The Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Program is an innovative scholarship which aims to develop a new generation of leaders who are skilled researchers, embrace data-based decision making, and believe it is a moral imperative to lead with integrity. It invests in talented and motivated undergraduate students giving them the knowledge, skills, and experience to become active global citizens and future leaders.

The Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Program is a two-year scaffolded learning experience. Undergraduate students will be admitted into the program in the spring of their first or second years at Brown; conduct independent research in the first summer; take part in a yearlong leadership development training series between their first and second summer; and complete a leadership-in-action experience in their second summer (ideally building on insights from their research or related priorities identified with their faculty advisor). 

Structure

Laidlaw Scholars undertake an intensive and rewarding 18-month leadership development program which includes opportunities for funded research and leadership experiences over two summers, workshops and training from expert facilitators, personal coaching, and a range of learning resources. In their first summer, scholars will work under the direct mentorship of faculty research supervisors, who will help Scholars to design and conduct a substantive community-engaged research project that facilitates a meaningful intellectual relationship. 

Research/ Community Engagement Project (Summer 1)

Applicants may select a pre-defined research project from the list included in this year's call for applications or design their own research project, to take place over approximately 8-10 weeks in the first summer of the program. We especially encourage self-defined research projects that examine a topic related to community engagement in a global context. If you propose a self-defined research project, your faculty mentor will be required to confirm their availability to advise you.

Leadership Training (Academic Year)

Laidlaw Scholars will kick off the academic year with a leadership training retreat. In an immersive group environment, Scholars will discover their own leadership strengths, learn core leadership attributes, explore leadership values, and develop their leadership skills through exercises and applied learning.

Leadership-in-Action (Summer 2)

The Leadership-in-Action summer abroad experience will take place in the last six weeks of the program. Scholars can choose to conduct a project with fellow scholars at a Laidlaw partner site or undertake a six-week Leadership-in-Action project abroad independently.

Expectations

Scholars must commit to completion of both summer experiences, as well as full participation in leadership development training and cohort activities. Each Scholar’s project will result in an intellectual output that aligns with the interdisciplinary conventions of the project and/or the priorities of community partners for the project. These can include the production of a journal article, poster, presentation or talk, portfolio of work, or other scholarly pursuits.

Eligibility

Students, from all disciplines and backgrounds, in their first and second years at Brown are eligible to participate. Scholars will receive a base stipend of $2,500. Aided students may receive up to an additional $3,000 (for a total of $5,500). A summer earnings waiver is available for eligible students.

Apply

Applications for the 2024-2025 cohort are closed. 

Contact

For further information, please email [email protected].