Requirements
The Summer Scholars Program is open to all currently enrolled, full-time undergraduates (and students in 5-year programs) who are not graduating in May or summer 2023. Students in any college or school at Saint Joseph’s University may apply.
Given the level of creative and intellectual activity expected of participants in the SSP, students will normally be required to have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 in the semester before they apply (i.e. a student applying for summer 2023 would need to have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at the end of the fall 2022 semester).
Other requirements are as follows:
You may not be enrolled in the HSB COOP program.
You will register for SJU undergraduate coursework for the fall of 2023.
There are no other issues (i.e. visa status) that prevent you from receiving payment for work.
Choosing a faculty mentor
You can find a list of faculty who have served as mentors in the last five years here. This list is not meant to be exhaustive. We recommend that you schedule an appointment to meet with a potential faculty mentor to begin the conversation about possible projects, their availability to serve as a mentor, etc.
While there is no limit to the number of students any one faculty member may mentor, it is important to keep in mind that the program is highly competitive and the number of spots available are limited. As such, not all students who apply will be selected for support through the program. Please discuss this with your potential mentor as you are formulating your proposal.
In order to apply to the program you must identify a faculty member who has agreed to serve as your mentor. As part of the application process, your faculty member must submit a letter of recommendation. You will supply the name and contact information of the person who will be serving as your mentor when you complete the online application. The mentor will then be contacted by us and they will be able to submit their letter to the selection committee electronically.
Writing the proposal
The application process is extremely competitive. Potential Scholars are encouraged to start early on their proposals and to spend time writing and revising with their mentors and with assistance from tutors in the SJU Writing Center. (Please visit the Writing Center website for hours, locations, and to make an appointment.) While you should work closely with your prospective mentor in formulating the proposal, the proposal is to be written by you, not your prospective mentor.
Once you have identified a faculty mentor, begin the process of formulating your proposal. Proposals consist of the following sections:
- Title of the proposed project
- Your name
- Any relevant courses you have already taken
- Background information for the proposal (one to a few paragraphs)
- A description of the proposed project, methods to be used, etc. This can be up to a page and is the most important section of the proposal.)
- A description of any work already performed by you on the proposed project.
- Name and contact information for your faculty mentor
The entire proposal should be no more than two pages in length.
You can download sample proposals from previous years using these links.
| Accounting | Fine & Performing Arts | Biology |
| Chemistry | Education | English |
| Foreign Languages and Literatures | History | Marketing |
| Mathematics | Physics | Psychology |
Submitting the application
The application system will open on January 9, 2023, and will remain open until 11:59 pm on Monday, February 13, 2023: Once you have you have identified your prospective mentor, you have your application prepared as a word document, and you have the contact information for your prospective mentor, you may submit your application electronically through The Nest.
Login to your account and navigate to the “Classes and Registration” area. On that page you should see a “Summer Scholars” channel.
Click on the “Apply Now” link, fill in the required information and upload your application document. Once you have everything in, click “submit”.
Please do NOT start submitting your application until you have all of the material ready.! You will not be able to return later to make change.
Once you submit your application you should receive a confirmation e-mail within 24 hours. If you do not receive this e-mail, contact Donna Mandery at dmandery@sju.edu.
Questions
Please contact Donna Mandery at dmandery@sju.edu if you have any questions about how to apply.