Summer Opportunities

Faculty-mentored Research Fellowship

*Limited opportunities*

The goal of the ALLIES in STEM Research fellowships is to have students engage in research that is full-time, faculty-mentored, novel, and presentable outside the university.  The quality of the mentoring from the faculty member is vital as the goal of these fellowships is to advance the students in their professional and personal development.  Projects across a broad range of disciplines are desired, but all must meet the criteria of being research. 

Funding

• Students may apply for a fellowship award that requires that the student participate in approximately 8 weeks of full-time (~40 hours per week) mentored summer research with a Cal Lutheran faculty member. 
• Funds for approved “consumables” can be provided (up to $500). Consumables include printing costs, travel to special libraries, office supplies, chemicals, etc.  Consumables do not include dining costs, books or films, payment for subjects or non-essential travel costs. All expenditures must be approved prior to purchase by ALLIES in STEM. 
• Faculty compensation is $1000 per student.

Eligibility

• Must be a STEM Scholar (a students who completed the STEM Academy) or have worked as a Peer Academic Leader for the ALLIES in STEM program.
• Must be majoring in a discipline within the Natural Sciences Division.
• Must identify as Hispanic/Latinx, and/or Low-Income and/or other underrepresented are highly encouraged to apply. 
• Students must be returning to the university in the fall semester. Graduating seniors are not eligible.
• Must have an on-campus faculty mentor who will guide you throughout your research experience.

Requirements & Expectations

• Must Complete 8 weeks minimum of research
• Research typically begins around May 21st and concludes in late July, early August, but may begin as early as May 14th and may continue through the summer. It must conclude prior to the start of fall classes.
• Make sure to discuss expectations past the 8 weeks of funded research with your faculty member.
• It is expected that the student have full ownership of the project and that they are not acting as a research assistant for the faculty member. This must be clear in the submitted application and in the final product.
• Students MUST participate in all summer OURCS Workshops, Oral Presentations, & Sessions.
• Both the Research Fellow and their Faculty Mentor must complete a Research Acumen & Mentoring survey after completion of the 8-weeks of research.
• Must participate in the Student Research Symposium & Festival of Scholars.
• If possible, faculty and students should work toward publishing their results in a journal within their discipline.
• Only full awards will be given – students  cannot share a fellowship and cannot share a project.  Each student must have a full-time project that is her/his own distinct project.

How to Apply

1. Talk with a faculty member in your area of study about possibly working with them over the summer.
2. Complete CLU's Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship application.
3. With your faculty mentor, decide on a topic & write a 1-2 page proposal for the research project that you intend to conduct during the summer with your faculty mentor. It should contain the following sections. 
   1. Research Question. Problem of Interest or Goals
   2. Background Information or Brief Literature Review
   3. Hypotheses or Predictions
   4. Method, Steps, Tasks or Procedures
   5. Anticipated Results 
   6. Significance and/or innovation of research
4. Email ALLIES. If you are planning to submit an application, please contact the Allies Program Coordinator, Nazareth Bautista, and let us know via email as early as possible. This is not binding, but rather to give us a rough idea of how many applications we can anticipate.
5. Recommendation: In addition to the application, each application must include a confidential Research Fellow Recommendation form from another faculty member (not the faculty research mentor).  The reference should comment on the student's academic abilities as well as their work ethic, responsibility, and initiative. 

Decision Process

All applications for ALLIES Research Fellowships will be reviewed by ALLIES in STEM professional team.

• Applications will be evaluated on the following items:
  
  • Sound professional merit/methodology. The application addresses both the specifics of the proposed project and the broad context of the proposed work. An hypothesis-driven research endeavor is expected in science.
  • Doable and likely that the main goals will be accomplished by the student in an 8-week program.
  • Will result in a product that will be presentable off campus at a peer-reviewed venue.
  • The student's talents and background are appropriate for the proposed work, given the guidance likely to be given by the mentor.
• Previous project outcomes will be considered in the overall selection process with priority given to those previous projects that resulted in discipline-specific conference presentations or publications.
• The quality of the writing will be taken into consideration – a well-written proposal will be given preference over a poorly written proposal.
• Priority will be given to quality projects with the desire of having a wide range of disciplines represented, if possible. 
• Faculty and students will be notified of the status of their application within approximately 3 weeks via email.

If you have any questions or want to discuss interest in any of these opportunities, please contact the ALLIES Program Coordinator, Nazareth Bautista at nbautista@CalLutheran.edu.

ALLIES The School for Field Studies Internship

The goal of the ALLIES in STEM School for Field Studies (SFS) Internship is to have students engage in hands-on, research experiences in biological and life sciences while studying abroad during the summer. The experience of participating in research experiences are vital to help advance STEM students towards their STEM career path.

Funding

• Funding is contigent upon approval from The School for Field Studies and Cal Lutheran's Office of Education Abroad. 

Eligibility

• Must be majoring in a discipline within the Natural Sciences Division. Especially students majoring in the biological sciences, environmental science, and geology.
• Students must be returning to the university in the fall semester. Graduating seniors are not eligible.

Requirements & Expectations

• Must complete one summer SFS session (4 weeks long).
• Opportunities usually occur between June & August.
• Must participate in the Student Research Symposium & Festival of Scholars.

How to Apply

1. Complete CLU's Office of Education Abroad application forms, documentation, & recommendations.
2. Complete School for Field Studies application forms, documentation, & recommendations.

Decision Process

All applications for ALLIES SFS Internships will be reviewed by the Cal Lutheran Study Abroad office, and SFS admissions team.

Applications will be evaluated on the following items:

• Relatedness of career opportunity to the student's major and future career interests.
• Students will be notified of the status of their application within approximately 3 weeks via email. 

ALLIES Arcadia University Study Abroad

The Arcadia Fellowship is a collaboration between ALLIES in STEM, CLU's Office of Education Abroad and Arcadia University. The Arcadia Fellows will participate in an Arcadia University Summer program. Upon completion of the program, students will receive Cal Lutheran course credit, contingent on approval from Department Chair or will be applied as elective units.

Funding

• ALLIES will award a Fellowship stipen to go towards Arcadia Summer Tuition.
• Arcadia University will provide a Scholarship for Tuition.
• Study Abroad funding will be awarded for any gaps in flight costs upon student need.

 

Eligibility

• These opportunities are open to Cal Lutheran STEM Majors who identify with one or more of the following

  • Have the designation of STEM Scholar; students who participated in the STEM Academy
  • Have the designation of ALLIES in STEM Peer Academic Leader (PAL)
  • Identify as Hispanic/Latinx
  • Pell-Grant Recipient
  • Identify from a group traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields (Latinx, Low-income, Women, African American, Native Americans, and/or Alaskan Natives).

Requirements & Expectations

• If you are interested in the ALLIES in STEM Peer Mentor role, → you will need to submit the Peer Mentor application in addition to this one.
• For program specifics, please contact Arcadia or Cal Lutheran Study Abroad directly, upon selection of desired program.

How to Apply

1. Talk with the ALLIES Director or MAPS Coordinator to discuss whether the Fellowship is a good fit. 
2. Complete CLU's Office of Education Abroadapplication forms, documentation, & recommendations.
3. Complete Arcadia University application forms, documentation, & recommendations.

 

Decision Process

All applications for ALLIES Arcadia University Study Abroad Fellowships will be reviewed by ALLIES in STEM professional team, the Cal Lutheran Office of Education Abroad, and Arcadia University admissions team.

Applications will be evaluated on the following items:

• Relatedness of career opportunity to the student's major and future career interests.
• Students will be notified of the status of their application within approximately 3 weeks via email.
• Status as an ALLIES in STEM Scholar and/or Peer Academic Leader will be given priority.
• Students that self-identify as Hispanic/Latinx and/or Low-Income and/or Other Underrepresented groups will be given priority.