In its first year, Minnesota Carlson's Undergraduate Case & Conference Travel Grant Program helped 20 students step onto stages, into boardrooms, and across borders they might not otherwise have reached.
Launched in fall 2025 by Carlson's Student Engagement & Development (SED) team, the grant covers costs like airfare, lodging, registration, and meals for undergraduates attending case competitions, leadership summits, and professional conferences. During the 2025-26 academic year, the program awarded nearly $10,000 to 20 students.
Building Confidence and Belonging
Nishtha Nabya, '26 BSB, used her grant to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration, the world's largest gathering of women in technology, in Chicago.
"Being physically present in that space dissolved barriers in a way that virtual networking never could," Nabya said. She describes meeting a Microsoft software engineer she'd long admired as a turning point: "That interaction shifted my mindset from feeling like an outsider looking in, to realizing that I am a peer in this community."
Mowlid Hassan, '26 BSB, attended Afrotech in Houston, one of the country's largest gatherings for Black professionals in tech. The trip led directly to interviews with several companies he'd hoped to work for. "Being at Afrotech had a major impact on my personal and professional growth," Hassan says. "It exposed me to new opportunities, allowed me to meet recruiters face-to-face, and ultimately helped me enter interview pipelines with companies I've always wanted to work for."
Finding Direction
Several students said their trip clarified — or completely reshaped — their sense of where they're headed after Carlson.
Caleb Masi, '27 BSB, traveled to Geneva, Switzerland to attend a United Nations working group session on the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, a global framework addressing racism and discrimination. Sitting in a room with diplomats and human rights advocates reframed how he thinks about his own career path.
"It reaffirmed my commitment to pursuing work that bridges law, business, and ethics to address systemic inequality," Masi said. "This experience was pivotal for my personal and professional growth."
For Farsen Ismaiel, '28 BSB, a case competition in Vancouver confirmed his choice of major altogether. Working through a real-world business and technology challenge under a tight deadline, he says, "helped confirm I was set on this major and pursuing IT."
Looking Ahead
As the program enters its second year, the team looks forward to increased visibility and impact. The financial barriers to attend case competitions, conferences, leadership development programs, and other events can be high. Minnesota Carlson is proud to make these experiences possible for our students through this grant. Interested undergraduate students can learn more and apply for funding in the 2026-27 academic year.
