Senior Expedition Award

This Expeditionary Studies Endowment offers an annual monetary award available through a competitive grant application in support of approved Senior Expeditions.

Photo of a rock climber on top of a cliff looking down at the valley and river below

Senior Expedition Award

The competition is open to any expeditionary studies student who submits a completed expedition proposal by the annual March 31 deadline.

Intended to help defray costs of the “Senior Expedition,” the award can be used to cover any expedition expenses, including travel, equipment, food and special training. Awards vary in amount every year and will be announced at the annual May divisional award ceremony.

How to Apply
You must include the application cover sheet, a copy of your “Senior Expedition Proposal,” and an essay explaining why the expedition merits the award. The essay must address the topic, “Why I believe my expedition is deserving of the award.”

The following are examples of how you might address the way in which your expedition is deserving of support:
1. You might consider how the expedition would enhance their profile as members of the adventure industry
2. You might explain how the expedition exceeds the standards and expectations of EXP 436: Senior Expedition
3. You might discuss how the expedition prepares applicants for future independent expeditions
These and other approaches will be judged on the overall quality of the proposal, including but not limited to the expedition’s relevance to the goals of the Department of Adventure Sports and Expeditionary Studies.

Students selected to receive this award must be in good academic standing. After notification of the award in May, students must complete their expedition, all required written assignments, and the required public presentation of their expedition in order to receive the monetary award.

The chair of the Department of Adventure Sports and Expeditionary Studies will head the selection committee.

Applicants should email their applications, including the Application Cover Sheet, your expedition proposal, and the required essay to the expeditionary studies office.
Application Form
- Senior Expedition Award Application Form

Alex LaLonde, Senior Expedition Award Recipient

“Receiving the Senior Expedition Award made it possible for me to undertake a six-week whitewater packrafting expedition in Nepal, an experience that shaped both my leadership and my perspective on the world. The funding allowed me to purchase better equipment and extend my time in the country, which in turn gave me the chance to explore more rivers and immerse myself more deeply in the culture and landscape.

“Traveling and leading in such a remote, culturally different environment challenged me in ways that built my confidence as an outdoor leader and broadened my sense of what’s possible. I came away with a stronger appreciation for both the opportunities we have at home and the lessons that only come from stepping far outside of it.

“This grant strengthens the expeditionary studies program by giving students the chance to fully realize their capstone projects in ways that would otherwise be out of reach. It ensures that senior expeditions meet not only academic requirements, but can be transformative experiences that carry forward into professional and personal growth.”