PRIORITY SUBMISSION DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2025 11:59 P.M. CST

Purpose of the SACSA Joe Buck Travel Award:  Named in honor of SACSA’s first Executive Director, Dr. Joe Buck, the SACSA Joe Buck Travel Awards were created to enable new student affairs professionals or SACSA Association members to travel to the annual SACSA conference and engage in professional development activities. Expenditures may include but are not limited to, travel costs, conference fees, and other expenses related to the SACSA annual conference.

Funding Details: Each year, the SACSA Foundation dedicates funding to support individuals' attendance at the SACSA Conference. Each travel award is worth $300.00 and will be distributed in the form of a check following the conclusion of the conference upon confirmation that all responsibilities of award recipients have been met. 

Funding Goals: The Joe Buck Travel Award program aims to:

• Recruit new and talented professionals into the SACSA family

• Help mitigate financial barriers for potential conference attendees who demonstrate need

• Incentivize involvement in current conference activities

• Promote long-term engagement with SACSA as a valued home for professional development

Funding Priorities: In accordance with the funding goals outlined above, preference has traditionally been given to:

• Graduate students, new professionals, or association members who have not previously attended SACSA or have been members for less than 5 years; 

• Attendees/members who have not previously received funding through this award; and 

• Attendees who have been accepted to present at the conference or are otherwise engaged with SACSA to build a relationship with the organization.

Additionally, the following groups have traditionally been excluded from consideration:

• SACSA Executive Council Members

• VPSAs or other senior student affairs leaders

• Recipients of the travel award from the previous year 

• Recipients who have received the travel award at least twice 

• SACSA Foundation Board Members

• Associate SACSA Members

• Lifetime SACSA Members

• Emeritus SACSA Members

However, SACSA also recognizes that professionals throughout the region may at times experience unexpected and sometimes abrupt changes to both employment conditions and professional development funding. Based on the discretion of the selection committee and the funding goals outlined above, awards may also be made available to a wider group of potential conference attendees as overall funding allows. Therefore, all who believe the added financial support will make a difference in attending the conference are encouraged to apply.

Joe Buck Travel Award Application: To receive highest consideration for a Joe Buck Travel Award, please complete an application by September 1, 2025. 

Applications will be reviewed by a small committee headed up by a member of the  Executive Council. The committee is committed to a quick turnaround for applications submitted by the priority deadline. Recipients are therefore encouraged to maximize the impact of their Joe Buck Travel Award by registering for the conference no later than the Early Bird Conference Registration Deadline, September 12, 2025. 

After the September 1st 2025 Joe Buck Travel Award priority deadline, the committee may continue to consider applications through to the conference as the availability of funding allows.

Responsibilities of Award Recipients: SACSA is excited to award funding and is committed to showing donors how their gifts positively impact members' experiences. Therefore, award recipients will be asked to complete the following:

Before the conference:

1. Register for the NASPA with Region III annual conference with a SACSA membership (reminder: travel awards are distributed after the conference as a reimbursement rather than before the conference as an advancement).

2. Provide a quality headshot photograph (JPEG preferred).

3. Volunteer for at least one one-hour shift during the Annual Conference.  

During the conference:

1. Attend the SACSA with NASPA Region III Conference in the same year awarded the travel grant.

After the conference:

1. Complete a SACSA Reimbursement Travel Form.

2. Draft a 4-6 sentence testimonial following the Annual Conference denoting how the funding impacted your professional development and why you’re thankful for the opportunity to receive funding through SACSA. SACSA may use these testimonials on websites, print materials, and other media to highlight the overall impact of the fund and assist with ongoing fundraising.

Surveys to collect both pre-conference and post-conference information will be sent by the Joe Buck Travel Awards Committee in the weeks leading up the conference and immediately after the conference, respectively.

Please consider submitting an application for yourself or circulating to colleagues you believe might benefit from funding to attend the upcoming conference. 

Questions about the Joe Buck Travel Award criteria, requirements, or process may be directed to Member at Large, Danielle Molina at mal1@sacsa.org.