Newman Exploration Travel Fund

The wingback chairs and sofas in the study space at the Newman Exploration Center in Olin.

Applications for the 2024 NEXT Award are closed.

The Newman Exploration Travel Fund (NEXT) aims to support students, faculty, and staff on the Danforth, North, and West Campuses who wish to explore this vast universe.

At Washington University, we view travel as a valued means to go into the world so that we may return to our communities with an expanded awareness that inspires growth, excellence, and innovation.

Traveling into the unknown represents a unique opportunity to achieve myriad goals, whether cultural, intellectual, philosophical, or academic, or to realize a lifelong dream, to serve others, or to broaden our horizons and sense of place in the world.

Any eligible student or member of the Danforth, North, and West Campus faculty and staff with an open mind and sense of adventure is invited to apply for the Newman Exploration Travel Fund.

Program Details

  • Two Newman Exploration Travel Scholarships will be given to full-time students (graduate and undergraduate) in good academic and conduct standing.
  • One Newman Exploration Travel Grant will be given to a full-time and benefits-eligible faculty member who is in good standing as an employee of Washington University on the Danforth, North, or West Campus.
  • One Newman Exploration Travel Grant will be given to a full-time and benefits-eligible staff member who is in good standing as an employee of Washington University on the Danforth, North, or West Campus.

The prize amount is up to $10,000 per award. Travel must be completed by the end of the calendar year that the award was granted.

Travel Criteria

Travel for the fund should be for the purpose of:

  • Intellectual, cultural, and/or scholarly development
  • Personal growth and expanded awareness
  • Conducting research toward academic or personal learning goals
  • Service or contribution to the greater good

All applicants must be in good standing with the university, which could include but is not limited to academic and professional standing and conduct.

Eligible Travel

Minimum two weeks travel; however, exceptions to this minimum are eligible for consideration.

  • The minimum time requirement will allow for a meaningful and/or transformative experience.
  • All recipients must meet and comply with Danforth campus requirements for travel.
  • Staff selected to participate will be required to comply with University Human Resources policies and procedures regarding the use of vacation time and/or unpaid leave. Staff must have the written approval of their supervisor acknowledging the anticipated duration of travel to apply for a grant.

Previous Awardee Travel

To see a selection of poster presentations showcasing travels from previous years, visit the NEXT Posters in Open Scholarship.

How to Apply

Applications for the 2024 NEXT Award cycle are closed.

Additional Requirements

Recipients will be required to submit a post-travel report with receipts for airfare, lodging, and transportation and lead a presentation about their travel for the Newman Exploration Center. The presentations should include the impacts of the travel and include any surprises and lessons learned. Recipients must also present photos or videos to share for future promotional activities.

Notification

Once judging is complete, all entrants will be notified.

Contact Us

Questions?

Please do not hesitate to get in touch via the NEXT award email address cfu-libnext@email.wustl.edu with any questions regarding the Newman Exploration Travel Fund.

Interior of Newman Exploration Center in Olin Library
The Newman Exploration Center on Level B of the John M. Olin Library.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the application deadline?
Applications for the 2024 NEXT award cycle opened on December 1, 2023, and the submission deadline closed on March 3, 2024.

Can the Newman Exploration Travel Fund support multiple small individual trips instead of one large trip?
No. The funding is for one trip, but the trip can have multiple locations.

Is there a specific format for the proposal for the application?
The structure for the proposal is open; there is no set format.

What do applications need to include?
Applications must include a proposed budget using the travel budget template, a 3-5 page written proposal, and submission of the online 2024 NEXT Award application. Faculty and staff applications should include written approval from a supervisor acknowledging the anticipated duration of travel.

Can senior-level students apply?
No, students graduating before May 2025 are not eligible; this also applies to graduate students.

Can medical school students, faculty, and staff apply?
No. The Newman Exploration Travel Fund is only open to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in programs on the Danforth Campus and faculty and staff on the Danforth Campus.

I have applied or been admitted to Washington University, but I am not yet enrolled. Can I apply for the travel fund?
No. You must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student at Washington University.

If I have already received some funding for a trip I am planning, can I still apply for the Newman Exploration Travel Fund?
Yes. You will be required to state whether you already have additional funding for your proposal and may be asked to submit information regarding the amount of that funding.

Would I be eligible to apply for the fund after my travel has already started?
No, travel must occur between the date the scholarship/grant was awarded and the end of the calendar year.

Are monies paid to me by the Newman Exploration Travel Fund taxable?
The award amount is classified as a fellowship grant for US tax purposes and is considered taxable income to the recipient.