The Assembly of Higher Education (AHE) announces a call for research/class project proposals from undergraduate students for poster presentation at the 2026 Annual Conference. Abstracts may address any of the eight (8) primary FCS-related content areas (listed at https://aafcs.org/about/what-is-fcs) or sustainable practices, consumerism, and leadership principles that are woven throughout content areas. Proposals may be submitted from research and/or course projects focused on:

• Support and Resources for Emerging Professionals.
• Trends and Technology.
• Advocacy, Leadership, and Collaboration.
• Research and Scholarship.
• Tools for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access. 

Review Criteria: Poster abstracts will be reviewed by a team of professionals and will be looking for:

• Clarity of the Proposal/Abstract
• Substantive Significance of the Research/Project
• Methodological Quality of the Research/Project Design
• Alignment with Conference Focus Areas and FCS-Related Content Areas
• Timeliness of research problem/project

Abstract Submission: Submissions are due by 11:59 PM EST on January 30, 2026. The submission requires the completion of the Abstract Template (Undergraduate). The abstracts should be submitted as Microsoft Word files (Times New Roman 12 point font size), use the official Abstract Template, and include no more than two pages. Submissions that do not adhere to the submission requirements will not be reviewed.

Abstract Guidelines: An abstract cannot exceed 1,000 words. Abstracts must be formatted using Times New Roman 12 point font size and submitted on the Abstract Submission Template (Undergraduate) which is organized according to the following sections (in order):

• Title of Research/Project
• Name of Student (include member number if an AAFCS member) and Research/Project Advisor(s)
• Institution
• Preferred Email Addresses of All Authors
• Abstract of Research/Project that includes the following:
  • Purpose
  • Objectives or Hypotheses
  • Methods
  • Results and Discussion (if available at time of submission)
  • Summary or Conclusions (if available at time of submission)

Acceptance and Notification: Submissions will be reviewed, and the corresponding applicant will be notified by February 27, 2026. If the submission is accepted, at least one (1) of the undergraduate student authors must register for and attend the conference to present their poster. A limited number of student stipends (up to $500) will be available to cover some of the costs of the experience. These stipends will be awarded on a competitive basis related to the submitted abstract and will be paid upon receipt of the reimbursement form and documentation of expenses following the conference.