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Summer Scholars: Program Details and Eligibility

Summer Scholars: Program Details and Eligibility

The Siena Summer Scholars Program promotes inquiry and creativity by supporting scholarly activity in which faculty members and students collaborate during the summer. Students participation in scholarly activities fosters exploration and discovery by providing opportunities to design and carry out original research including evaluation, analysis, synthesis of information or participation in a creative activity.


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The proposal should be created by the mentoring faculty member, following the instructions below, and then uploaded using the following on-line application form:

Each Proposal shall include:

  • A title and abstract for the project
  • A statement describing the proposed research or creative activity
  •  A work plan or activity timeline.  A typical project’s duration is 4-8 weeks with 6 weeks being the default, though shorter projects will be given consideration.  If additional time is requested beyond 6 weeks, this should be included in the proposal.  Maximum number of weeks for a faculty member is a total of 24 student weeks.
  • A description of student participation, expected learning outcomes, and ways in which results will be measured.
  • A description of how the results of the activity will be disseminated (e.g., presentation by students and faculty at professional conferences, or publication in a journal or conference proceedings, exhibition, Siena’s Summer Research Symposium (required), Siena’s Academic Showcase, etc.)
  • A description of the efforts that will be made to leverage this work to seek external funds and continue/expand this work (if this is appropriate).

Eligibility Information:

  • Faculty receiving funds must be returning as a full-time faculty member in Fall 2023.
  • Students must be returning full or part-time students in good academic standing for Fall 2023.

Stipend Information:

  • Students will receive payment in the form of a stipend as a Research or Project Assistant. The student stipend is taxable to the extent described by the IRS but taxes will not be withheld. Stipends will be paid out over the payroll schedule every two weeks during the time the student is working on the project.
  • Stipends are calculated based on working 35 hours /week at an hourly rate of $14.20.
  • The total stipend will be paid to the student in 2-4 installments, depending on the length of the project.
  • The maximum faculty stipend is $1000. Faculty stipend award may be less for projects of shorter duration.
  • A possible budget statement might, for example, request $1000 for the faculty member and $2,982 for a student working 35 hours /week for a 6-week project at an hourly rate of $14.20. Another proposal might request $500 for the faculty member’s time and $1,136 for a student for working 20 hours / week for a 4-week project at an hourly rate of $14.20.

Dates of Significance:

Call for Proposals: January 23rd, 2023

Deadline for Submissions to CURCA: March 27th, 2023

Notification of Award: April 24th, 2023

Summer Scholars Program Dates: May 30th - August 4th, 2023

Summer Research Symposium: September 20th, 2023

Faculty Mentor to Submit Report on Accomplishments: October 16th, 2023

Please Note:

  • Maximum stipend per student = $2,982 for 6 weeks ($14.20 per hour x 35 hours).
  • All projects should have a default time of 6 weeks.  If a faculty member requests more than 6 weeks, please put the justification into the proposal with a plan for 6 weeks, and then what can be accomplished with additional time.  If funds are available, projects may receive funding for the requested additional time.  
  • Students must work 35 hours / week to live in campus housing and are responsible for the cost of housing and board.
  • The student stipends are taxable to the extent described by the IRS.
  • Students will be required to participate in the Summer Research Symposium in the Fall of 2023 and to complete a reflection paper at the end of the summer research experience. Further, their participation in CURCA seminars during the summer is required. Topics and dates will be available before the beginning of the program.
  • The faculty member must submit by October 16, 2023 a report on what was accomplished with the funds. The College is understandably interested in the impact these funded activities have on our students. Additionally, we compile information on the students and faculty who have been, and will be, involved. In the final report, it is worth noting how involvement in the Summer Scholars Program may have affected their career / education plans.
  • Dana Unser (Director of Grants and Sponsored Research) is available for consultation regarding external funding possibilities.