Sundance Vacations, a national travel company specializing in discount vacation accommodations, was the proud sponsor of the first Wilkes University Study Abroad Essay Contest.  The contest was open to all Wilkes undergraduate students from the US who have studied abroad, Wilkes international undergraduate and graduate students currently studying abroad in the US, and Wilkes faculty, staff and graduate students who have studied abroad.  Participants were asked to write an essay explaining how their experiences traveling abroad have changed their lives.

Twenty six people entered the contest.  Twelve students and 14 faculty wrote about their experiences in Uganda, England, Spain, Nepal, Peru, Haiti, Italy, Mexico, Southeast Asia, Russia, Denmark, Cuba, Kenya, Central America and Ireland.

First place recipients in each of the three categories received an all inclusive four-night trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, including airfare and accommodations at Dreams Punta Cana, sponsored by Sundance Vacations.  Prizes were presented by Tina Dowd, Co-Founder of Sundance Vacations, at an award ceremony in February.

“Sundance Vacations is happy to support this program and Wilkes University’s Center for Global Education and Diversity,” said Tina Dowd.  “It was interesting to learn how travel has had a profound effect on each of these individuals’ lives.”

According to Godlove Fonjweng, Wilkes Director of Global Education, “The goal of the essay contest was to provide an opportunity for those who have not traveled abroad to learn from those who have done so.”

Contest Winners were:

American Student Studying Abroad:  Jacob Parrick

International Student studying at Wilkes:  Yehia Alzawaidah

Faculty/Staff Traveling Abroad:  Jill Price

About Wilkes University :

For more information visit www.wilkes.edu.

About Sundance Vacations: 

Sundance Vacations is a national travel company that specializes in discount vacation accommodations at destination golf, beach, ski and mountain resorts throughout North America, Hawaii and the Caribbean.  Sundance Vacations is headquartered in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and maintains sales offices in four other locations including; King of Prussia, PA; Harrisburg, PA; Downers Grove, IL and Parsippany, NJ.  Sundance Vacations has been named one of the Best Places to Work by Best Companies Group four times in Pennsylvania, four times in Illinois and twice in New Jersey.  The company has been honored three times as one of the Fastest-Growing Travel Companies in Pennsylvania by Inc. 500/5000.  For more information, please visit Sundance Vacations at www.sundancevacations.com.

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