Loyola University > Center for Engaged Learning, Teaching, and Scholarship (CELTS) > Programs > Undergraduate Research (LUROP) > Fellowships > Old Provost Fellowship Site

This program is designed for undergraduate students who are interested in either establishing an individual project with faculty mentor oversight or working with a faculty member on their ongoing research as a research assistant. The program is open to students from all academic disciplines, colleges, and schools at the university. Students in the humanities and the professional schools are encouraged to apply. Students in the hard sciences are only eligible for the Provost Fellowship during the summer; for an academic-year fellowship, they should apply for a different opportunity, such as the Mulcahy Scholars Program. Students must have a Loyola faculty mentor who has agreed to facilitate the project, BEFORE applying. Suggestions on finding a mentor can be found here.
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The Provost Fellowship has two sessions, one during the academic year and the other an intensive summer program. Students will apply for these research opportunities by March 1, and will learn of their acceptance into the program by the end of April. Research conducted during the summer session is expected to begin shortly after the end of the spring semester and will continue throughout the summer. The academic year program begins at the start of the fall semester and will continue throughout the spring semester. Fellows from both sessions will present their findings in a poster session at the , held each spring semester.

Mentors

We suggest that faculty mentors engage students in research projects that they are already conducting, or are planning to conduct, rather than taking on projects that are of interest to the student, but are not directly related to the faculty member's central research expertise. This provides the student with a project that already has some background information and development, structure and context. It also increases the likelihood that the work conducted by the student may be of publishable quality, or otherwise of value both to the student, and to the faculty member's research program.

We suggest that individual faculty mentors set guidelines and expectations of their students (in a written or verbal agreement) so that the students know how much time each week is expected of him/her towards the project, and they understand their responsibilities to the research project. A timeline of expected milestone achievements over the entire research period can also be very helpful to the student and the faculty mentor.

Process for Evaluation

A group of faculty from various disciplines and program directors evaluate each submitted proposal. Applications are reviewed based on the following criteria:

Project Description: Descriptions should: synthesize in-depth information from relevant sources; clearly present a research question; provides background, goals and possible impact of the research program or question. Effectively articulate student and faculty roles and expectations.
Budget: The budget and justification should clearly outline how the budget will be utilized and why they are necessary. Cost estimates for each budget line should be included.
Faculty Letter: The mentor's letter should cite specific examples of past interactions or collaborations with the student and explain student's potential for success. Student and faculty roles should be described, as well as a project timeline.

Stipend and Course Credit

Students will receive $1,000 stipend for participating in the Provost Fellowship program. Additionally, up to $1,000 will be available for travel and supplies to be used for your research project.

If students want to obtain academic credit for conducting this research, there are several mechanisms in place that make this possible. The discipline/school/department that the faculty mentor belongs to will have formalized courses or internships in the course offering guide for obtaining credit. Students can also consider the UNIV 391: Internship Seminar in Undergraduate Research.