Statement of Purpose

The American Express Grant is intended to provide funding for clearly defined projects or experiences that enrich students' ndergraduate curricula. A wide range of projects merit funding and the Honors Council welcomes students' creativity in identifying issues, topics and endeavors that exist beyond the academic and programmatic boundaries of their college experience. Projects that receive funding should benefit the student, the college, and specific community interests through their intellectual engagement with particular human problems and questions.

The Honors Council reviews all applications for American Express Grants. Grants most likely to receive approval are those that make possible academic research, including the study of a humanitarian, artistic or spiritual pursuit that is outside the standard curricular and programmatic boundaries of the College.

Honors Council Approval Guidelines

1. As stated in the mission statement, grants are awarded to projects that have a clear academic or intellectual purpose. However, the Council recognizes that students may propose projects or experiences that are not solely academic in nature but which are nonetheless worthy of funding. All proposals are decided on a case-by-case basis.
2. General funding limits:
   - academic research, scholarly activity, or independent transportation for research: full funding, up to $1500
   - not primarily academic but nevertheless involving substance and rigor: up to $750
   - other transportation costs: up to $500 (Awards for transportation costs will be given if student demonstrates that the experience or project has a well-thought-out and substantive purpose.)
3. Applicants who have already received grants will be given full consideration. The amount they receive will depend in part on other proposals being reviewed at the same time.

4. Application timeline: three deadlines per year: October, January and April; $3,300 available for each.
5. Applicants who are denied, or who receive less funding than they initially asked for, can reapply at the last deadline for additional funds.

Application

Application Form and Checklist

PLEASE NOTE: After opening the form, save it to your desktop, closethe form in your webbrowser, open it from you desktop, fill it out, save it and close. Reopen to make sure your information is saved. Then email form according to directions in form.

Projects from previous grant recipients

Archeology in Peru

The United Nations, the Millennium Development Goals, and Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa

Opus 118: Harlem School of Music

Polarized morphologies during mating of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Darwin Manuscripts Project

Rostro de Cristo

Iona In Mission -- Ghana