40 Hours for the Forty Acres 2020

Who We Are

An honors program with an unusual name, Plan II is for students with intense curiosity about what makes the human experience meaningful. Created in 1935 as an interdisciplinary alternative to the traditional “Plan I” majors, Plan II offers a flexible, four-year course of study that students can pair with other majors at UT. Plan II courses emphasize critical reading and thinking, offer engaging discussions, and develop exceptional writing and communication skills. The program's depth and breadth gives students studying traditional majors such as Business, Natural Sciences, and Engineering a deeper understanding of their fields, and offers all students the opportunity to participate in small, discussion-based courses and delve deeply into a senior thesis project of their own design.

What We’re Fundraising For

Today, more than ever, the interdisciplinary education that Plan II has always embraced takes place both in and beyond the classroom: in experiences such as study abroad, research, and internships which broaden and deepen our students’ understanding of the world and play a meaningful role in helping them achieve their academic and career goals. Providing an exceptional 21st-century education that integrates off-campus study, research, and internships into our Arts and Sciences curriculum is crucial to our mission as one of the finest honors program in the nation. But unfortunately, we face a mounting challenge in funding these important encounters beyond the Forty Acres, as opportunities expand and student demand continues to grow.

We seek to raise financial support for Plan II students by providing scholarships for needs such as:

• Cost of travel to conduct thesis research at an archive
• Cost of travel to attend or present at an academic conference
• Funding for laboratory or production materials for a senior thesis project
• Study abroad tuition and program costs
• Travel to another city where a student will undertake a summer internship
• Civic engagement internships during the academic year

Your Impact

"Thanks to my Plan II travel grant, while studying abroad in Paris I was able to participate in the Viva Technology conference, where I spoke with over 20 different French and European startups, listened in on EU commissioners and European CEOs discuss innovation, and learned ways companies are developing technology for good."

Zoë Truong, Plan II and Management Information Systems senior

"The Plan II Costa Rica Maymester ‘Land Use Issues in Rainforest Conservation’ experience exposed me to real-world problems and solutions while also providing credit required for my major. With a group of 20 fellow Longhorns, I visited national parks, biological reserves, small farms, and research institutes to gain an in-depth understanding of sustainable agriculture, eco-tourism, and the complexity of conservation issues."

Roshan Khan, Plan II and International Relations & Global Studies sophomore

"Plan II's support allowed me to attend and present research at the Alumni of Color Conference at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. I developed research skills and built relationships with professionals who aided greatly in my personal, academic, and career development."

Anthony Douglas, Plan II and Government junior