Cultural Events Petition Process

Students who attend off-campus events may be eligible to receive credit towards their Cultural Events requirement; however, these events must be similar in nature to those that would have been, or likely would be, approved as Cultural Events if they were held on campus. A list of suggested options for petitionable off-campus events can be found here.

When petitioning for credit for off-campus events, please complete the follow steps:

Step 1. 

Complete the Cultural Events Petition Form (pdf - 331 KB) in its entirety. All areas must be completed on the petition form to be considered complete. 

Step 2.

Attach proof of attendance. A ticket stub/receipt is preferred. If there is no admission charge, a brochure with photo(s) of the student at the event may suffice (it must be clear in the photo(s) that you are, in fact, at the event).

**The Cultural Events Committee does not accept videos as proof of attendance at this time. 

Step 3.

Compose and attach a well-written report (minimum of 250 words). The goal of attending any cultural event is to engage with a perspective vastly different from our own so that we may learn something new about the world around us. Students should include the following information and address the questions below in their write up: 

• Describe the event itself (e.g. the type of event, who is speaking/performing/presenting, the location of the event, what happened during the event)
• What is your personal reaction to the event? What are your impressions and/or thoughts?
• How and why is the event a significant cultural learning experience for you? Why is it valuable?
• What have you learned about the world around you by attending this event? How has your perspective changed?
• What did you learn from this experience? How did you learn it? Why does it matter? 

Remember, your purpose is to prove that you attended the event and that the event has been culturally valuable, so be certain to add specific details that are important and relevant (such as artist’s, actor’s, and/or speaker’s names; detailed descriptions of performances; and/or particularly meaningful moments). Set the scene for us by being specific. Take notes during the event so that you can accurately describe it later. Finally, be sure to proofread your report for errors in spelling and grammar.

Format: MLA, 12-Point Font, Times New Roman

Step 4. 

Submit your completed petition form, proof of attendance, and write-up to be reviewed by the Cultural Events Committee at their next meeting. Petitions may be submitted by e-mail to culturalevents@winthrop.edu or turned in as hard copies to the Office of Records and Registration at 126 Tillman Hall.

Students can earn Cultural Event credit for travel experiences in the U.S. and abroad. Traveling to another U.S. state does not qualify as a Cultural Event. 

Domestic travel should include a significant cultural component (e.g., visiting a national museum or historic site.) Although a trip to Yellowstone National Park or a cruise in the Bahamas might be interesting, it likely would not qualify as a Cultural Event.

International travel may include student exchange programs. One or more credits may be granted for such travel experiences or in cases where the student has visited multiple countries. If credit is being sought simply for traveling in foreign countries, students may receive no more than one cultural event credit per country. Students, however, may seek more than one credit per country for specific cultural experiences; in such cases, the same criteria used to determine Cultural Event credit for experiences within the United States will be applied.

When submitting a petition for travel experiences, please complete the follow steps:

Step 1. 

Complete the Cultural Events Petition Form (pdf - 331 KB) in its entirety. All areas must be completed on the petition form to be considered complete. 

Step 2. 

Attach proof of travel such as a plane ticket/receipt, boarding pass, or stamped passport. If you would like, you can submit a travel itinerary and photos to help supplement your petition (note: it must be clear in photos that you are, in fact, at the location).

**The Cultural Events Committee does not accept videos as proof of attendance at this time. 

Step 3. 

Compose and attach a well-written report (minimum of 250 words). Describe in detail what you saw and did on your trip, especially those activities that were cultural in nature. For example, a report on a trip to Paris might include the following statements:

"I visited the Cathedral de Notre dame, the Sacre Cour, and the Left Bank of the Seine. I also spent the afternoon at the Louvre Museum, where I saw The Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci and many other famous paintings. I found the architecture of the new pyramid addition to the museum quite fascinating. I was sure to note the differences in architecture compared to that of the United States as we walked to and from each destination. Later that evening, I attended a performance by the opera Carmen at the Paris Opera. It was such a beautiful experience that gave me a deeper appreciation for the performing arts."

The rubric for assessing written reports is as follows. Students may, but are not necessarily guaranteed to, receive:

+ 1 credit for each country visited (for international travel only) 

(You must submit proof of travel, such as photos, ticket stubs or receipts) 

+ 1 credit (total) for discussing the international cuisine (for international travel only) 

(i.e., describe the food you ate abroad and how it relates to the culture[s] you visited)

+ 1 credit (total) for discussing your interactions with locals (for international travel only) 

(i.e., did you take note of any cultural differences in your interactions with others?)

+ 1 credit for each culturally-distinct event attended

(e.g., touring a national landmark or historical site, visiting an art museum, attending a theatrical production, etc. For these, you would need to include photos of yourself on site and, if there is an admission fee, provide a scanned copy or screenshot of your ticket/receipt.)
Format: MLA, 12-Point Font, Times New Roman

Step 4. 

Submit your completed petition form, proof of attendance, and write-up to be reviewed by the Cultural Events Committee at their next meeting. Petitions may be submitted by e-mail to culturalevents@winthrop.edu or turned in as hard copies to the Office of Records and Registration at 126 Tillman Hall.

Students who have served in the military are eligible to receive Cultural Event credit for their experience. In order to receive credit, students must submit a military petition to the Cultural Events Committee. These petitions are reviewed on a case-by-case bases. Upon receiving a petition, the committee will assess the nature of the student's experience and determine how many credits the student should receive.

A maximum of nine (9) credits may be awarded for this type of petition.

When petitioning for credit for military experiences (for student veterans), please complete the follow steps:

Step 1.

Complete the Cultural Events Petition Form (pdf - 331 KB) in its entirety. All areas must be completed on the petition form to be considered complete. 

Step 2.

Compose and attach a well-written report (minimum of 250 words). This paper may be as many pages long as students feel is necessary to discuss their military experiences. Students may wish to include information about countries they visited, cultures they explored, and people they met while on active duty. In addition, students may wish to discuss their leisure time spent off-duty, including any recreation they took part in that may be considered culturally significant (e.g., dance performances, music recitals, museum tours, festivals, etc.). As proof of these leisure activities, students may include photos, ticket stubs/receipts, pamphlets and brochures, and other materials suchlike to supplement their petition.

Note: Upon submission, your military service will be verified by the Veteran Benefits Coordinator. If your information is not on file, the Cultural Events Coordinator will be in contact with you to request the proper documentation.
Format: MLA, 12-Point Font, Times New Roman

Step 3.

Submit your completed petition form, proof of attendance(if available), and write-up to be reviewed by the Cultural Events Committee at their next meeting. Petitions may be submitted by e-mail to culturalevents@winthrop.edu or turned in as hard copies to the Office of Records and Registration at 126 Tillman Hall.

Post-traditional students may submit a portfolio of culturally-relevant experiences that they underwent since high-school and prior to matriculation at Winthrop University.

A portfolio is designed to illuminate those activities and life experiences that a student has had which are unrelated to their college experience. Consideration will be given for experiences such as travel (foreign or domestic), museum visits, and attendance at performances (e.g., theatrical productions, concerts and recitals, etc.) by professional, college, or community groups.

In the case of transfer students, no consideration will be given for activities participated in or attended at another college while they were a student there. Allowance is already made for that by the reduction in the number of overall Cultural Event credits they must obtain at Winthrop University.

Upon receiving a petition, the committee will assess the nature of the student's experience and determine how many credits the student should receive.

When petitioning for credit for a portfolio of culturally related life experiences, please complete the follow steps:

Step 1. 

Complete the Cultural Events Petition Form (pdf - 331 KB) in its entirety. All areas must be completed on the petition form to be considered complete. 

Step 2. 

Attach proof of attendance and/or travel (if available) such as ticket stubs/receipts, boarding passes, stamped passports, pamphlets and brochures, photos, etc. 

**The Cultural Events Committee does not accept videos as proof of attendance at this time. 

Step 3.

Compose and attach a well-written report (minimum of 250 words; 3+ pages recommended). Although the Cultural Events Committee does not necessarily expect a student to have proof of attendance and/or travel, they do expect to read a detailed report of the student's experiences. Therefore, students should include specific details in their paper (e.g., times, dates, and locations of events; names and descriptions of events; and their intake and experiences at the events). The purpose of this paper is to give the committee a clear understanding of the student's culturally relevant experiences, how they affected them, and some sense of their continuing commitment to such activities as a participant or audience member.
Format: MLA, 12-Point Font, Times New Roman

Step 4. 

Submit your completed petition form, proof of attendance(if available), and write-up to be reviewed by the Cultural Events Committee at their next meeting. Petitions may be submitted by e-mail to culturalevents@winthrop.edu or turned in as hard copies to the Office of Records and Registration at 126 Tillman Hall.