General Information:
Purpose:
The W. Timothy Rogers Student Leadership Development Fund provides opportunities to individual students who are interested in participating in/attending a leadership development conference that provides significant training and/or professional development.
Funding Information:
The W. Timothy Rogers Student Leadership Development Fund provides supplemental assistance to individual students to support the costs of conference registration fees, with costs not exceeding $500 per student. The W. Timothy Rogers Student Leadership Development Fund is administered by the Jones Center for Leadership & Service within the Division of Student Life and funded by the W. Timothy Rogers Student Leadership Endowment Fund.
Eligibility Requirements & Information:
- Applicants must be full-time students pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, and be in good standing with the University.
- Students must demonstrate exemplary leadership potential, as shown through the faculty/staff mentor letter of recommendation or through the application essay questions.
- Funding cannot be granted for conferences that take place after a student’s official graduation from the University.
- If applying for summer travel, the student must be registered for classes at UTK in the upcoming fall.
- Only one award can be received per student, per academic year (July 1-June 30).
- Only one award will be awarded per leadership/conference opportunity, per academic year (July 1-June 30).
- Students must list a faculty or staff as an official mentor/partner/advocate for the opportunity.
- All students who receive funding are required present to the UTK campus community (department, organization, mentor, etc.) about their experience no more than 45 days following the conference or event, during the academic year in which they received their funds.
Required Application Documentation:
Before applying for the W. Timothy Rogers Student Leadership Development Fund, please review the list of required documentation below to ensure that you are prepared to include all necessary information.
- A completed online application form includes:
- demographic information
- conference/event information
- 2 Short Essay Questions
- A letter of recommendation from a faculty/staff mentor.
- This letter should include your mentor’s thoughts on how attending your selected conference or event will impact your leadership development.
- Letters can be uploaded to the application or emailed to leadserve@utk.edu with Attn: Travel Fund.
- Current résumé
Timeline
Application Deadlines
Applications may be submitted up to six months in advance and no later than 30 days prior to the start of the conference. Funds are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis with the committee reviewing each application. Up to 2 students will be awarded for fall and spring semesters and 1 student for the summer.
Notification of Selection
Response time depends on receipt of your application, the letter of recommendation, and résumé. The application must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the conference. Please allow at least one week for the review process to be completed.
You will receive an email of the decision no more than two weeks after the respective application deadline. For questions, email leadserve@utk.edu.
| Application Deadline | Conference Start Date | Notification Date |
| February 3, 2025 | March 1-May 14, 2025 | February 11, 2025 |
| April 14, 2025 | May 15-July 1, 2025 | April 22, 2025 |
| June 2, 2025 | July 2-September 24, 2025 | June 10, 2025 |
| August 25, 2025 | September 25-December 2, 2025 | September 2, 2025 |
| November 3, 2025 | December 3, 2025-February 28, 2026 | November 11, 2025 |
Receiving of Funds
Funds will be provided to students prior to attending the conference/event via a travel advance if the application and review process is completed in enough time to do so. Students will receive instructions about how to obtain the funds and the steps necessary in reconciling funds after the event when they are notified of selection.
Funds are to only cover the following expenses:
- Conference/Event Registration (virtual or in-person)
- Up to $500
Funds will not cover meals, lodging, or transportation (including flights).