University of Michigan - Flint

Each year, the Wyatt Exploration Program will provide a unique and exciting opportunity for students and faculty to join together in intellectual exploration of the human past. Organized by the Department of History through financial support of the Wyatt Endowment, the program will focus on the history and culture of a specific place or on a particular historical topic. This theme will change on an annual basis, allowing out explorations to span the history of our country and the world beyond. The program will be organized by that year's Wyatt Fellow, a faculty member who is an expert in the field under exploration. Featuring affiliated course offerings, special extra-curricular events on campus and a competition to participate in a university-funded student travel expedition, the Wyatt Exploration Program will enrich and deepen our understanding of the world and its history.

Wyatt Travel Expedition
The culmination of the year's exploration will take place in either the spring or summer semester with a student travel expedition led by our Wyatt Fellow. Selected from our history majors (including TCP and Honors), a group of students will be invited by the History Department to participate in this trip. Most student travel expenses will be fully funded by the Department of History. Selection will be based on several factors, including the student’s academic record and coursework in the field under study. However, the primary factor to be considered will be active participation in that year's on campus Wyatt Exploration events. You don't need to have the highest GPA or to have taken courses in the subject under exploration to be selected. Rather, we are looking to assemble a diverse team of students who have demonstrated their enthusiasm and engagement with the on-campus exploration activities, who are most likely to benefit from the travel experience and who will work together most effectively as a group. Every history major is truly a potential candidate for selection and we encourage all of our students to participate and apply. In January, students will complete and submit an application form to be considered for the selection process. The list of students selected to go on the trip will be announced in February.

Lecture Series
A central part of the Wyatt Exploration Program is our Guest Lecture Series. During the course of the fall and winter semesters, the program will bring celebrated scholars from around the nation and world to our campus to speak on that year's theme. This is a great opportunity to meet and learn from acknowledged experts in their field while developing a sense of history as an intellectual community, endeavor and discipline. Participation in the Guest Lecture Series is expected of all potential candidates for the travel expedition. Although we understand that you may not be able to attend all of these sessions, you should try to attend as many of these events as you can to maximize your potential as a travel expedition participant.

Coursework and Extra-Curricular Activities
A list of affiliated courses will match the subject of exploration for that year. Although primarily history courses, this list may also include courses in other disciplines that complement the theme. Students will have the opportunity to take these courses during the academic year. If students have already taken any of these courses in previous years, this will also be recognized in the selection process for the Wyatt Travel Expedition. The exploration program provides a wonderful opportunity for additional depth of instruction and experience for those students who are taking or have taken one or more of these courses. However, you are still a viable candidate for the travel expedition even if you do not take any of these affiliated courses and are encouraged to participate in other on-campus exploration activities instead. In addition to the guest lecture series and formal coursework, the Wyatt Fellow may organize co-curricular activities and discussion sessions devoted to the theme. All students are invited to these activities and participation will be considered in the selection process for the travel expedition.

Wyatt Exploration Passports
To chart your level of participation, students will receive a Wyatt Exploration Program Passport. When you bring this passport to any Wyatt Exploration Program event or activity, you will receive a stamp that verifies your attendance. When you submit your passport with your application, the number of stamps you have collected will be considered in the selection process for the Wyatt Travel Expedition. Be sure to retrieve your passport from the History Department after the competition is over as you can continue to use it for the following year. Stamps collected in previous years will be considered in the travel expedition selection process. Even if you don't get selected for that year's program, your participation will still be counted in the selection process in future years. So, start collecting stamps!