This program is open to all Social Sciences faculty and lecturers. Faculty apply to the program, and if selected, will choose students for their research projects. By applying to this program, faculty agree to mentor undergraduate students on a research project or a community-engaged scholarly project. Faculty may apply to mentor up to four student quarters per academic year (includes fall/winter and spring/summer application cycles). The students can work individually with faculty or as part of a group. Faculty are expected to meet regularly with the student researchers. If faculty need help identifying students they can work with the institute and the EOP office.

The program aims to support undergraduate students in Social Sciences who are:

• EOP eligible
• first-generation
• low income
• under-represented
• former foster youth

A Building Belonging fellowship award is $1,500 per student for the quarter. This equates to approximately 100 hours per quarter. In the application, faculty will need to indicate in which quarter the research will be conducted. The intention of the program is to support as many individual students as possible, but faculty may request to support a student for two quarters (this would use two of the faculty’s possible four student quarters for the academic year) with appropriate justification.

As the goal is to build a sense of belonging among current students, participating students must be enrolled in at least 6 credits for the term requested (except summer). Students can not participate in the program post-graduation. We encourage faculty members to recruit students who are not in their final year for these mentoring opportunities. All student fellows will be required to participate in a research symposium poster session in the spring (summer fellows can participate the following year).

Meet the student fellows in our program >>

During COVID-19 restrictions, all meetings and research should be conducted remotely.

Faculty apply to the program, and if selected, will choose students for their research projects. In the Spring all student fellows will be required to participate in a research symposium poster session (summer fellows can participate the following year).

Fall/Winter Timeline

• Faculty applications due September 15, 2020. Decisions will be announced early October.
• For fall quarter fellowships, student names and IDs’ must be provided by faculty to IST by October 16, 2020.
• For winter quarter fellowships, student names and IDs’ must be provided by faculty to IST by January 15, 2021.

Spring/Summer Timeline

• Faculty applications due January 31, 2021. Decisions will be announced early March.
• For spring quarter fellowships, student names and IDs’ must be provided by faculty to IST by March 25, 2021.
• For summer quarter fellowships, student names and IDs’ must be provided by faculty to IST by May 3, 2021.

Summer Timeline (extended)

• Faculty applications due April 30, 2021. Decisions will be announced in mid May.
• For summer quarter fellowships, student names and IDs’ must be provided by faculty to IST by May 31, 2021.

Student fellowship awards will be processed by the institute and disbursed as a fellowship/scholarship to the student’s financial aid account per quarter awarded. Please note that these are not posted as jobs in the ER System. The fellowship award will be incorporated into the student’s financial aid offer and the amount received as a payment/refund will depend on each student’s specific financial situation, including any unpaid university fees and other awards or aid they may have. If students have questions about this they can contact the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office or click here for frequently asked questions about fellowship/scholarship payments.