The money allocated by the Student Travel Fund is made possible by contributions from the University of Miami Citizens Board, the Rosenstiel School Dean, and from the efforts of the Marine Science Graduate Student Organization (MSGSO). MSGSO’s primary source of income is through the Annual Student Auction that takes place in April. Eligibility requirements, usage details and restrictions are listed below.
Eligibility Requirements & Restrictions
- 2 or 3 total POINTS (Domestic / International Travel respectively) are REQUIRED to be eligible for any STF application type.
- 1 POINT MUST result from volunteering at the Student Auction
- Students can only receive funding ONE TIME per year, on a rolling calendar year. This means that if a student receives a STF award in the winter application term, they cannot receive another STF award until the following year’s winter term.
- Until December 2022: Points received prior to Covid can still be used. After December 2022, points will expire expire 1 YEAR from the day they were acquired. The only exception to this rule is that STF points received during the first year as a graduate student at Rosenstiel School will expire 2 YEARS from the day they were acquired.
- The applying student is responsible for maintaining email receipts for STF points earned.
- 2 POINTS can be utilized to receive up to $500.00 for DOMESTIC TRAVEL
- 3 POINTS can be utilized to receive up to $700.00 for INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL (Hawai’i is considered international travel due to the inflated prices to travel to Hawai’i)
- POINTS must be EARNED PRIOR to requests for STF FUNDING
How to Earn STF Points
Points can be earned by holding a leadership position and/or helping with any MSGSO, Outreach, Alumni, or Advancement event. Here are a few examples of ways to earn points. More information about these events can be found on the MSGSO website or the Outreach website. Volunteer opportunities vary from helping MSGSO at the auction to giving a campus tour. There is something for everyone! Some events even include free admission, food and t-shirts!
Records of earned STF points is under the responsibility of the applying student. The STF committee members are not in charge of maintaining records of points earned by students.
STF Point Achievement Requirements
* All points awarded are at the discretion of MSGSO, STF, or the awarding Rosenstiel School member.
4 POINTS:
Current MSGSO Officer (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer)
Until December 2022 - 3 POINTS:
Student Representative Position (earned after one year of service)
- Includes MSGSO Representatives, STF Representatives, Student-Led Evaluations and Development (SLED) Representatives, SA Senators, Department Faculty Meeting/Academic Committee Representatives, Rosenstiel School Academic Committee Representative, Library Committee Representative, etc.
- Local solicitation for auction items (1 point may be earned if a student wishes to visit a smaller number of businesses)
- Student visits local businesses on a predefined list given by MSGSO from August – October. During these visits, they ask businesses to make a donation to the auction, follow-up, and pick up items if necessary.
1 POINT:
- Teaching a seminar for the Student Computing Seminar Series
- Former MSGSO Officer (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer)
- Donating a service to the auction (e.g. baked goods, specialty dinners, dance lessons, etc.). Donation of items for live or silent auctions may be made at the discretion of MSGSO.
- Each 2 hour time block worked at the Annual Student Auction helping in roles defined by MSGSO (e.g. Admission, Live Auction, Silent Auction, Setup/Clean-up, etc.)
- Volunteering for one MSGSO merchandise sale (usually 2 hours)
- Designing artwork for MSGSO merchandise (must go through proper approval process facilitated by MSGSO)
- Volunteer at other MSGSO events in roles defined by MSGSO (e.g. New Student Party, Halloween Party, Holiday Party, Mardi Gras Party, Talent Show, Science Party, Beach Clean Up, Jimbo’s Run, etc.)
- Tours
- Give tours of your labs or the school.
- Middle and High School students - frequently teachers will ask to bring their students to the Rosenstiel School to see our labs
- Donors often want to see our campus and labs
- Prospective students
- Lectures
- Help setup and/or break down for lectures such as:
- Sea Secrets (one Wednesday a month from January to May)
- Key Biscayne Lectures (varying dates)
- Alumni Lecture (May)
- Bader Lecture (September)
- Events
- Throughout the academic year, there are numerous other opportunities/events happening on campus which require volunteer support of some form like
the Rosenstiel School Open House, Women in Science Day, Environmental Immersion Day, Bring Your Child to Work Day etc. Notifications for such usually sent out a few weeks
before seeking volunteer support for various tasks and activities.
There are numerous ways students can earn points to be eligible for STF funding! If there is something that is not listed above that you think qualifies you to earn points, please email MSGSO and STF PRIOR to the event to receive verification whether or not you will earn points.
