Nexus Scholars Program

The Nexus Scholars Program in the College of Arts & Sciences provides undergraduate students with summer opportunities to be mentored with faculty from all across the college (humanities, social sciences, and STEM) on their research projects. Along with the summer research experience, the program offers professional development workshops, career exploration events, and the chance to be part of a cohort from throughout the college who are passionate about learning.

Recipients may conduct research in any discipline in the College of Arts & Sciences and will be awarded  up to $7,000 for their participation during the eight and a half week summer program on the Cornell campus in Ithaca. Nexus Scholars are selected based on their interest in research, their ability to work collaboratively, and their potential to contribute to the field. Students who are early in their academic careers and from a variety of backgrounds are encouraged to apply. The Nexus Scholars Program is intended to be an entry point into undergraduate research and we prioritize applicants who do not have significant experience in this area.

Student's interested in learning more about the Nexus Scholars Program can view the video of the virtual information session  presented on Wednesday, October 19 where we shared program structure as well as had students from last year's cohort speak to their experiences. Students can view a recording of the presentation at this link. 

The Nexus Scholars Program is available to Cornell A&S undergraduate first year, sophomore, or junior in the classes of 2024, 2025, 2026. Students who are planning to graduate in the spring or summer of 2023 are not eligible to apply. The application asks students to select one or two faculty mentors whose research interests them and describe their interest in working in the selected research areas.

Applicants who have already identified a potential faculty mentor who is not included in this list can also apply.  Students will need to describe their research project and have an established relationship with the faculty member in order to apply to a project outside the ones listed below.

• We expect to support 80 Nexus Scholars for the summer of 2023
• Students will be notified of acceptance in February 2023
• Start date of the program is May 31, 2023 and the end is July 28, 2023
• Students are expected to participate in research full-time with their mentor during the traditional weekday, daytime hours on the Cornell campus in Ithaca, there is no remote option for the program
• The Nexus Scholars Program should be a student's primary experience over the course of the program dates.  We highly recommend that students do not take classes or pursue other employment opportunities during the program
• Students will be awarded up to $7,000 for their participation
• In addition, up to $1,000 will be provided for travel to a research meeting after the program is over
• Students can only participate in the program one time during their time as an undergraduate in the College of Arts & Sciences

Applications for the 2023 Nexus Scholars Program are open on the Experience Cornell site. Applications are due Sunday, December, 4.

Application Content Pages: 

1. Academic & Personal Information
2. Essay Questions: 1500 Character (anywhere between 210-380 words) 
   • Why are you interested in doing research next summer at Cornell and what do you hope to gain? 
   • What ideas do you have for your future career?  
   • Think about a time when you worked on a group project that went well.  What do you think  was most important in achieving that success?  Please explain.
3.  Faculty Selection: Students can either select their top two faculty mentor and projects from the site referenced below or propose their own faculty mentor. 
4. Resume Upload: Provide a comprehensive resume of relevant experiences in a pdf format saved as "your name+resume".
5. Coursework and Transcript: Students will let us know their Fall 2022 courses. If students have been at Cornell more then one semester, they will also need to order an official transcript and send it electronically to Samantha Stafford (ses383@cornell.edu). Transfer students can send a transcript from their previous institution.

If you have any questions about the application process (or the program in general), click here to email us.

Click here to view Nexus Scholar faculty mentor profiles and project descriptions for Summer 2023!

Making a gift to support the Nexus Scholars Program will help to ensure that research opportunities are available to all students, regardless of their financial situation.

If you would like to discuss other opportunities to support undergraduate students in the College, please contact the A&S Development Team.