SILC - Turning Students' Ideas into Reality

October 8, 2014

 

 

The Student Intellectual Life Committee (SILC) supports student-initiated projects, professional development opportunities, and student research. It awards small grants every month from September until June to AUCA students. During this period committee provides some amount of scholarships in order to increase our students’ intellectual life. The application form is simple enough. For more information about SILC and application, please visit the website: https://www.auca.kg/en/silc/

 

Chair of SILC Committee, Assistant Professor Görkem Atsungur from European and American Studies department, shared about SILC’s opportunities for our students.

 

Why The Student Intellectual Life Committee is important for you?

 

SILC plays a crucial role in AUCA education; therefore, it is very important for me. Since 2012, along with other committee members, I devoted myself to this Committee. I attended so many academic events such as summer schools, conferences, etc. I exactly realize importance of intercultural communication and dialogue between different nations, societies, and religions. It has huge positive contribution to your studying, because you will not see the world only from your glasses anymore. Many thank to our President Wachtel and administration that they support these kinds of activities and provide our students this chance.

 

First of all, your best teacher is you. It is inner side; you have to start from yourself. I can see the differences and improvements of SILC since 2012 so clearly. So many students did not know much about SILC in 2012. We tried to give more information about our committee. Also special thanks to you, you wrote some articles relating with SILC in student newspaper, New Star. Student had a big prejudice and they thought we could provide only very small number of money such as 100$ even though it was not totally true. Even we, committee members, met on Sunday in order to improve our committee.

 

May be you can be rejected for the first time in your application but do not give up and try again and again. Be encouraged, do not be demotivated! Many students get their scholarships when they apply 2^nd time, 3^rd time, even 4^th time. SILC is a committee and consisted of 6 faculty and 2 student members. The decision is not only my decision. Most of the time, we are agree on same candidates because it is clearly seen that they have better application documents.

 

As a result of these, if you asked me which committee is the most important at AUCA, I will definitely say – SILC. It is related with students. My priority is being a faculty that our students. I am really trying to help them in order to improve their intellectual capabilities.

 

Which criteria can influence to decision of SIlC Committee members?

 

I can easily say that our decisions are fair. We follow special standards such as GPA, the quality of statement of purpose, reference letter, and needs of academic and intellectual merit, etc. Our main priority is intellectual life. We do not give money for improving your nonintellectual life: for example athletic events, sport events, etc. These events are not priorities of our committee; we also do not give grants for TOEFL tests.

 

We try to give grants for students’ research projects. This is very important for us. We do not want passive students to claim that they go to conferences; even some of them do not attend the conference. We want students to make a research and present it. The Committee encourages students to make a proper academic research.

 

Of course each committee member has own priorities. As a member of SILC, my first priority is not only GPA. For me, statement of purpose, reference letter and the quality of research is more important that GPA. I know such students with relatively low GPA around 2.75-3.25, they worked with professors for their term papers and they wanted to apply SILC and at the end went to conferences in order to present. I think it was great opportunity for them. I can clearly see the difference before and after visiting international event. Even one visit can totally change your views and perspectives. You are AUCA students are so lucky that you have this kind of chance. I wish during my studies, my university also support us for this kind of programs.  

 

What is the budget of SILC Committee?

 

We have a limited budget; we do not have enormous unlimited funds. Each month is changing. So it is not easy to say that amount of money. But last year we spent around 30.000 $ per academic year. Please don’t come and ask for the $3000, we cannot provide such amount of money to one student. Financial matters are private information of students and they do not want to share it. I can respect it totally.

 

What problems do you face with students’ applications? 

 

Some Statements of Purpose (SoP) are plagiarized and not so clear. As I said, for me and I believe for most of the committee members, statement of purpose is the most important thing in your application. Any documents shouldn’t be plagiarized; it should clearly explain:

 

• Why this conference is important for your studies?
• How is it relevant for your intellectual life? What is your expectation of the program?
• When you turn back how can you contribute to AUCA community?

 

Applicant should provide some benefits to the university. So many students write that when they turn back, they will teach our professors. Of course we are professors learn many new things from our student everyday but I am not so sure the reality of this. Your SoP should be very clear, rational and adequate. And please do not plagiarize. Do not forget that AUCA provides critical thinking and liberal education. Use your own creativity and use opportunity to express your specialty.

 

Get reference letters from the faculties, if it is from the chair and explain both your academic and personal characteristics, you will have a strong chance to get the scholarship. Some students receive reference letters from the classmates. This is not so professional when you ask so much money.

 

During the last academic year, 2013-2014, more than 30 students are accepted to get scholarship from SILC for Germany, Turkey, South Korea, Russia, the USA, etc... Do not lose your opportunity and apply it now. 

<< go to news list