description of how you would spend the funds and an estimated timeframe. If applicable, include information about the program you propose to attend.

  2. Resume or Academic CV.

  3. PDF of your transcript (unofficial transcript is acceptable) showing grades from your most recently completed semester and cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.

  4. If applicable/available: proposed Peacebuilding Program Title or Topic and a copy of your acceptance letter to this application (.doc or .pdf using the “Choose Files” button below). This may be supplied later, but awards supporting program participation will not be released without verification of acceptance.

  5. Affirmation that your completed FAFSA form is on file with the ASU Financial Aid Office. 

In addition to the form submission, an ASU faculty letter of recommendation, emailed directly to Matt Correa, must be submitted by the application deadline.

  • If you have questions about this requirement, contact Matt right away.

Application Deadline: April 8, 2024

Questions?

For questions concerning the application process or requirements please email Matt Correa.

Scholarship Recipients

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2023 Recipient

Adelaide Randall

Majors
Psychology
International Studies

Attended the International Association for the Psychology of Religion Groningen, Netherlands, August 21-25, 2023.

"I am grateful for the knowledge that there are people in this world with the same unyielding curiosity and intention to understand this world, to make it a better place for us all."

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2022 Recipient

Rachel Hess

Majors
Political Science
Spanish

Attended The Oxford Initiative for Global Ethics War and Peace Series: Critical Deliberations on Peacebuilding, Memory, and Narrative. Oxford, August 15-20, 2022

"The workshop was designed to explore topics in global ethics and human rights and to establish skills in peacebuilding endeavors, strategic moral diplomacy, and trauma-informed narrative training for intensive fieldwork in conflict areas."

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2021 Recipient

Wen Wendt

Major
Political Science

Attended The Oxford Initiative for Global Ethics War and Peace Series: Critical Deliberations on Peacebuilding, Memory, and Narrative.

"My notebook is filled with questions, stories, and personal asides that I plan to continue revisiting and using as a jumping-off point for, hopefully, a long career in policy-centered research."