Spanish in Spain

Study Abroad Opportunity in Madrid, Spain

May 15-June 21, 2014

Executive Summary:
The enclosed proposal is for partial funding to cover registration, travel, conference fees
(professional development activities), and accommodations for William F. Alexander III, who is
an undergraduate student in Spanish and English as a Second Language Education at Wayne
State University. William F. Alexander III will attend University of Southern Mississippis
Spanish in Spain Summer Study Abroad Program for 2014 in Madrid, Spain, May 15-June 21,
2014.
Spanish in Spain
William F. Alexander III
My name is William Alexander, and I am a future educator pursuing Secondary Honors
Education with a focus in Spanish and English as a Second Language at Wayne State University.
I have dedicated my life to giving back to my community, preparing myself for the work force
after graduation, and advocating for my future career in teaching. I started out at Chandler Park
Academy for high school as a student involved in the politics of education through Student
Government and Student Council. After spending most of my life in Detroit Public Schools
(DPS), I transferred to LAnse Creuse High School in Harrison Township, MI for the majority of
high school. I struggled to keep up in an entirely different learning community, but I never gave
in, which helped me to graduate in the top 15% of my class.
As the first person in my family to go to college, I began my next chapter of life at
Wayne State University. After two years, I have grown into a brand new person with a
completely new perspective on life. I entered college with a Learning Community known as
Freshmen Quest, where my leaders provided great advice on how to graduate in a timely matter
from WSU and how to take advantage of all campus resources. My devotion and hard work is
paying off, for my first year in college was successful in that I received a 4.0 GPA in the first
semester, was hired as a Resident Advisor in Atchison Hall, and was extremely active in my
academic community as a Hall Council Floor Representative. Furthermore, I spent a lot of my
free time visiting various student organizations, departments, and random class lectures to make
sure that I declared the right field of study.
In my second year at WSU, I became a Resident Advisor, which helped me to engage
more in Student Life on campus. Eventually, I became the Housing Senator for WSU Student
Senate, and engaged in the Wayne State University and Detroit communities more than ever
before. Through Student Senate, I am not only representing the Department of Housing and
Residential Life, but I dedicate my time to representing the College of Education as well. One of
my 2014-2015 project goals for Student Senate includes advocating for the College of
Educations Early Childhood Center to receive more funding from WSUs Board of Governors,
outside of the grant-funding that they receive from the state.
In Student Senate, I also serve as a delegate for Student Association of Michigan, (SAM)
where recently three Senators and I had the opportunity to visit the United States Student
Associations (USSA) National Legislative Conference in Washington D.C. representing 16
universities of the State of Michigan for the first time. There, we spent most of our time learning
how to lobby and how to fight for a new direction in Higher Education. As a general body
member of the Student Michigan Education Association (SMEA), I also spend a lot of my free
time volunteering at the Capuchins Soup Kitchen and discussing many issues in Education.
Most importantly, I belong to an educational Learning Community known as Pre-Morris
Hood. I truly cherish my educational support from Kevin Williams, Adrian Lee, and my other
brothers. Together, we have actively helped to encourage education, scholarship, and leadership
throughout campus by volunteering at various events including the universitys graduation
ceremony, the College of Educations Career Fair, and the APEX Scholars Celebrate Learning
event. Being in Pre-Morris Hood has given me the chance to create life-long friendships and
college support groups. The support that Pre-Morris Hood provides me is countless. In fact, Pre-
Morris Hood has helped to prepare me for the States Professional Readiness Exam (PRE),
connected me with many different resources, and embraced my character as a member of an
underrepresented community pursuing Education, while guiding my brothers and me to
graduation through academic and professional development.
Furthermore, I discovered a strong passion for diversity, linguistics humanities, and most
of all Spanish Education. I learned how to take my passion and to intertwine it with Housing and
Student Life. Our campus many different, unique qualities have given me the opportunity to
help many international students from all over the world have an enjoyable experience and
transition into WSU by providing support, giving tours of Detroit, and directing them to campus
resources. I also stand as an advocate for international students as the College of Educations
new Student International Chair. I have found my home, my support, and my life here at Wayne
State University, and I am grateful to be a Warrior.
From freshmen year until now, I have learned a great deal from my accomplishments.
However, the knowledge that I obtained from my mistakes is priceless and has truthfully made
me the leader that I am. My experience here at WSU is a great one that I will continue to tell for
the rest of my life as I continue to write my story, and although I am only a sophomore, my next
three years at Wayne State will be great. Additionally, I learned that my experience outside of
the classroom is just as important as my experience in the classroom. Thus, taking this trip to
Spain provides me the opportunity to learn a great deal about Education in Europe, new
techniques for teaching humanities and languages, and most importantly mastering the Spanish
Language and Culture. I know that my participation in Spanish in Spain will empower me to
become fluent in the Spanish language and will allow me to bring new resources to WSU and
others pursuing Foreign Language Education at Wayne State University.







Spanish in Spain 2014
About the Spanish in Spain Study Abroad
Dates: May 15, 2014 June 21, 2014
Spanish in Spain was designed for students studying Spanish in their undergraduate
studies through the University of Southern Mississippi. As the birthplace of the Spanish
language, Spain is the ideal location for students to learn its language, experience its customs,
and discover its history and art.
Spanish in Spain offers us the opportunity to actively participate in every facet of Spain's
rich culture and heritage, while gaining confidence and proficiency in the Spanish language and
culture at the renowned language institutes known as Enforex and Don Quijote located in the
heart of Madrid. Madrid has a style all its own; centuries-old palaces, cathedrals, museums,
monasteries, and other historic landmarks coexist gracefully with contemporary technology and
infrastructure.
While abroad, we will experience the excitement of Spanish music, Spain's beaches,
mountains and countryside, the grandeur of world-renowned art such as the neo-gothic
architecture, the Ral Belinchn Theater. We will travel to experience the invigorating bullfights
and most of all the generosity of Spanish people. In the program, we take afternoon excursions to
world famous museums such as El Prado, the Museo Nacional de Arte Reina Sofia, and the
Thyssen-Bornemisza. More informally, students will enjoy spending their afternoons and
evenings chatting in sidewalk cafes, sampling "tapas" (Spanish appetizers) and shopping in the
fashion district, at malls, or at the famous flea market, El Rastro.
Why is this important to me?
1) Success in My Studies: After the Spanish in Spain Study Abroad Program, I will only
have 2 classes left until I am finished with my Spanish portion of my undergraduate
degree.
2) To Travel the World: Coming from a first generation family, I have never been able to
experience the world outside of the United States! I really want to see the things that I
read about in my textbooks in real life.
3) Broaden My Perspective on Life: In order to understand ourselves and others, we need
to be able to change and adapt our perspectives. Possibilities for solving a problem
become easier to discover by looking at it from different perspectives.
4) Professional Development: In todays society, it is more than just an A grade that
employers look for, but it is what someone can bring to the table and his/her ability to be
able to critically think, analyze, and assess.
5) Make International Friends and Professional Networks: As an extroverted individual,
I tend to always make new friends no matter what environment I am in, and most
importantly, I plan to use these networks to establish a Spanish in Spain program for
Wayne State University that is intended for Spanish Education majors.
6) Personal Growth: Traveling away from home alone allows one to challenge their fears
and insecurities and really explore his/her personality.

What I can bring to my community:
1) Extensive Program for Wayne State Students Pursuing Spanish/Spanish Education:
As a student studying Spanish Education, I have witnessed a lack of programs dedicated
to students who are studying a second language in Spanish. Through different
connections at Don Quijote Language Learning Insitute, University of Southern
Mississippi, and Wayne State Study Abroad, it is possible to establish an extensive
program for Wayne State students who would like to engage in Spanish Language and
Culture.
2) Student-Language Exchange Skype Sessions: Many people who do not have the ability
to travel are not opposed to learning languages with other students. Through Skype, the
Department of Romance Languages, and Don Quijotes Study Abroad Office, it is
possible to set up Language-Learning Partners via some video-chatting vendor. This is an
easy and free way for students to engage in the language without studying abroad.
3) International Student Programs during University Breaks: Wayne State University is
home to many students from around the world! The many different universities in Spain
have programs that help immerse students in its culture while over breaks through
different alumni programs, etc. This is a great opportunity for Wayne State Housing and
Residential Life to cater to the goals of International Students in a cost efficient way.
4) Hispanic Latino/ Minority Reach-Out and Retention Programs: As a minority-first
generation student, I have experienced many issues in college that have made it difficult
for me to have a smooth undergraduate experience. There are many people like me who
struggle through college. Thus, through my experiences here at WSU and Spain, I would
like to reach out to high school students in Southwest Detroit to prepare and get them
excited for college and to hopefully introduce them to our diverse and welcoming on-
campus experience at Wayne State.
5) Effective Language-Learning Resources and Instructional Tools: After studying at
Don Quijote and Enforex, I can learn different methods of teaching a foreign language.
These renowned language learning institutes take pride in its classroom style, size, and
management. Educators often enjoy sharing ideas. Therefore, I would have the
opportunity to bring some of these tools and ideas back to Wayne State.



Spanish in Spain 2014
Proposal Budget
Tuition and Fees/Housing/ 2
Meals per day/ Books/Supplies
$4,799
Transportation (Flight, metro,
Eurail, etc.)
Includes: 2 checked bags there
and back
$1700
Conference/Professional
Development Events
$600
Misc./Personal $2000
Total $9,099










Spanish in Spain 2014
William F. Alexanders Proposal
I am currently seeking funding of $9,099 in order to cover the cost of the entire study
abroad program and any professional development conferences that I attend (New Directions in
the Humanities International Conference, Academic Disciplines Conferences, etc). The amount
of $9,099 will cover all travel while in Europe, housing, 2 meals a day, tuition and fees, supplies,
ISIC International Student Card fees, and all personal miscellaneous items. I am requesting for
your assistance in covering the cost of the trip. If you feel the total amount is too great, I will
appreciate any donation you will be willing to provide. Please keep in mind that the programs
tuition, fees, and flight should be paid off by April 28, 2014.
I hope that your department can and will support me in my efforts to study abroad. As a
form of appreciation, I would like to prepare a formal presentation to your department to share
my experiences as well as to tell how others can benefit from my experience. Thank you for your
time and consideration. I am available at your convenience to further discuss the details of this
proposal. Please find the enclosed attachments that may help you in making your decision.

Sincerely,


William F. Alexander III
ew0056@wayne.edu/williamalexander84@gmail.com


**NOTE: The information enclosed includes a project budget and a tentative itinerary. Current
information on Spanish in Spain can be found on the following website:

-http://www.usm.edu/study-abroad/spanish-spain