Student participants in the Conway-Fitzhugh program giving a Gig'Em in a historical Italian site.

Conway-Fitzhugh International Honors Leadership Seminar

Ciao, Class of 2030

The MSC Conway-Fitzhugh International Honors Leadership Seminar was established in 1992 by Thomas Fitzhugh III ’71 in honor of his father, Champe Fitzhugh, Jr. Tom was a National Merit Scholar, served as MSC Council President, and had a passion for international travel and history. His academic success and interests helped him achieve professional and personal success, and his experiences in the MSC Council and at Texas A&M instilled in him a desire to offer other students opportunities for their own personal and academic growth. In 2019, Dr. Patrick Conway, who attended the first trip in 1992, decided to further support the program that impacted him so much as a college student and beyond. He was also involved in the MSC Council as a student leader.

Participant Application

Maximizing Your Leadership Potential

The program prepares high-achieving, first-semester freshmen to maximize their educational and leadership opportunities while at Texas A&M University and serves as an introduction to how international experiences impact leadership.

Leadership Learning Abroad

The MSC Conway-Fitzhugh International Honors Leadership Seminar, through a competitive process, selects up to 24 high-achieving Texas A&M freshmen to take part in an international, two-week, personal and leadership development program in following their first college semester. The seminar begins with pre-trip orientation sessions in the fall and culminates with sessions throughout various locations during travel in Italy.

Through the Conway-Fitzhugh program, seminar participants attend sessions focused on helping them to:

Understand leadership in a global context.
Explore various aspects of leadership through lessons from content experts and site visits to culturally significant locations.
Understand the significance of personal integrity, situational complexities and dedication to values in shaping ethical leaders.
Understand the application of leadership through personal development and student organization involvement at Texas A&M.
Explore avenues for pursuing leadership opportunities in the future.

Leadership and life lessons taught on this trip will allow students to:

Identify and reflect on how differences in experiences, culture and history affect expectations, reactions, and leadership approaches;
Understand how personal strengths (CliftonStrengths®), values, and philosophies influence co-curricular and student leadership interests;
Practice reflective writing about their experience through blog and journal entries; and
Build a network and community of support with their peers.

Travel Itinerary

Linked is the 2025 itinerary and will provide participants with a general overview of the trip. The 2026 trip will include similar visits and excursions but will not be an exact replica of what is presented.

Download our sample itinerary

Participant Fees & Expenses

$3,500 per student + “on-your-own” expenses*

Included in your participant fee:

Roundtrip airfare
Shuttle services
Lodging in each destination city
Excursion fees
Food not covered with “own-your-own” expenses*
Transportation for travel between locations

*“On-your-own” expenses primarily include costs incurred during free time exploration: meals, excursions, public transportation, souvenirs

Generous Support

The total cost of the MSC Conway-Fitzhugh program is supplemented by generous gifts from former students and donors.
Each student pays a percentage of the total cost of their attendance, with the remaining expenses covered through these gifts.

Support This Program

Apply Now

Participant applications for the 2026 MSC Conway-Fitzhugh International Honors Leadership Seminar are currently open. Applicants should be first-time in college, high-achieving freshmen. NOTE: You must be logged in with your Texas A&M NetID and password to view the application.