Funded Travel Opportunities

These established programs are conducted annually and are attended by invitation only. Organizers invite honors programs to nominate students to attend, and only a select number of students nationwide are chosen each year.

Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress Fellows Program

This program provides a select group of undergraduate and graduate students from invited institutions across the nation a unique opportunity to study the federal policy-making process and the inner workings of the executive and legislative branches of government. Fellows study the U.S. political system, explore public-service opportunities, conduct independent research, and travel to Washington, D.C., for a policy conference featuring top-tier expert speakers from various government and public policy agencies. Funding for ASU Fellows is generously provided through grants from the New Family Honors Enhancement Fund.

Student Conference on U.S. Affairs

Select students are invited to attend an annual four-day conference hosted by the United States Military Academy at West Point. The purpose of the conference is to facilitate interaction and constructive discussion between West Point cadets and civilian student delegates in an effort to better understand the challenges the U.S. faces today. Attendees participate in panel discussions, hear from high-profile speakers and work collaboratively to develop policy proposals concerning issues in U.S. foreign policy.

Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference

This conference at the United States Naval Academy annually hosts approximately 150 undergraduate students from the U.S. and several foreign countries. Attendees engage in three days of seminars and discussions of significant contemporary issues, brainstorm potential solutions to modern dilemmas, and hear distinguished lecturers. Keynote speakers have included U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman.

Air Force Academy Assembly

Select Honors Program students have the opportunity to serve as delegates to this annual assembly held every year on the grounds of the Air Force Academy. Delegates hear prominent experts in domestic and foreign affairs and academia, participate in readings and roundtable discussions on the conference theme, and gain valuable leadership skills.

The Washington Center

Select students have the opportunity to participate in academic seminars and internships offered through The Washington Center and earn academic credit through Georgetown University. ASU Honors Program students have interned with agencies such as the Organization of American States, the Veterans Administration and Management Dynamics in Washington, D.C.  Others have participated in special presidential campaign seminars, national security and cybersecurity programs, and public health experiences.

Texas Undergraduate Research Day

The program showcases the experiences of undergraduate students engaged in research for Texas legislators and the public through high-quality poster displays. The program highlights how research conducted by undergraduate students positively impacts Texas and Texans.

The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) Partners in the Parks program is a distinctive outdoor learning experience. Groups of approximately 15 honors students from universities across the nation spend a week exploring America’s national parks and monuments. Students engage with honors program faculty, park personnel and visiting lecturers in seminars discussing the historical, scientific and cultural development of the parks and their significance to American society. ASU honors students’ participation is generously funded through grants from the New Family Honors Enhancement Fund.

Founded in 1966, the NCHC is a unique organization dedicated to supporting and promoting undergraduate honors education. Each year, the NCHC hosts a national conference that allows students to showcase their research through interdisciplinary panels and poster presentations. Papers and posters are accepted through a highly competitive blind-review process from submissions open to over 330,000 honors students representing nearly 900 member institutions.

NCHC Website

The GPHC is a regional subset of the National Collegiate Honors Council for colleges and universities in Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma. Each year, the GPHC hosts a regional conference that provides students an outlet to present research through poster and paper presentations. Students compete for the Dennis Boe Award that honors scholarly writing and the John Britt Poster Award that rewards outstanding scholarly research.

GPHC Website