The Career Development Funding Request form is at the very bottom of this page. You may need to sign in to the virtual career center using your Dickinson credentials to access the form. Please read all of the terms and conditions of the fund below prior to completing the form.
If you have already completed your professional development activity and are looking for the post-event reflection form, please click here.
Overview
Professional development funding has been generously provided by donors to offer opportunities for students to attend conferences or professional development events and activities. These learning experiences will allow students to gain insights about professions within their career community interest areas. Content could include professional conferences, networking events, job shadowing, skills certifications or trainings necessary to enter the professional field.
Examples of events, seminars or activities that could be supported for professional development funds:
- Registration or training certification costs for industry-relevant knowledge or skills attainment
- Professional research conferences and networking events, such as the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing
- Transportation costs to a supported event
- Lodging may be included if the event is more than two hours away and meeting time prohibits safe driving
Additional expenses for items like meals, merchandise, entertainment, and/or supplemental events at the meeting or conference are the responsibility of the student and will not be covered by the fund.
Funds will not be granted to pay for research, internship, work roles, or training that should be paid by the employer. Additionally, funds will not be granted for fees related to legal work permissions/authorizations such as OPT, H1B, etc. Finally, funds will not be granted for any fees related to graduate or professional programs. If you are unsure whether an expense qualifies for this fund, please email career@dickinson.edu.
Funding is limited annually and may be awarded based until funds have been exhausted for the award cycle. All applications will be reviewed by select staff from the Center for Career Development. Only approved activities and/or funding requests will be supported.
Please note that if expense funds are awarded, students must meet the limits noted in the following sections.
Program and Expense Guidelines
Priority will be given to first-time applicants. Applicants are not permitted to receive funds for the same conference or learning experience more than one time or more than once per academic year award cycle (July 1 through June 30).
A total of $800 is the maximum award that a student can receive from this fund per academic year. Students are required to submit all qualifying receipts for reimbursement, both before and after the event. If these materials are not provided, then a portion or total amount of the funds granted through this award may be added to the student’s account for repayment following the conference.
As a part of the application review process, the Center for Career Development may consult with the Registrar’s Office, Financial Aid, and other relevant College offices to confirm the applicant’s current standing.
Receiving professional development funding does NOT ensure that you are excused from class. You must discuss this with faculty members and receive approval to attend from them, too. Please make this request prior to your application.
Students who receive funding must develop and share a qualitative, written summary describing their experiences and lessons learned from the experience, submit photos from the event, and collect and provide necessary receipts following the event. See the “Post-Event Requirements” section below.
Eligibility Requirements
- Applicants must be currently enrolled and maintain active status at Dickinson College. Students on a leave of absence at the time of application are ineligible. Alumni are also not eligible for this funding.
- Applicants must be in good campus life and academic standing prior to graduation. Students on hold for financial, academic, or disciplinary reasons are ineligible for this funding.
- Applicants must present a completed application with all supporting materials demonstrating the student’s eligibility to attend the requested event along with the relevance of the event to the student’s professional goals or career development.
- Applicants must provide supporting documentation justifying expense amounts requested for funding.
- Conferences must be hosted in the United States. International travel will not be funded.
Application Process
To apply, individual students must complete the Career Development Funding Request application form to officially apply for funding. This process must be completed a minimum of 10 business days prior to the event or activity to receive funding. It is beneficial to have extended time to process the applications when possible.
All applications will be considered for reimbursement of expenses. In other words, students will request approval for funding, pay for professional development out-of-pocket, and then be reimbursed following the completion of the event and after completing the post-event requirements. Students who have already registered to participate in upcoming professional development events may request reimbursement for expenses if the event has not yet taken place, and if their request was submitted at least 10 business days before the event’s occurrence. Students are advised that funding is not guaranteed and that part or all of their requested funding might not be awarded. Funds will not be retroactively awarded to students for past events.
The Center for Career Development recognizes that not every student may be able to pay for professional development opportunities out-of-pocket and may need the funds in advance to cover these expenses. If you feel that you should need the funds in advance, please contact the Center for Career Development at career@dicksinon.edu or (717) 245-1740 for further guidance prior to submitting your request.
All career development funding requests must include an initial application (outlined below) with supporting documentation for estimated/anticipated expenses, as well as submitting post-event documentation of actual approved expenses after the event. Students who are approved for funding will be sent further instructions for completing the Post-Event Submission Form, which must be completed within two weeks after completing their approved professional development activity.
The following descriptions and materials, where applicable, must be provided in support of your application:
- Description of the meeting, conference, program, or training session. Attach relevant links, brochures, or flyers and include the cost of registration.
- Budget using and including supporting materials detailing the additional cost associated with your attendance at this event.
- For lodging, provide screenshots or other documentation showing the estimated cost of the lodging where you plan to stay. Include the lodging’s name and specific location relevant to the event.
- For travel, provide screenshots or other documentation showing the estimated cost of the travel expenses. Be thorough and see the notes following this one.
- If traveling by a personal vehicle, mileage to and from campus must be included in your request along with its relevance to your participation in the program. The reimbursement cost should be calculated at $.70 per mile for a personal car. Use a map/travel app to plan your route and calculate the distance in miles to your destination. You may request additional travel funding for rental car expenses, in addition to mileage.
- If traveling by public transportation methods (plane, train, cab, or bus), provide documentation showing the expected cost for this transportation along with its relevance to your participation in the program. Be sure to calculate and include your return trip expenses if requesting travel funding.
- Remember to calculate total travel expenses (e.g., roundtrip travel)
- An essay conveying how this program or training will support your overall career development and/or preparation or your professional school planning and research. List three career goals you hope to accomplish by your attendance at the program or visit.
Award Notification
Students will be notified about the award and any granted amount within 5 business days following their application submission. This notification will include the award amount and next steps that must be completed in order for students to receive funding, as well as further instructions for completing the Post-Event Requirements listed below.
Receiving Funds
Students who have been approved for reimbursement will be mailed a paper check for the approved total following the student’s completion of the Post-Event Submission Form, which must be completed within two weeks after completing their approved professional development activity. If your banking information is on file with the College (i.e., being paid from a campus job), you will receive your reimbursement via direct deposit.
Students cannot request reimbursement for events that have already occurred without completing the application process prior to the event. Funds will not be retroactively awarded to students for past events. Student funding may be taxable. Please review the IRS guidelines.
As noted, a maximum of $800 can be awarded to a student each academic fiscal year (July 1 through June 30) for professional development purposes. Students are responsible for the difference in funding if additional costs exceed the allowed amounts for event attendance. If a student’s total expenses exceed the allowed amount from this fund, they are permitted to secure additional funding from outside sources to make up the difference in cost. If students receive funding for the same event from another source, the Center for Career Development maintains the right to withdraw approved funds if the additional award amount(s) will cover or exceed 50% or more of the total costs requested by the student from this fund. If this is discovered to have occurred after the event or after funding has already been awarded, then a portion or total amount of the funds granted through this award may be added to the student’s account for repayment following the conference. The intent of these guidelines is to provide funding to as many students as possible for these opportunities.
Post-Event Requirements
Within two weeks after attending the professional development conference or training, award recipients must complete the Post-Event Submission Form. This form will require students to submit the following:
- A reflection essay describing what was learned through participation in the professional development event or activity. This should include a narrative of how and if the applicant achieved the career goals noted in the application request, and what was learned during the experience.
- No more than 3 photos that feature the student’s participation at the event and/or what was experienced or occurring as part of the professional development event.
- Submitted receipts and/or documentation showing final costs for registration, lodging, mileage and transportation expenses, if awarded.
- Official receipts should include as much information when possible (e.g., name of buyer, name of vendor, time/date, transaction amount, etc.) Both physical and electronic receipts are acceptable.
- Marketing consent form
Appeals Process
Currently, there is no process to appeal funding decisions. When funds have been spent, applicants must wait until a future cycle to apply.
Cancellations
If an event, conference, or training for which the student was awarded funding is canceled or not attended by the student, the student must submit the notification via email to the Center for Career Development (career@dickinson.edu) within 24 hours. The Center for Career Development will consult with the student and the Business office about how funds can best be returned to the College.
If a student cancels their attendance for any reason, they must consult submit notification via email to the Center for Career Development (career@dickinson.edu) immediately and should be prepared to thoroughly describe why they needed to cancel. The student’s career pathway advisor will work with the student and the conference organization to request a refund if conference or organization guidelines are met. If they are not, the student and the pathway advisor will work with the Business Office to determine if/how the funds will be repaid from the student’s account.
Contact
Students can contact the Center for Career Development at career@dickinson.edu with questions. Students are encouraged to ask questions prior to the application to ensure that they are completing it appropriately.