Volunteer with us! We are looking for Interns, Board Members, and Application Reviewers.

Marketing Interns in Fall 2026 or Spring 2027 would support the Foundation with planned social media posts and campaigns, and promote the Foundation at special events. Interns could be in high school or college in media and communications classes. This is a volunteer position. Our board would work with your school to support internship requirements for academic credit.

Board Members would join the existing 3 board members, meeting monthly to do the work of the foundation - planning, management, promotion, troubleshooting, and making connections. We only require a love of travel! Board members are asked to serve a 3-year term.

Application Reviewers will read scholarship applications in the spring and make recommendations on scholarship candidates. No experience required! Our applications are typically fairly short and you would not read more than a few. Reviewers will review the applications in batches, and then meet with the Review Committee to deliberate. This is a 2-4 hour commitment in February and March.

To register your interest in any of these opportunities, please send us a note!
Intern applications should include a resume and letter of interest.
hello@atlastravelfoundation.org

Kiki traveled to Spain this summer with the Modern Languages department of Washburn University.

Here is her writeup about the adventure:

This trip was honestly one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I loved getting to see Spain in person instead of just learning about it in class, but the part that meant the most to me was visiting Valencia, where my family is from.

While I was there, I called my abuela to tell her where I was. She smiled and reminded me that I had actually been there before as a baby and a toddler. She told me that she used to take me on walks along the beach and the boardwalk, and hearing that made the whole experience feel so much more meaningful. Even though I don’t remember those moments myself, it felt like I was reconnecting with a little piece of my family’s history. The trip also gave me more confidence with my Spanish. I realized that it’s okay to make mistakes because that’s how you learn. I met amazing people, tried new foods, explored beautiful cities, and made memories I’ll never forget.

I’m so thankful to the Atlas Travel Foundation for helping make this experience possible. This trip reminded me why I wanted to study Spanish in the first place and helped me feel more connected to my family’s roots. It’s an experience I’ll always be grateful for.

-Kiki Brooks

Kiki Brooks (left, waving) poses with other students in the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid, Spain.

We are so proud to have been a small part in Ms. Brooks’ travels and we wish her many more adventures in the future.

To support students like her, please consider becoming a monthly donor for as little as $5 a month. Your support will help build our endowment so that we can support Shawnee County students for years to come.

To our current donors and supporters, thank you so much for making this happen!

Students’ travel bucket lists spanned the globe, ranging from Antarctica to Iran and several locations in Europe, Central and South America. One student said they wanted to travel “everywhere, because there is so much to see.” Students were interested in learning about other cultures, enjoying international food, learning a new language, and seeing the natural beauty of the world.

Educators emphasized the transformational nature of travel–it is an experience that cannot be replicated in any way other than leaving the known and the familiar, and challenges students in a way that builds resiliency for adulthood.

You can help fund Shawnee County students’ education and transformation by supporting their participation in study abroad programs. Consider making a donation to the Atlas Travel Foundation to help Shawnee County students explore their world. Even just a small donation can turn “I wish I could go” into “I went!”

Come learn more about the Atlas Travel Foundation and ask any questions you have about our scholarship. We’ll be at Washburn Bowtie, a study abroad fair and showcase of student organizations and majors.

• February 4, 2026
• 11 am - 1pm
• Washburn A - Memorial Union

Follow along with our event on Facebook here. We’ll see you there!

Traveling internationally is a life-changing opportunity that isn’t easily achievable for many students. This Giving Tuesday, make a donation to the Atlas Travel Foundation to help Shawnee County students explore their world.

Your gift will fund the Foundation’s first scholarship to a Shawnee County high school or college student participating in a school-sponsored international trip. Even just a small donation can turn “I wish I could go” into “ I went!”

The Atlas Travel Foundation scholarship application is now open! Head straight to our info page if you’re ready to get started.

You’ll need to track down a couple of things before you apply; first, a PDF of your transcript or report card, and next, a letter of recommendation from one of your instructors. Beyond that, you’ll be able to fill out the form yourself.

Please make sure you have your application submitted through our form by February 15th, 2026. That’s less than 90 days from now!

We are looking forward to sending a Shawnee County student on an international trip next year!

Ready to start? Here’s our application. This will take you to the Google Form:

Apply now!

If you’re applying for your very first passport, you have to apply in person! You have to download the form from the Department of State first, then you’ll have to turn in your form, copies of your identification, your un-smiling photo, and your payment - to an official acceptance facility. Luckily, we have one in Topeka, right off Lower Silver Lake Road!

The post office at 1410 NW Gage Blvd is the only place in Shawnee County that acts as an acceptance center for U.S. Passport applications. There are also acceptance facilities in Perry, St. Marys, and Lawrence, as well as other communities in Kansas. It’s typically a post office, but it’s not every post office.

Another heads up, you’ll need to schedule a time to bring your passport materials. If you need a photo, the USPS professionals can take one for you. You can also take your own but the requirements are extremely strict. It may take many tries to find a place to take the photo and to get one just right.

Stay tuned for the opportunity to apply for the very first international travel scholarship from the Atlas Travel Foundation. Applications will be open to students living in Shawnee County who are participating in an international program in 2026.

You’ll need to share a transcript or report card, and include two letters of recommendation from your instructors. Be thinking now of who you can ask to support your application!

Sign up here for updates to find out when the application goes live.

If we invest $20,000 and earn a return of 2.5%, that’s $500 in income! And that could be $500 of scholarship funds we could award every year, without ever spending down the initial investment.

Help us raise our principal of $20,000 so that we can give travel scholarships every year.

Make a tax-deductible contribution today »