The Michael B. Keegan Traveling Fellowship enhances the development of future leaders through world travel and experiential learning. The concept of the fellowship is simple: give a graduating senior the opportunity of a lifetime by equipping them with resources to travel the world, learning everything they can about a topic of their choosing. With few to no strings attached, this immersive experience is designed to build upon the Fellow’s undergraduate education and offer a pathway to global education, citizenship, and leadership.

Currently, the post-graduate Fellowship award is $25,000/student each year. The student’s project proposal must involve travel to multiple countries (typically this includes numerous countries on at least three continents). Although the Fellows’ travel is largely self-designed, the Office of Undergraduate Education and Fellowship alumni offer experience, global networks, and advice throughout the planning process.

New experiences have the power to change the way we think about and understand our place in the world. By interacting with new cultures, people, and situations, we are able to open our minds to other perspectives and ways of life. In doing so, we grow as both leaders and human beings in remarkable, unprecedented ways. By the end of our journeys, we step into our future communities, organizations, and institutions as more confident, authentic, and compassionate individuals. 

SUMMER KEEGAN FELLOWSHIP

In 2024, Vanderbilt launched the Summer Keegan Traveling Fellowship, offering rising juniors and seniors the opportunity for immersive 8-to-10-week explorations researching a topic of their choosing. This new initiative allows more students to experience the transformative Keegan program while pursuing personal growth and learning over a summer. Learn more here.