Requirements

Required for all SPAN Students

SPAN, a rigorous academic pursuit and leadership opportunity is a two-year commitment. Students apply and are chosen during the Fall semester, the spend the remainder of the academic year planning their research and working directly with an academic advisor. The following summer is spent abroad conducting independent research.  The second academic year students complete their research and act as leadership for the new class of SPAN students.  

• Careful academic preparation
  Four of the eight credits awarded will be granted for the preparation term.  Though the SPAN student registers for all eight credits during the summer session, s/he should plan to begin the research process long before departure.  This preparation semester includes orientation meetings and assignments from the advisor to familiarize the student with the culture, history, geography and language of the country.  The advisor also works with the student to connect his/her experience abroad with life in Minnesota.  In addition, students will begin planning the logistics of their research projects.  They purchase plane tickets, begin making connections with contacts overseas and work with their group members and advisors to find appropriate housing.  Additionally, students begin the preliminary stages of the research process including the refining of a thesis statement, a literature review, and outline.  
• Participation in the annual Phone-A-Thon
  Students maintain connections with our valuable alumni during the Phone-A-Thon.  SPANners have been traveling the world since 1947.  The program works to connect past and present students through Executive Board meetings, banquets, and the Phone-A-Thon.  Students are required to call specifically chosen alumni to discuss the differences and similarities in their experiences, to network and to help the program reach its development goals. The time spent working on the Phone-A-Thon counts toward the student's required office hours.  
• Attendance at All-SPAN Days and the Bon Voyage Banquet
  During the Preparation Year, students are required to attend all three "All-SPAN" orientation days and the Bon Voyage banquet.  The All-SPAN days allow all of the country groups to connect with one another and learn about how the program functions, how to start the research process, and how to travel safely in another country.  The Bon Voyage Banquet is typically held in April and is a time for celebration.  The banquet marks the end of the preparation term and the departure of the current class of SPANners. Executive Board Positions and scholarships are presented at this event.  Friends, family and alumni are encouraged to attend!
• Required Office Hours
  SPAN is a student-run organization.  In order to accomplish all of the program's goals and expectations, we need the help of current students.  Students are required to complete 15 office hours per semester. Many students choose to take on a leadership position by serving on the SPAN Executive Board. The rest of the current SPAN classes and other alumni make up a pool of volunteers.  Students can choose to work on one specific area or project to complete all of the required office hours, or they can work on several smaller tasks throughout the year.  Please contact the office to learn more about office hours and our current projects. 
• A Minimum of Eight Weeks in the SPAN Country
• Preparation and Completion of a Research Project During the Following Year
  SPAN Theses are typically due during finals week of the Spring Semester following the Summer abroad. Papers are bound and added to the SPAN library after an academic year of careful writing and revision done under the direction of three faculty advisors.