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Press Releases

Carpe Diem Education Launches New Foundation to Provide Scholarships

International Carpe Diem Foundation Created to Help Low Income Students Study Abroad

Portland, Oregon (PRWEB) May 19, 2009 -- Carpe Diem Education, an experiential education organization specializing in study abroad programs for Gap year students, announces that it has launched a non-profit organization to assist low-income students with scholarships for their programs. Applications can be found at the foundation's website: www.carpefoundation.org.

The International Carpe Diem Foundation (ICDF) was created by the Carpe Diem Education Board to work with Portland-area students from low-income families. ICDF Chairman Ethan Knight says, "I've been in this field for over 10 years and after seeing the incredible growth and maturation that happens to students as a result of these programs we're so very happy to have started ICDF. With our donors support we will be able to broaden our own diversity as well as share this unique set of life-lessons within our local communities - indeed the ones that arguably need it most."

The full-scholarships that are available will provide students with all of the financial resources they need to participate in one of Carpe Diem Education's semester abroad programs and receive college credit from Portland State University. Carpe Diem Education seeks to promote global awareness, self-sufficiency and personal growth in students during their semester and year-long study abroad adventures.

Carpe Diem Education's experiential programs are especially popular with Gap year students, who have decided to take a year off between high school and college. This life-changing experience helps students learn more about themselves by learning about the world. With a student-leader ratio of no more than 6:1, each trip is led by highly qualified and experienced individuals who serve as mentors and guides during the program's duration.

To receive financial aid for study abroad, applicants must demonstrate a high financial need, as well as a history of leadership within their community. The ICDF board will evaluate each candidate on an individual basis, with special preference given to students within the Portland metropolitan area.

Students who wish to apply for ICDF Scholarships may contact Carpe Diem Education or fill out a scholarship application found at www.carpefoundation.org.

About Carpe Diem Education
Carpe Diem Education is a leading international study abroad organization specializing in semester and year-long programs designed for GAP year students, high school seniors and college students. Since 2007, Carpe Diem has taken over 200 students to East Africa, Central America, South America, India, Southeast Asia and the South Pacific. You can learn more about Carpe Diem Education by visiting their website at www.carpediemeducation.org.

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Carpe Diem International Education To Seize Student Vote
Press-Release: Leading Gap Year Organization and U.S. State Department Help Students Cast Ballots Overseas

July 9, 2008 – Portland, Ore.—Carpe Diem International, a leading global education organization specializing in gap year programs, today announced a plan to help all enrolled students vote in the November presidential election while abroad. Carpe Diem has worked closely with the United States State Department to make the process accessible and effective for all students who are studying abroad during the election period. Carpe Diem International is the first gap year program to implement such an initiative.

“It’s important for our students to remain citizens of the United States while they are becoming citizens of the world,” said Ethan Knight, Founder and Executive Director at Carpe Diem International. “There is a lot at stake in this year’s presidential election and we want to make sure our students can participate in the election process, even if they are in remote areas of the world.”

According to the U.S. State Department, 250,000 students participated in overseas programs last year. It’s expected that as many as 150,000 students are expected to participate in overseas programs during the 2008 Fall school term.

Carpe Diem anticipates at least 90 students will be participating in programs located throughout the world including Africa, Southeast Asia, Central and South America, India and the South Pacific. For many of these students this will be their first opportunity to vote in a presidential election.

State Department Support
Recognizing an important need, the U.S. State Department recently launched a website dedicated to providing resource information for students traveling abroad studentsabroad.gov. The website offers guidance on topics such as healthcare, embassy locations and travel documentation requirements. A section of the site provides detailed information for students who wish to vote while overseas. In the first week after launch, the website received 33,000 hits.

“We want to make it as easy as possible for students who wish to vote while they are overseas,” noted Michele Bond, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Overseas Citizens Services

Growing Popularity of Gap Year Programs
Carpe Diem International Education is an experiential education organization focused on promoting global awareness, self-sufficiency and personal growth through its semester and yearlong programs for high school graduates and college age students. Curriculum is developed to foster authentic real world education while simultaneously satisfying course requirements for college credit. Students are encouraged to break out of their comfort zones by integrating into their host cultures and learning self-responsibility while in a group setting. Program destinations include Africa, Central & South America, India, Southeast Asia, and the South Pacific. Typical activities include: immersion language study, volunteering with AIDS orphans and street children, introductory Buddhist studies, rafting the headwaters of the Nile, and SCUBA on the Great Barrier Reef.

Carpe Diem staff is highly experienced in facilitating optimal group and personal development in young adults while serving as mentors and experts in safe, engaged international travel. All are wilderness medicine certified, with many holding advanced certification as well as training in Non-Violent Communication and teachings of the Hendricks Institute. Carpe Diem programs enjoy one of the lowest student-leader ratios in the industry (no more than 6:1) in order to facilitate a safe and high quality experience for every student. Carpe Diem relies on well established in-country relationships with local community leaders, families and reputable NGO’s. These alliances benefit both the local community by providing volunteer resources, and the student group experience. These relationships are fundamental towards bridging the cultural divide in a conscious and structured manner.

About Carpe Diem International Education
Carpe Diem International www.carpediemeducation.org is one of the leading international academic organizations offering overseas study programs specifically designed for college students, gap year students and high school seniors. Intended to provide an environment for experiential learning, programs are structured around service, travel, community development and cultural exchange. Leading semester and yearlong programs since 2007, Carpe Diem instructors have mentored a total of 200 students during tours to Africa, Southeast Asia, South America and the South Pacific.

Media Contact:
Pam Kahl, verbal800 Communications
pam.kahl@verbal800.com
(503) 284-1534

Publications for Parents

Carpe Diem is committed to the best possible experience for our students. Over the years we've watched enough students journey to every corner of the globe and found that the best and most positive long-term changes happen when parents are included in their journey. To that end, Carpe Diem has published the following articles for parents of our students with the mindset that a parent is necessarily a participent in their student's journey - and thus to call attention to it and address that relationship consciously is the best way to facilitate each student's growth as well as easing the transition towards an inevitably more independent relationship. If you are a parent of an outbound student, you can expect to receive these in your inbox as a gentle reminder of the conscious (and unconscious) role you play in your student's semester.