Student Travel Funding

Updated 05/09/23

The Science Center has limited endowment funds to support Smith undergraduate students’ travel expenses to professional conferences to present research in a STEM field. The maximum award is $1200 per student per academic year. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, year-round.

Expenses covered:

  • Major transportation to conference location: airfare, train tickets, bus tickets, boat, or by personal or rented car
  • Ground transportation from major transport to lodging and conference venue: shuttle, local bus/subway, uber/lyft
  • Conference registration fees and related expenses such as organization membership fees
  • Lodging
  • Food

These can be used in combination with the Universal Conference fund. However, due to extremely high utilization in the Fall 22 semester, the UCF is no longer accepting applications for the 22-23 academic year. 

Student applications for travel funds are accepted on a rolling basis. Funds are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. PLEASE APPLY BEFORE YOU TRAVEL TO YOUR CONFERENCE.  We suggest you apply at least two weeks before your conference, but the earlier the better.  Funds are distributed as reimbursement for expenses. We can submit your reimbursement as soon as you’ve purchased any portion of your travel. You can also contact Heather McQueen to make an appointment to book portions of your travel on a college credit card.

Things we cannot reimburse ahead of time:

  • mileage reimbursement for driving your personal car
  • food
  • ground transport that is not prepaid

 

We cannot book lodging on a college credit card if the venue requires the credit card used for booking to be physically present during check-in, as is the case with most hotels.

Are you planning a group trip to a conference with many students in your lab who are presenting?
Contact Heather McQueen at least one month in advance to discuss possibly combining expenses to be shared and help simplify the process and reduce the number of expenses that need to be reimbursed.

Have a travel award from the Science Center and need to get reimbursed?

Please submit an AP Voucher form to be reimbursed.

The AP Voucher form can be found here.
A sample of the completed AP voucher form can be found here. The fields students need to fill out are highlighted in purple.

Please email the completed AP Voucher form and legible electronic copies of receipts to Heather McQueen.
Please send your receipts as ONE PDF file.

  • Fill out the form as best you can. It’s the top portion above the line “coding of expenses” that we need and the total dollar amount to be reimbursed. Be sure to save a copy so you can attach it to an email.
  • You need only include receipts and the form for the total dollar amount of your award. For example, if the Science Center awards you $500 and your registration is $200 and your transportation is $300, you can submit just those items from reimbursement from the Science Center. We do not need all of the expenses from your trip if they are not covered by this award.
  • Please save all of your receipts whenever you can. If you are making a purchase under $20, say from a food truck where there are no receipts, you can also note your expenses in an expense diary, following this example: “1/15/18, Lunch, Joe’s Taco Truck, $6.00”. Please include copies of your expense diary when applicable.
  • Again, email the completed form and scanned copies of receipts in one separate PDF file to Heather McQueen

 

Please take the time to fill out a trip report about your experience. Answering these questions about your conference experience helps us report to funders. You will automatically receive a copy of your trip report via email upon submission.

Don’t forget to credit the grant-making organization where appropriate with a statement like “Travel supported by the Schultz Foundation”. Our alumna Marilyn Schultz Blackwell ’69, whose father, George L. Schultz, ran the family foundation, provided us with a grant in 1992 to create an endowed fund in support of student research opportunities, including travel to professional conferences.  Not to be confused with the Schultz Family Foundation, created by Starbucks founder, Howard Schultz.

Graduating Seniors: We can reimburse you after you graduate. It might be easier for you if we reimburse you as much as we can prior to graduation. After you graduate, for a total amount paid to you over $600, you’ll receive a 1099 form from the college (and the IRS gets a copy) for your next year’s income tax filing. This includes any prizes or other reimbursements paid to you by Smith College after graduation.

Questions? Contact Heather McQueen.
413-585-3950, Burton 115