Laidlaw Scholars Application and Criteria
Eligibility
The program is open to Tufts first and second year undergraduate students, preferably in their sophomore year. Students must be able to commit to two consecutive summers while enrolled as an undergraduate. Students are not permitted to count the summer following their graduation as the second summer. Applications due by February 26th, 2024 at 9am.
- Six weeks of abroad experience - this could be part of Research, Leadership-in-Action (LiA), or Study Abroad periods. This may include US Territories or Native American sovereign lands. All overseas experiences will require a written report. Please see listed exceptions.
- The LiA must be working with or for a community outside of the Scholars "comfort zone".
- Working in a laboratory, library, or archive for the LiA component is not permitted unless the work is directly with a community in need.
- Mentors will be funded up to $1000 per Scholar. The $1000 may be split between teams of mentors.
Expectations
If accepted, all scholars are required to sign a commitment form. In order to be eligible for program funding, scholars must commit to the following:
- Spend one summer working on a paid 6 week (210-240 hours) research project.
- Spend one summer working on a paid 6 week (210-240 hours) Leadership in Action project.
- Leadership-in-Action (LiA) experiences should meet the following criteria:
- An experience in a new community and personally challenging environment
- Collaborating with and learning from community leaders
- On a project which creates a sustainable impact.
- Projects considered “voluntourism” are not allowed. Please see the “Policy on Ethical Community Engagement” in the “Leadership-in-Action (LiA) Project Guidelines and Resources”
- Developing and demonstrating your leadership skills, attributes, and Laidlaw values
- Learning through at least six-weeks of service abroad:
- Exemptions must be approved by Tufts-Laidlaw staff. They include and are not limited to the following:
- Scholars who are from a foreign nation.
- Scholars who have completed a study abroad experience
- Scholars who spent their research period abroad
- Scholars who have family or financial obligations inhibiting extended time away
- Scholars who are unable to obtain travel documents
- Exemptions must be approved by Tufts-Laidlaw staff. They include and are not limited to the following:
- MANDATORY IN-PERSON: Attend 80 hours of leadership workshops and research presentations over the course of the program. Exact dates and locations will be shared as soon as they are determined by the Foundation.
- 3 multi-day (2 in May, 2024 [Dates TBD], Laidlaw Scholars Conference, 2024 [Location & Dates TBD])
- 6 two-hour sessions (Tuesdays, May 21-June 25, 2024)
- 3 two-hour sessions (January, 2025, Dates TBD)
- 2 Research Days (Dates TBD)
- Laidlaw - Ethics Program (Dates TBD)
- KEY DELIVERABLES (please see the “Timeline for Posts on the Laidlaw Scholars Network”):
- During the first summer:
- Submit 3 posts to the Laidlaw Network before and during the project
- Produce a poster to present at Research Day.
- Submit a 10 page research paper on your project to the Laidlaw Network
- During the second summer:
- Submit 6 posts weekly to the Laidlaw Network during the project
- Present a 10 minute talk for Presentation Day. (This will be recorded and publicly posted.)
- Submit 5 page reflections on your LiA and Abroad Experiences on the Laidlaw Network as described in the LiA Project Guidelines and Resources
- Submit a post on your Leadership-in-Action experience on the Laidlaw Network. The format may be any of the following:
- An article/blog about your experience (750 word minimum)
- A three-to-five-minute video
- A poster (format A1 portrait)
- During the first summer:
- Leadership-in-Action (LiA) experiences should meet the following criteria:
- Serve as an ambassador of the program
- Keep the central Laidlaw Program informed of career developments in future years via the Laidlaw Network website
To apply for the Tufts-Laidlaw program, students must complete an online application, which includes documents outlining their proposed project. We recommend you have all the information and materials ready before filling out the online form.
Short Answer Question Form: Includes biographical, some research project details (summer 2024), Leadership in Action preference (summer 2025), and academic information.
- What do you hope to learn through your project?
- Why do you believe you are qualified to see this project come to fruition?
- What do you hope to learn from this experience?
- Part 1: Describe a time that you faced a difficult situation in a group setting and took steps to resolve the issue. Explain what action you took and why, and if you feel that your actions were effective. Finally, describe what you learned about yourself in the process. 5000 characters maximum.
- Part 2: Reflect on a leader, who is not related to you, exhibited a trait that deeply resonated with you. Describe the leader's trait that you observed. How did it affect you or change your perspective on leadership? Furthermore, explain how you have implemented this trait in your own approach to leadership, providing specific examples from your personal or professional life. 3000 characters maximum.
- Part 3: How do you see the Laidlaw program supporting your future plans? 3000 characters maximum.
Research Project Budget: You have $650 to use for your research project. Please indicate how you expect to spend those funds. Additionally, please include all other funding sources or in-kind donations that you have received or plan to seek. (Word, Excel, or PDF files only)
Letters of Recommendation (2): List the names and email addresses of both of your recommenders. Letters should include the author’s relationship to the student, the student’s leadership potential, and their capacity to conduct an independent research project.
- The viability of the research project within the initial 6-week period
- The student’s potential and ambition for leadership roles in the future
- The extent to which the student can envisage how their research could be applied or the impact it could have
- The student’s academic record
- The Research Supervisor’s supporting statement
- The Leadership-in-Action Statement
Applications for the 2024 Cohort are due on February 26, 2024 at 9:00 A.M. All material must be submitted through this form. If you have any questions, please contact laidlaw.scholars@tufts.edu
Should you be accepted as a Laidlaw Scholar, you will be expected to fill out and sign the Laidlaw Scholar Contract before April 1st, 2024.
Schedule of Mandatory Events for the 2024 Cohort
October, 2023 | Applications Open |
February 26th, 2024 9AM | Applications Deadline |
March (early), 2024 | Applications Reviewed |
March 14 & 15, 2024 | Interviews |
April 1, 2024 | Scholars Announced |
April 5, 2024 | Scholar Information Session |
April (middle), 2024 | Welcome Dinner |
May (middle), 2024 | Retreat #1 |
May (middle), 2024 | Summer Leadership Training |
Summer TBD, 2024 | Lecture Series |
Summer TBD, 2024 | Tisch Library Summer Scholars Event |
Fall TBD, 2024 | Research and LiA Presentation Day |
Fall TBD, 2024 | Laidlaw Scholars Conference (3-days) |
January TBD, 2025 (2-Days) | Retreat #2 |
Fall TBD, 2025 | Research Day & Graduation |