Conclave Scholarships

Scholarships will be awarded with special consideration to early applicants: awards for a full time student for the 2008 conclave will be remission of tuition, i.e., $400 for a regular full class load, $200 for consort co-op players (the conference fee). These scholarships are work-based, with the number of hours determined by the amount of the scholarship (25-30 hours for full tuition, 12-15 hours for CC).

The number of awards that we offer in a given year is based on the number of attendees at Conclave. Normally we will have one "gofer" position available per 10 total participants. One person will do only photocopying, a couple of people will run the VdGSA Bookstore, another assist with the auction, one person will stage manage the concerts, shifts of two or three people will do registration and check out on the weekends, etc, etc, so you can see that you will be very busy. But, the jobs you do will afford you an excellent opportunity to see the conclave from the inside out, and to get to know and be known by the whole group. The work that you do is what makes the conclave run successfully from one day to the next. The board, the conclave staff and all of the attendees are always very appreciative. Your work schedule should not ever interfere with your classes and other major events (your real reason for coming to Conclave), but it may affect your time for social events and late-night playing.

There is always stiff competition for these scholarships. First choice will have to be given to those that can make it to FPU before noon on Sunday and stay thru check-out on the following Sunday. Most of the hard work of the Conclave happens that first weekend from Saturday morning until Sunday evening and then again on the following weekend. During that time, there are very specific jobs that we need covered at very specific times. We realize that it's a long way to late summer, but we really need to know if you will have access to a car, when you can arrive and when you will need to leave because, in some cases, that will determine which jobs you can do and it may also determine whether or not we can use you as a scholarship student. Be sure to advise us of any special skills or job preferences you might have as well.

We will need one or two gofers to get to Rindge on Friday or Saturday before Conclave begins, especially someone with a car and a knowledge of the area. If you do come in early and are working, the Society will pay for your food and lodging until Sunday evening when the meal plan begins. Early arrival on Saturday night will also give you a chance to get rested up for Sunday. If you will plan to arrive at least sometime before noon on Sunday, you will have time to unpack and get acquainted with the campus and the surrounding area before you are needed for registration and the GOFER MEETING AT 1PM ON SUNDAY.

There may be an experienced gofer as a "crew captain" for the different categories of jobs. There is also one position open for a "purser". This person will be available whenever necessary to maintain the books for the bookstore and will manage money issues for the auction, etc; i.e. be responsible for anything to do with money for the week. There is a larger stipend for this job because it requires bookkeeping skills and a great deal of responsibility.

Job descriptions:

1. The Generic Gofer Job:Being available to assist participants with luggage at registration & again at check out at the end of the week, and to assist them early in the week in locating the dining hall, classrooms, etc.
2. Schlepping: Moving chairs and desks to set up rooms, either for classes or for meetings or concerts and returning those spaces to their original configuration afterwards. (This will be happening all week long, but especially on both weekends.) Do a walk-through of the classrooms with Martha Bishop on the first Sunday.
3. Registration: Shifts of gofers must staff the table handing out registration packets and room keys/cards the first Saturday & Sunday, then checking participants out the following weekend. (This is a good way to meet folks.)
4. Artist-in-Residence: We will need many signs made during the week. If you have artistic skills and/or training, please let me know.
5. Copy King/Queen/(Emperor/Elector Palatinate...): Big job!! Will take up one gofer's time completely and he/she may need assistance as well. (We may go through 10 cases of photocopy paper.) We rent a machine for the week.
6. VdGSA Bookstore: Selling VdGSA merchandise, music, and CDs. You will need good organizational and bookkeeping skills.
7. Auction: Assist with collecting, cataloguing and displaying items; running the auction and distributing purchases afterwards.
8. Receptions: We will do 3 receptions at Rindge: the opening night get-together, the auction, and after the concert on Wednesday night (yes, that's on the night off.)
9. Mail Clerk: Checking daily with the campus post office and the conference office for mail, packages, and messages, and delivering them to participants.
10. Stage Manager: Involves lighting, stage managing, tech assistance, etc., to provide for performers' needs for concerts and/or lectures and to be responsible for programs and/or handouts (Some tech skills required).
11. Un-coached Consorts: Afternoon and evening, post sign-up sheets with music and room locations, monitor sheets, distribute music to prescribed rooms and collect it afterwards, assist with tuning, etc, etc.
12. Room Checks: Sunday morning (from 10 AM to 1 PM). Check to be sure classrooms and public spaces are as they were when we arrived, check each dorm room for lost items (bows, etc), clean out fridges, etc. (This is a BIG job! If you can stay until 1pm, please plan to help with this.)
13. Miscellaneous: There are always unexpected things that come up to do.

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