Undergraduate Research Opportunities at Fisher

Summer Fellows Research Program

The Summer Fellows Research Program at St. John Fisher University offers undergraduate students the opportunity to engage in 10 weeks of faculty-mentored research across various disciplines. Students can either design an original project alongside a mentor or apply for pre-defined special projects.

Program Dates: Early June – Mid-August (10 weeks)

Application Deadline: March 23, 2027, at 11:59 PM

Program Expectations & Benefits

• Student Expectations: Conduct intensive research under a full-time faculty mentor, engage in goal-setting via EvaluateUR, attend required orientation and informal "Coffee Talks," and present findings at the fall Summer Research Reception and the spring Fisher Showcase.
• Faculty Mentors: Guide student scholars, advance university research, and receive stipend support (eligible for 9- and 10-month contract faculty; limit 2 students per mentor).
• Additional Resources: Professional development (resume/CV building), research ethics training, publishing support, and optional on-campus summer housing (fee required).

Student Eligibility

• Current rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors returning as full-time Fisher students in the fall.
• Open to all majors with a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA.
• Note: Past awardees may apply, though priority is given to new applicants.

Student Compensation & Funding Options

Students and mentors must select and justify one of the following primary funding options:

Option	Commitment	Details
Stipend	10 to 35 hours/week	Calculated at the 2027 NY State minimum wage rate (Upstate base rate). Most students work 15–20 hours/week.
Tuition Waiver	1 to 3 credits	1 credit = 35 total hours; 3 credits = 105 total hours (~10 hours/week).

• Supplemental Project Support: Request up to $450 for supplies or research materials (excludes conference travel, which requires a separate Travel Support request).

Application Process

1. Students: Complete the online Summer Fellows Student Application Form and upload your single PDF document containing the required proposal components detailed below.
2. Faculty Mentors: Complete the online Summer Fellows Faculty Mentor Information Form.

Proposal & Application Components

Combine all application materials into a single PDF labeled Student Last Name_2027_SummerFellows and upload it via the Student Application Form. Your submission must include:

Project Proposal (2-Page Maximum)

Co-written with your faculty mentor and formatted for a general academic audience (minimizing jargon). Your proposal must include:

• • Project Title & Overview: Introduction, research question, or overarching project aim(s).
  • Methodology & Timeline: Proposed research methods and a week-by-week timeline outlining key milestones across the 10-week program.
  • Significance & Impact: A final paragraph placing your work in context within the field and explaining its broader impact.

Personal Statement (1 Page)

Describe two primary goals you hope to achieve through this fellowship and explain how working toward them will prepare you for your future academic or professional career.

Funding & Commitment Request (1/2 Page)

Select your preferred support option (Stipend or Tuition Waiver) and state your expected weekly time commitment. Include a brief justification for your choice and outline any supplemental project supply requests (up to $450).

Questions?

Contact Dr. Kristin Picardo, Assistant Provost & Center Director

• Email: kpicardo@sjf.edu
• Phone: 585-899-3802
• Office: K207

Student Research Fellow Opportunities

• Up to 3 students will be awarded stipends to investigate issues using primary sources from the Special Collections at Lavery Library. Students in any major can propose work under this special project.
• General Applicants (1 student):  Mentors can be from any department as long as the project uses at least one item from the General Special Collections at Lavery Library as a source.  
• Radio History Applicants (1-2 students):  Mentors can be from any department as long as the project uses at least one item from the Radio History Collection at Lavery Library as a source.  
• Students will earn a stipend of $16/hour for 10 hours/week over the 10 weeks. This work can be done remotely.  
• Funding for this special project has been made available by Lavery Library and the MacMillan Radio Fund.

Mentors and Mentees can contact Head of Special Collections and University Archivist Julia Novakovic, jnovakovic@sjf.edu, with any questions about collection availability. To apply, see application instructions on the main summer research page.

Lavery Library actively participates in the research and teaching of the Fisher community by providing a responsive, collegial team committed to connecting people and ideas worldwide. In a welcoming environment, the Library innovatively guides discovery for a lifetime of informed decision-making.

The Special Collections are housed at Lavery Library. The focus of the collection is social conflict and discovery. The collection encompasses items from 1829-1961 but concentrates on the years 1865-1914. Geographically, the collection focuses on the Rochester Region and New York State.

General Special Collection Content & Notable Figures

Special Collections

• Anti-Slavery & Abolitionist Newspapers
• Haudenosaunee
• Frederick Douglass
• George P. Decker
• Harriet Tubman
• The Grand Army of the Republic
• Bookplates, Local Diaries, Postcards
• Chief Levi General
• Monsignor Edward Byrne

Radio History Collection

The Rochester Radio History Collection is an exception to the General Collection Development Policy. Geographically, the collection focuses on the Rochester Region and has no chronological limits. Additional photographs, memorabilia, and recordings are available.  

Research topics are not limited to Radio and could include any discipline that could incorporate the primary materials from this collection. For example, interviews with Inez Quinn from WHAM radio for research on women in media, or transcripts from the Italian shows on radio station WSAY for research on Italian American Communities in Rochester.

• Up to 2 students will be awarded stipends and research supply funds to investigate radiation medicine-related projects. Students in any major can propose work under this special project.
• Mentors can be from any department as long as the project focuses on how radiation impacts human health
• Funding for this special project has been made available by Fisher alum Dr. Timothy Kinsella and the University Radiation Medicine Foundation.

To apply, please follow the general application instructions for all summer research opportunities.

Interested in seeing what our 2026 Summer Fellows were up to? Check out the variety of projects!