The SESP Research Opportunities Fund

Eligibility
The fund provides support for School of Education & Social Policy (SESP) undergraduate students who are working on a research project. The “research project” might be under the direction of a faculty member, or might be a paper or endeavor of the student’s own choosing, such as those undertaken by undergraduates in SESP’s Honors Program or as part of their degrees. Students are eligible for one award from the Hess Fund during the course of their studies.

Support
Students may apply for support from the Research Fund for items that support or advance their work. Examples include, but are not limited to, expenses associated with data collection or analysis, travel (e.g. mileage, flight, hotel), equipment, research subject costs, and transcription services. The Research Fund is not designed to provide living wages for the student researcher at this time.

Deadlines
The School of Education & Social Policy will accept requests for support from the Research Fund on a rolling basis. Nevertheless, applicants should submit funding requests with as much advance notice as possible, allowing a minimum of 30 days for review, processing and notification.

Decisions & Notification
Awards from the Research Fund are made at the discretion of the Associate Dean. The Associate Dean will consult, as needed, with faculty members, student advisors, and School administrators. Students will receive notification of the status of their requests by email from the Student Affairs Office’s program coordinator. SESP will occasionally publicize awards from the Research Fund, and by acceptance of funding students agree to cooperate with requests for photos, interviews, etc. Students may also be asked to write to or meet with donors to the fund.

Processing Awards
Research Fund awards are typically disbursed via reimbursement of those expenses proposed in the budget and authorized as part of the award. In order to receive a reimbursement, students must comply with University policies concerning travel, allowable/unallowable expenses, proper documentation (including provision of acceptable receipts), and timeliness. Instructions on these matters are provided with the initial award notification.

For more information, please click here.

For any questions or concerns, please contact:

Allison Ledwon
Program Coordinator | School of Education & Social Policy
Email: allison.ledwon@northwestern.edu