Engineers for a Sustainable World - The SEED Program - <br>Summer Engineering Experience in Development

The SEED Program -
Summer Engineering Experience in Development

SEED Home | Why Volunteer | Program Details | Apply | Past SEED Volunteers

Program Details

Application Requirements

Engineers of all disciplines and levels of training are eligible to apply to the SEED Program, including students and professionals. Among student applicants, candidates involved in ESW Collegiate Chapters are preferred; however, ESW considers applicants from all colleges.

There are limited opportunities for non-engineers, though ESW occasionally accepts applications from potential volunteers with experience in business and community enterprise.

US citizenship is not required; however, volunteers must be able to participate in the mandatory orientation and debriefing sessions in Ithaca, New York in June and August/September, respectively. ESW does not cover transportation costs to/from the sessions.

For further details and to apply, please see the Apply section.

Program Duration

Volunteers must be available for a minimum of three months from June to August or September, including a one week orientation and half-week debriefing in San Francisco, California. Volunteers typically spend between 10 to 14 weeks working overseas.

In the past, ESW has extended project assignments for graduate students and professionals have been extended for longer durations. However, volunteers who choose this option will need to be available to start on the regular program timetable and will need to cover associated additional costs.

Due to the high number of students who participate in the SEED Program, ESW organizes two volunteer orientation and debriefing sessions – one that is conducive to schools on the semester system, and one that is conducive to those on the quarter system. The application deadline for both groups is January 31, 2008.

Applications Due	January 31, 2008
Interviews	February 18-22, 2008
Applicants Notified*	Late February/ Early March
Deposits Due	Two weeks after notification
50% Program Fee Due	April 15, 2008

	SEED Group A	SEED Group B
Orientation	May 25-28, 2008	Jun 22-25, 2008
Overseas Assignment	May 28 – Aug 12, 2008	Jun 25 – Sep 9, 2008
Debriefing	Aug 13-14, 2007	Sep 10-11, 2007

Project Locations

Volunteers have been assigned to projects in the Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. When applying to the program, potential volunteers may indicate where they are interested in working, however the more flexibility an applicant provides ESW, the more likely he/she is to be placed. Language skills are an important consideration when offering volunteer placements.

Past volunteer locations include:

Africa – Senegal, Uganda, and South Africa
Asia – China and India
Latin America – Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Mexico
Eastern Europe – Turkey and Bosnia-Herzegovina

Project Work

Most of ESW projects fall into one of our core service areas: water supply and quality, information and communication technology (ICT) education, renewable energy development, and food processing/ storage.

Housing and Logistics

ESW coordinates the housing and travel logistics for your overseas experience, starting with your flight abroad. Coordinating with local partner organizations in our SEED locations, ESW arranges the transportation upon your arrival, as well as your overseas housing. The majority of SEED Program volunteers are placed with host families, where they have the opportunity to learn more about the local language and culture.

Program Fee and SEED Fellowships

Applicants are required to pay a $35 application fee ($25 for ESW paid members). Accepted volunteers pay an additional program fee that covers training & support, travel overseas, accommodations, and other program costs associated with the volunteer’s experience.

Program fees are:

Africa
$5,500

Latin America
$3,500

Asia
$5,500

Upon accepting the project assignment, accepted SEED volunteers must pay a $200 deposit which goes towards their Program Fee. For a more detailed breakdown of what the Program Fee covers, click here.

Fundraising - All program fees are 100% tax deductible. A majority of ESW volunteers fundraise to cover the costs of their SEED Program fee. Our student volunteers often receive scholarships or other funding support from their departments or colleges. Several volunteers have also been successful by asking friends, colleagues, and family to make modest, tax-deductible contributions to ESW to support their participation in the SEED Program.

SEED Fellowships - Every year, ESW selects a limited number of SEED Fellows, whose program fees are covered by ESW thanks to the generous contributions from our donors and sponsors. For more information about applying for a SEED Program Fellowship, see the program application.

The SEED Program - Summer Engineering Experience in Development