Conference Travel & Expense Information

McNair scholars have access to funding for travel related to presenting their research and are expected to present at one external conference at a minimum. Scholars are strongly encouraged to present their research at additional external conferences that showcase undergraduate research or that are within their discipline. Faculty mentors should provide guidance on upcoming conferences and presentation opportunities within the scholar’s fields of study. Scholars will need the approval and support of their faculty mentor in order to receive funding.

Often departments will also have funding opportunities to assist with the costs of external presentations or conferences. They can be used as an additional resource to support travel. In addition, the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship offers the Academic Conference Fund to support student travel to academic conferences.

In order to request funds from McNair, students must be in current good standing within the program, and complete the Dissemination Request Form and student acknowledgement at least 1 month prior to travel. Scholars are responsible for examining the total cost of the trip prior to being approved by the Director (a budget is requested within the form). McNair staff is available to facilitate travel arrangements if needed. If a scholar needs assistance with scheduling travel arrangements, an appointment must be scheduled with the office coordinator. In general, research abstracts must be submitted and accepted by conference organizers before travel may be arranged.

Awards of up to $600.00 will be provided for active program participants invited to present or perform at a conference. Participants must have had their research accepted for a poster or presentation at a professional conference, or whose creative work is accepted for an exhibition or performance at a state, regional, or national competitive, juried event. 

Dissemination Funds Request

Graduate School Visitations

Scholars receive opportunities to travel to various graduate schools throughout the country to examine institutions and departments as possible graduate school destinations. Some of these institutions have structured visitation programs for McNair scholars. Junior and Senior scholars will be granted access to travel funds dependent upon adequate preparation for each visit and completion of program requirements to date. Priority consideration for graduate school visits will be given to seniors. Travel arrangements must be approved by the director prior to the actual visit, and a Conference Activity Form must be completed and turned in within 7 days of travel. Proper documentation of scheduled meetings and appointments with graduate faculty are also required to receive reimbursement. You will be required to demonstrate ample preparation in terms of having communicated with faculty/staff and established an itinerary for visits to potential graduate schools. Copies of such correspondence and a confirmed schedule (including meetings with at least 3 faculty members and at least 1 graduate student) are required prior to approval for travel. All receipts should be turned into the program upon your return.

Scholars will be granted access to travel funds dependent upon adequate preparation for each visit and completion of program requirements to date. Travel arrangements must be approved by the director prior to the actual visit and you must submit a Scholar Travel Form at least 1 month prior to the intended date of travel. Proper documentation of scheduled meetings and appointments with graduate faculty are also required to receive reimbursement. All receipts should be turned into the program office upon your return. Experiential reflections on the outcome or revelations from your travel will be due 1 week after your return and should be at least two-pages in length. 

Research Supplies & Other Expenses

Each Scholar and Faculty Mentor team is able to allocate a budget for their project. This budget is determined by the research proposal process and varies depending on the needs of the research project. Scholars and their mentors are responsible for monitoring this budget and initiating any reimbursements. Project funds are distributed through departmental transfers or Travel and Expense reimbursement. We process reimbursements and department transfer requests, we do not order supplies. Any and all project expenses should be paid for by the faculty mentor's department whenever possible. GVSU's CONCUR system should allow faculty to make purchases via department P-Cards, etc., so that neither the mentor nor the scholar need to have out-of-pocket expenses. We will then reimburse the faculty mentor's department from the project's budget.

Department Transfer Request Process

Your project may require that a lab order supplies, your department purchase equipment, the faculty mentor have out-of-pocket expenses reimbursed, etc. The awarded faculty's department must request a fund transfer through OnBase to McNair. Have your department coordinator attach copies of processed receipts (i.e. invoices, department purchases, etc.) to the OnBase fund transfer request.  Per GVSU policy, any services performed (editing, page publication, transcription, etc.) MUST be paid directly by a GVSU department via an invoice or purchased using your department p-card. Purchase of services using personal credit cards will not be reimbursed.