Pi Delta Phi Offers Scholarships to Help Students Study Abroad

Loyola University graduate Michael Ikossi earned a bachelor of arts from the school’s College of Humanities and Natural Sciences. During his time at the university, Michael Ikossi was active with a number of campus and national groups, including Pi Delta Phi, the national French honor society. 

In its efforts to encourage the study of the French language, Pi Delta Phi offers scholarships that enable students to study abroad and immerse themselves in the culture of French-speaking countries. To qualify for a scholarship, students must be a member of a Pi Delta Phi chapter and enrolled full-time in an undergraduate degree program. Preference is given to students with financial need and no history of studying or living in a francophone country. 

Currently, Pi Delta Phi oversees scholarship programs in honor of Dr. Joseph W. Yedlicka and Dr. Mary E. Gutermuth. The two Yedlicka awards cover tuition and housing as well as some travel costs for full summer sessions in Paris and Aix-en-Provence. The Gutermuth award provides funds for full tuition and housing for a five-week session at the University of Quebec at Chicoutimi. 

In its spring 2017 newsletter, Pi Delta Phi profiled the latest scholarship winners and announced the new President’s Graduate Scholarship. Launching in the fall of 2017, the President’s Graduate Scholarship will provide an annual award of $1,000 to help graduate students study or conduct research in a French-speaking country. For more information, visit www.pideltaphi.org.

Pi Delta Phi Study-Abroad Scholarship Requirements

A graduate of Loyola University in New Orleans, Michael Ikossi holds a bachelor’s degree in languages and culture with a concentration in French. Throughout his time at college, Michael Ikossi maintained an academic merit scholarship, and he earned membership into several honor societies, including Pi Delta Phi.

A national French honor society, Pi Delta Phi welcomes undergraduate and graduate students from accredited universities and colleges. As part of the organization’s efforts to support its members and promote learning of the French language, Pi Delta Phi provides several scholarships for studying abroad during summers. These annual awards are designed for undergraduate members, and all recipients must take courses conducted in French during their abroad program.

In order to be eligible for an award from Pi Delta Phi, applicants must be regular members of an active chapter. They must not have received a scholarship from Pi Delta Phi in the past, and they should be full-time undergraduates who are enrolled in a field of study. Although it is not required, the organization prefers students who have not studied or lived in a country that speaks French. Preference is also given to those who demonstrate a lack of opportunity or a financial need.

Students applying should send in a completed scholarship application and a letter in English or French briefly stating their qualifications. Three letters of nomination are also required, along with an official transcript.