Eligibility: Current sophomores and juniors are eligible to apply to the Ursinus Summer Fellows Program. Students on disciplinary probation are not eligible. You should work with the adviser for your research or creative project as you develop your Summer Fellows application.

Working with a faculty mentor: Faculty mentors will help shape the project and actively work with you. Normally this means a minimum of several on-campus meetings per week to keep the project on track and provide direction. You are expected to be on site and mentors are expected to be readily available in person during the summer fellowship session. Mentorship that primarily occurs electronically or via telephone is not acceptable.

Stipends and rooms on campus: All students receive a stipend for their participation in the Summer Fellows Program to replace summer earnings. Federal law requires the withholding of taxes from this stipend. Students are expected to live on campus and participate in Summer Fellows sponsored activities and educational events. A room on campus is provided during the eight weeks of the summer program and research and creative projects must be completed during that time.

Presentations and products:  A presentation introducing the summer project at the beginning of the summer and a more complete presentation at the Research Symposium at the end of the summer will be given by all Summer Fellows. The preparation of a final product agreed upon by the mentor, student, and coordinator of the Summer Fellows program will be due on the final day of the program in the Dean’s Office. These products will be housed in Myrin Library and are available to the public. The faculty mentor must approve the final product for the Summer Fellows experience to count as an Experiential Learning Project (XLP).

Additional programming: There will be a welcoming event during the first week of Summer Fellows and Wednesday lunch and Common Hour events designed to bring the Summer Fellows and mentors together as an intellectual community. Fellows and faculty mentors are expected to attend and to participate in these events. In addition, various social events, programs, and activities will be planned by faculty, staff, and students.

Funding for projects:  Funding is available to support Summer Fellows’ projects. A detailed itemized budget request may be submitted with your application for an award of up to $250 to reimburse project related expenses, such as travel and research supply costs, or for the library to purchase books or DVDs.  Do not purchase books and DVDs on your own and then request reimbursement. Items purchased for the project will become the property of the sponsoring department or the library at the conclusion of the project.

Restrictions: To ensure that students are available to work full time on their Summer Fellows project and to participate fully in the campus intellectual community, there are restrictions on employment, internships, coursework, and study abroad during the eight week program.

Employment: Summer Fellows may not hold full time employment during the Summer Fellows program. Part-time employment is allowed up to a maximum of 14 hours per week and must be approved by the faculty mentor and Director of Summer Fellows. Part-time employment cannot interfere with full participation in development of Summer Fellows projects, presentations, participation in Wednesday lunches and Common Hours, and other scheduled activities.

Internships: Summer Fellows may not pursue internships during the Summer Fellows program. While the college allows students completing an internship during the summer to enroll in the internship for the fall semester, students may not complete any hours of the internship concurrent with the eight weeks of the Summer Fellows program.

Coursework: Summer Fellows are not permitted to enroll in courses of study at Ursinus College or other institutions while participating in the eight week Summer Fellows program, unless an exception is granted by the Student Achievement in Research and Creativity committee.

Study Abroad: Summer Fellows may not engage in study abroad during the summer their received the Summer Fellowship.

Students completing the Summer Fellows project at another institution: If the project must be conducted at another institution or off-campus facility, there are additional requirements. A letter from both the off-campus mentor and the Ursinus faculty mentor are required at the time of application and must indicate a willingness to sponsor the project for eight weeks. If this is a paid position or internship, the mentor must also indicate how much financial support will be given to the student. Ursinus College will supplement stipends of less than the standard stipend and will provide a room on campus. If the off-campus award is greater than the standard stipend, the fellow will stay in a campus room, but the room is not provided free of charge. Summer Fellows working on projects and another institution or facility are expected to live on campus and participate in presentations, Wednesday lunches and Common Hours, and other scheduled activities.

Students receiving external funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF): You must undergo Responsible Conduct of Research Training. If you are unsure about the source of your grant funding or are unfamiliar with IRB training, please consult with your faculty mentor.

Research projects involving human subjects: If your project involves human subjects, the project needs approval from the Institutional review Board (IRB). If you are unfamiliar with IRB guidelines, visit the IRB website and consult your faculty mentor.