Practical experience is an integral component of preparing for work in the field of tropical conservation and development. The TCD Practitioner Experience Program assists students in gaining practical experience by providing funds to support short-term professional activities that complement academic training. Unlike traditional internships, TCD Practitioner Experiences require that there be a partnership between the student and the host organization. The student will learn from the host organization and actively contribute to its efforts. Sample practitioner experiences might include: organize and/or present a workshop with a partner organization; return research results to a host organization and/or community; assist in project planning, implementation, or evaluation; support for a TCD Practicum (LAS 6940); among other possibilities.
For ideas and examples, check some of the previous Awarded TCD Practitioner Grant
Practitioner experiences must be related to the field of tropical conservation and development and should add a dimension to the student’s training that is unavailable through UF coursework. These practitioner activities can occur in any geographic location. After the field experience, recipients are expected to complete a short, written report and to share their experiences with the TCD community in an appropriate venue.
Practitioner experiences are funded on a semi-annual competitive basis. Grants average $1,500 per student (amount updated in 2023) and only a few grants will be available each year. TCD funding can be used to cover airfare, meals, local transportation, lodging and materials. Funding is not granted for salary, for course or conference attendance, nor for any kind of field research for a thesis or dissertation. Matching or counterpart funding is encouraged.
Applicants are advised to discuss their project idea with a TCD faculty member prior to applying. The TCD Practitioner Experience Program is made possible by an endowment from the Ford Foundation.
Eligibility Requirements
- Applicants must be enrolled in the TCD Certificate Program.
- Applicants must use the award within 6 months of the time it was awarded.
- Preference will be given to those that have never received or have not received a TCD Practitioner grant in the last 2 years.
Application Deadline: April 8, 2024 and September 9, 2024
(applications past the deadline will not be accepted).
Application Instructions
• Combine documents nos. 2, 3 and 4 below into one single PDF and name it as per this example ‘last name first name TCD PEP_YEAR.pdf’
• You will then upload this PDF at the end of the application form.
• Please prepare the items no. 5 to 7 below before you start filling out the application form as you will need to enter this information directly into the form fields.
Application Materials
- Practitioner Experience application form (rev. Aug 2023)
- A letter of recommendation from a faculty member. The letter should indicate the faculty member’s willingness to advise and serve as a contact person for you while abroad. (to be combined with docs and uploaded at end of app. form)
- A statement of purpose that describes the proposed practitioner experience and activities, explains how the experience will enhance your training, and how you will contribute to the organization’s goals and objectives. Include background information on the host organization plus a brief summary of your previous contact with the organization. The statement of purpose should be limited to 3 pages max. Please include any correspondence from the organization agreeing to your project if applicable.(to be combined with docs and uploaded at end of app. form)
- Students proposing to return research results should attach a one-page summary of the key findings to be presented. (to be combined with docs and uploaded at end of app. form)
- A budget of estimated expenses and detailed description of those expenses (entered manually in the online application form)
- A timetable of planned activities (entered manually in the online application form)
- An abstract of your proposal (up to 200 words) (entered manually in the online application form)
Questions
TCD Program Coordinator
343 Grinter Hall
tcd@latam.ufl.edu