The purpose of the Inclusive Culture Council (ICC) Student Professional Development Program is to allow eligible students from historically excluded and marginalized populations to gain access to and engage in meaningful opportunities offered at professional conferences. As a high-impact practice in higher education, students attending professional conferences can gain access to internships and career opportunities that help with expanding their professional networks in industry and gaining experiential experience in their chosen fields of study. Student participation in professional development activities (and co-curricular experiences) more often leads to the increased probability of underrepresented minority students securing a professional career as an engineer. Additionally, students who attend a professional conference are able to connect with professional mentors and gain invaluable career development, knowledge, and resources. With funding from our DEI Impact Grant, the Student Professional Development program will support 45 engineering students from the BOLD Center student societies, with high-financial need, to attend one professional conference during the 2023-24 academic year.  

Eligibility: 

  • Applicants must be a degree-seeking undergraduates at CU Boulder and an active member of one of the BOLD Center's student society organizations. 
  • Please note that students who have high-financial need and have not previously attended a professional conference will be given priority.

Application Instructions: 

  • The ICC Student Professional Development application is available for submission to BOLD Student Society members during the fall and spring semesters of the 2023-24 academic year.
  • Please complete this webform 45 days before your conference travel making sure you answer all questions as completely as possible.
  • Once your application has been submitted, members of the Inclusive Culture Council and BOLD Center staff will review your application to determine your eligibility for a travel award.

Timeline:

  • Application decisions will be made on a rolling basis. The committee will review applications between 2-4 weeks after submissions and applicants will be notified within 5 weeks of submission. 
  • If selected to receive a travel award, you will be contacted by the ICC chair via email.

If you have any questions about the application, review criteria or process, please email Colby Juarez, BOLD Center Leadership and Scholarship Program Manager.

Complete Application Form