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Center for Integrative and Experiential Learning

Carolina Engage Grant

The Carolina Engage Grant provides students up to $500 to engage beyond the classroom. Research shows students who participate in beyond the classroom experiences can more easily make the transition from college to the work force and are more likely to be engaged members of their communities. Complete the application form linked below by describing in detail how the beyond the classroom experience connects to your personal, professional, and academic goals. Priority is given to students demonstrating significant need to engage in meaningful experiences.  

Eligibility Requirements

Carolina Engage Grant awardees:

  • Must be a full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate student at USC Columbia or the Palmetto College regional campuses (Lancaster, Salkehatchie, Sumter, or Union) New for 2025: Masters students at USC Columbia.
  • Undergraduate must have a 2.2 cumulative GPA or higher; Masters students must have a 3.0 or be in good standing.
  • Must participate in a beyond the classroom experience
  • Must be willing to submit a reflection through Garnet Gate upon completion of the experience
  • All USC students are eligible for the Carolina Engage Grant once per academic year (Fall - Summer) and twice throughout their collegiate career. 

Application Deadlines

Undergraduate Applications

Undergraduate applications are accepted on a rolling basis so you may apply any time of the year. Applications must be submitted: 

  • At least 60 days before the start of the experience
  • No more than 4 months before the start of the experience
Masters Applications

Masters student applications have three deadlines throughout the academic year:

  • September 15 (for experiences between September 15 - January 14)
  • January 15 (for experiences between January 15 - April 14)
  • April 15 (for experiences between April 15 - August 14)

Reimbursements

This is a reimbursement grant. Please take into consideration that this grant is working on a reimbursement process, and you will be responsible for covering monetary costs initially. Keep all receipts for any purchases you make toward your experience. Awardees: Reimbursement process information is listed below:

  • Must submit receipts within 30 days after you've completed your experience
  • Receipts must be itemized and emailed to the appropriate grant contact.
  • Must submit reflection in Garnet Gate within 30 days after completing your beyond the classroom experience.
Example Items That Could Be Considered for Reimbursement
  • Conference registration fees
  • Assistance with airfare for education abroad experiences, conferences, internships, etc.
  • Certificate workshops or programs
  • Professional clothing (uniforms, blazers, shoes, etc.)
  • Professional exam prep course fees
  • Lodging costs (for your beyond the classroom experience)
  • Mileage (for long distance beyond the classroom experiences)
  • Ground transportation (taxi, bus, subway, etc.)
Items That Cannot Be Accepted for Reimbursement Include
  • Meal receipts
  • Cell phone (bill or purchase)
  • Dependent care
  • Cosmetic items (hair care, skin care, nails, etc.)
  • Costs incurred by unreasonable failure to cancel reservations
  • Entertainment under federal grants or contracts
  • Expenses that have been or will be paid or reimbursed by an outside source
  • Parking tickets, fines, and traffic violations
  • Personal items for personal expenses
  • Posters
  • University tuition

Reflections

This information is intended as a guide to prepare you for your reflection that will be captured in Garnet Gate.  More details about accessing Garnet Gate will be communicated once your application is approved. Below you will find the reflection prompts you will use if approved for the grant.

Clearly describe your experience.

Think about your beyond the classroom experience.

  • When did this experience take place? Where did it take place?
  • Who else was there? Who wasn’t there?
  • What did you do? What did others do? What actions did you take?

Why did you select this experience?

  • How did you learn about this experience?
  • What was your motivation for engaging in the experience? What are some of the characteristics of the experience that you were looking forward to and/or was curious about leading up to your participation?
  • Did the experience meet your expectations? Will you continue pursuing similar engagements in the future? Why or why not?
How does this experience connect to your personal, academic, and/or professional goals?

Choose one or more categories listed below.

  • Academic
    • What specific academic material or academic course is relevant to this experience? Explain the concept, theory, etc clearly and concisely so that someone unfamiliar with it could understand it. How did the material emerge in the experience (How was it mentioned or used?)
  • Civic Learning
    • What is in the interest of the common good in this situation? In what ways is the individual good (yours / others) linked to and/or contrary to the common good? What tradeoffs between them are involved?
  • Personal Growth
    • What assumptions or expectations did you bring to the situation? How did they affect what you did or didn’t think, feel, decide, or do? To what extent did they prove true? If they did not prove true, why was there a discrepancy?
    • How did this experience make you feel? Why? How did you handle my emotional reactions (e.g., What did you do as a result of my feelings? Were you in control of your feelings?)? Should you have felt differently? Why or why not?
Articulate Learning

Finish the following statements:

  • “I learned that…” (Think about a significant take-away you had, not a statement of fact)
  • “This experience is similar or different to what I learned in/from…” (Identify an academic course, beyond the classroom experience, and/or perspective that resonated with the significant take-away you described).
  • “In light of this learning I will…” (What actions will you maintain or change as a result? How will this new learning impact your decisions moving forward?)

Carolina Engage Grant FAQs

How does this grant work?

The Carolina Engage Grant is a reimbursement, not a scholarship. Students who are awarded will need to provide our office with receipts for the funded items. Once processed, students will be mailed a check for the approved reimbursement amount.

When will my reimbursement be processed?

The reimbursement process begins once your experience has started and we have received all requested documents and receipts for approved expenses. In your approval email, you will be notified what documentation is needed. Please note that we cannot initiate this process until your experience begins.  

How long will it take to receive my reimbursement check?

On average it takes the travel department 4-6 weeks to process requests and send out the checks. Unfortunately, we do not have an exact timeline for how long reimbursements take. Once students send in their receipts, they must be processed through our office as well as the travel office which deals with all university grants of this nature. 

Does the reimbursable purchase need to be made on my credit or debit card?

Yes. The only exceptions are purchases made by a parent, guardian, or grandparent. We cannot process reimbursements if the purchase was made using the card of a friend, sibling, or anyone else that is not listed above as an exception.

Can I be reimbursed for a Venmo purchase?

No. We cannot process Venmo receipts for reimbursement. Venmo statements cannot be used in place of a bank statement either. If someone else makes a purchase for your experience and you Venmo them in return, we will not be able to reimburse you.

I have been told that my documents are insufficient and have been asked for additional information, is that normal?

Yes. It is very normal for travel to send back your documents. Many times it is a simple fix and nothing to be worried about.

Can I receive my check through direct deposit?

No. The university can only mail checks.

It’s been over 6 weeks and I still haven't received my reimbursement. Who should I contact?

If you are an undergraduate student, please contact our office at ceg@mailbox.sc.edu. If you are a Masters student, please contact CEGgrad@mailbox.sc.edu. Please do not contact other offices on campus. CIEL manages this grant.

How do I submit my reflection?

This video takes you through the steps of the submission process for reflections.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQwke02da1k

AI Policy 

Use of Artificial Intelligence

Any application submitted for the Carolina Engage Grant should be a pure reflection of your work and understanding. While artificial intelligence can be a helpful resource for brainstorming and editing, it is your responsibility to supply answers to the application questions that exhibit personal reflection.  Artificial intelligence should be an aid rather than the primary content creator and must be appropriately cited when used. Suspicions of misuse of artificial intelligence and/or use of artificial intelligence without attribution will affect the approval of your application. 

 

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