The Center for Engaged Learning (CEL) Student Scholar program is a three-year, mentored opportunity for students to collaborate with Elon University faculty and staff on CEL’s international, multi-institutional research on specific engaged learning topics. CEL Student Scholars receive up to $5,000 in stipends annually to support their active participation in the project.

CEL Student Scholars will have opportunities to present and publish on their research and will join an international community of scholars interested in engaged learning.

Two students will be appointed CEL Student Scholars to collaborate with CEL’s seminar leaders on each new CEL Research Seminar.

Who Should Apply?

The CEL Student Scholar program is open to current Elon University students from any major. Applicants should have an interest in engaged learning in higher education (broadly) and in the specific engaged learning topic of the research seminar they’ll collaborate to support. First-year students apply in the spring semester to begin the program in the summer between their first and second years.

What Will CEL Student Scholars Do?

Accepted CEL Student Scholars will collaborate on a three-year research project with Elon faculty and staff and with CEL Research Seminar participants from colleges and universities around the world.

Six people are gathered at tables with laptops open in front of them. They are looking at a projection screen in the top left corner.

During three consecutive summers (e.g., 2022, 2023, 2024), CEL Student Scholars will…

  • Receive a $3,000 summer stipend as compensation for the Student Scholar’s work during the summer;
  • Have access to double-occupancy, on-campus, summer housing;
  • Participate in a week-long research seminar meeting with faculty and staff from Elon and other colleges and universities around the globe;
  • Attend (and during second and third summers, present at) the Conference on Engaged Learning;
  • Collaborate in weekly meetings with the seminar co-leaders and/or the CEL Director to advance the research project, collaborate on resources, and learn about strategies for studying engaged learning; and
  • Have opportunities to attend events with other undergraduate researchers.

During their second, third, and fourth academic years (e.g., 2022-2023, 2023-2024, 2024-2025), CEL Student Scholars will…

  • Receive a $1,000 stipend each semester as compensation for the Student Scholar’s work during the academic year;
  • Collaborate in 1-hour meetings every other week with the seminar co-leaders;
  • Join other CEL Student Scholars and the CEL Director for a 1-hour meeting every other week to discuss engaged learning research and practices, strategies for studying engaged learning, and other cross-seminar topics; and
  • Spend an additional 1-2 hours a week completing research tasks.
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Two students will be accepted as CEL Student Scholars each year. Accepted scholars can discuss with the CEL Director and their advisor whether they wish to register for 499 undergraduate research credit during one or more of their semesters as a CEL Student Scholar. Acceptance as a CEL Student Scholar also does not preclude participation in other Elon experiences like study away and internships.

The 2021-2024 pilot of the CEL Student Scholars program was partially funded by a generous grant from the Garrett A. Turner Foundation of the Manatee Community Foundation. We appreciate their support of our efforts to collaborate with students on research about student learning.

Questions? Please contact CEL’s Director, Dr. Jessie L. Moore (jmoore28@elon.ed).