Student Scholars
Do you want to help solve the world’s most complex problems, but you're not sure how?
Do you ever wonder how your academic learning can prepare you to create the change you want to see in the world? This is exactly what the Student Scholar program offers you—the experience, the support, the tools, and funding to make a difference your way. When you become a Student Scholar, you can build your own unique path toward social change work that reflects your passions and interests.
What is the Student Scholar Experience?
Part of DU Grand Challenges, a university-wide initiative powered by CCESL, the Student Scholars program is for students who want to learn more about the social justice issues that matter to them, how to apply their academic learning to those issues and develop concrete skills and tools for making change in partnership with communities. They work with Community-Engaged (CE) Fellows to create and implement personal social justice action plans. They also have access to funds to implement their plan. Throughout their time, they document their journey through a critical reflection ePortfolio.
Over the course of the Student Scholar program, CE Fellows will mentor Scholars and help them integrate their academic experiences, personal interests, and community-engaged work through critical reflection. Through this process, Scholars will learn more about themselves, their communities, and how they can work together to make positive social change.
Student Scholars can partner with an existing CE Fellow's project or develop their own. Either path integrates with the Student Scholar's academic pursuits, passions, and interests.
Why become a Student Scholar?
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CCESL Student Scholars work with mentors to create individually tailored personal and professional development plans related to social change work. Your mentor will help you find events and trainings throughout your experience that help you build out your personal social change toolbox. You'll also have access to all CCESL trainings and events.
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All CCESL Student Scholars are paired with a mentor from the Community-Engaged Fellows program. Community-Engaged Fellows are advanced students from a range of disciplines who have knowledge and experience in social change work. Your mentor is there to support your journey. They'll help you develop plans, connect you with resources, and guide you in critical reflection activities to help make meaning of your experience.
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With your mentor, you'll create a social justice action plan that you will implement over your time as a Student Scholar. You can create an independent project or plug into one of DU Grand Challenges' current projects. You'll also have access to funds and resources to support your work.
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Scholars develop critical reflection ePortfolios that document their learning and public good identity development. The ePortfolio will serve as a tangible and clear representation of their public identity and potential to contribute to complex public problem-solving. Throughout your experience, you'll collect artifacts from your experiences as a means to reflect on your public good identity.
Application Process
Eligibility
Open to all DU students interested in learning more about and taking action on the social justice issues that matter to them and are interested in learning how to apply their academic learning to those issues to develop concrete skills and tools.
Application
The next step is to share a little bit more about yourself and your interests in a short application - about 10 minutes. The questions are meant to help you begin articulating the social justice issues you might be interested in exploring and what interests you about the Student Scholars program!
Notification
Once we've received your application, we'll reach out to get to know you a little more to better understand what you're looking for and hoping to work on and answer any questions you may have.
"My experience working with Student Scholars has led me to think about issues at both a systemwide level and personal one. This is different from previous iterations of my thinking because I have been forced to think through lenses other than my own. Discussions at forums and other community events have allowed me to put faces to experiences, seeing an issue through someone else's story. My research has also allowed me to look at system wide changes and problems outside of my own personal stake."
2022-2023 Student Scholar Application
The CCESL Student Scholars application is now open. If you'd like to chat with a CCESL staff member about CCESL Student Scholars or other opportunities, reach out to us at ccesl@du.edu.
Featured Scholars
Marissa Martinez Suarez
Marissa is a Student Scholar triple majoring in Spanish, History, and Political Science with a minor in Critical Race and Ethnic Studies and is also a dual degree student at Morgridge College of Education in the Masters in Teacher Education.
Marissa's Portfolio
Brandon Arneson
Brandon is a Student Scholar majoring in Media Studies with minors in Spanish, Leadership, and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies and will soon begin his pursuit of a Master's degree in Social Work from the Graduate School of Social Work.
Brandon's Portfolio
Libby Gardner
Libby is a Student Scholar studying International Relations and Sustainability. She is also part of the Alpine Club, Club Lacrosse, and The Valverde Movement Project at CCESL.
Libby's Portfolio