About the Conference

The Class of '71 Student Conference on U.S. Affairs (SCUSA) is a prestigious four-day event where undergraduate students collaborate with leading scholars and practitioners to develop innovative policy proposals on pressing issues in U.S. foreign affairs. As one of the largest and longest-running conferences of its kind, SCUSA brings together approximately 200 students from over 100 institutions across the United States and around the world, representing a wide range of academic disciplines. 

SCUSA goes beyond fostering in-depth dialogue on complex global challenges. The conference serves as a vital platform for building enduring civil-military relationships among the next generation of leaders in the military, government, and private sectors. The conference is named after the West Point Class of 1971, which sponsors the annual fall event. SCUSA has been part of the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) Department of Social Sciences program since 1949.

While attending SCUSA, delegates gain a unique insight into the daily life of the United States Corps of Cadets, which includes future officers in the U.S. Army. They interact with USMA cadets on conference roundtables, while staying in cadet barracks, and over meals in the cadet mess hall.