AWCI Announces Annual Fall Symposium Grant!
AWCI is proud to announce the first offering of its new annual Fall Symposium grants. Through the generosity of donors, we hope to be able to help subsidize the attendance of students and learners, based on personal drive and financial need.
The AWCI Board of Directors is determined to make AWCI headquarters in Harrison, Ohio, a place where people meet, gather, learn, and share—a place where lifelong friendships are solidified by positive and enlightening social encounters centered around educational projects.
Toward that end, the annual AWCI Board of Directors meeting and Fall Symposium is being hosted at headquarters as the centerpiece of this objective. With that, students of all ages, sexes, races, and nationalities are encouraged to attend; however, often the cost of the meeting, coupled with the travel expenses, preclude this possibility.
To address this, the AWCI Board of Directors is establishing a grant through the ELM Trust, to assist those students who want to attend the annual Symposium but might not have the available funds to do it.
Another goal is to introduce AWCI to a new generation of horological students. With the number of skilled watchmakers and clockmakers already limited in the horological world, and with many of them reaching retirement age, too few young people are replacing them.
One of the barriers to entry in horology has always been the cost of the events, symposiums, and classes related to horology. While that cost is not insurmountable, it is quite daunting for the average young horologist. The challenge of cost can set the bar for entry to the horological world, including AWCI, beyond reach for many.
To address this, AWCI has developed its new annual Fall Symposium grant. Students interested in attending the annual event, and partaking of its educational and networking opportunities, but needing financial aid to do so, will be encouraged to apply.
The grants will have multiple goals:
- Introduce younger people to AWCI and horology in general
- Allow student interest in horology to be fostered by the country’s premier horological organization
- Encourage students to become active participants in AWCI and its mission
- Meet AWCI’s educational objectives
- Generate excitement about horology, both among students, staff, and members, and via website and social media activities.
Details:
- The applicants awarded the grants will be granted a stipend—of a varying amount depending on the financial situation of the student—to assist with attending the AWCI Fall Symposium.
- This stipend is to cover the expenses of housing, meals, transportation, and other expenses incurred by the student attending the AWCI Fall Symposium.
- The recipient of a grant will be 18 years old and must be currently engaged in some type of horological craft or trade work on either a professional or serious hobby level. This program is keyed to encouraging a new generation of practitioners, and while a few gray hairs will not eliminate you from consideration, AWCI’s goal is to create a group of talent with a long commitment to AWCI, its mission, and horology in general.
- The recipients will be chosen by a committee appointed by the AWCI Board of Directors. That committee will have discretion to accept applicants who may not fully meet the preceding eligibility requirements.
