The Lafayette EXCEL Scholars Program enables students to participate in academically meaningful experiences outside the classroom.
Students selected for this program engage in collaborative research projects with Lafayette faculty, enhancing their academic skills as well as developing other skills that will be useful in post-graduate education and careers.
EXCEL Scholars have the opportunity to work full-time for ten weeks during the summer; full-time for three weeks during the Interim Session; and 8 to 10 hours per week during the academic year.
Students selected to the EXCEL Scholars Program receive a stipend of $8 to $10 per hour and residence hall housing during the interim and summer.
Visit the EXCEL Scholars webpage
Lafayette’s EXCEL Scholars Program enables high-performing students to assist faculty members with their scholarship. The purpose of the EXCEL Program is to encourage collaboration in learning between faculty and students. The work of the student must, therefore, be research-oriented and not administrative in its primary emphasis.
Faculty members supervising EXCEL Scholars receive valuable assistance in accelerating the progress of their own research efforts but do not receive a stipend. Proposals from faculty members interested in working with EXCEL Scholars are reviewed by the Academic Research Committee. Normally, faculty members are limited to supervising one EXCEL Scholar at a time.
Research projects involving EXCEL Scholars should be capable of scholarly publication or provide the students with an equivalent experience. Student honors or independent study projects, for which students are receiving academic credit, are not appropriate for EXCEL funding. However, it is anticipated and encouraged that students will pursue honors or independent study projects as a result of their experience as EXCEL Scholars. These projects may be extensions of the research experience or may involve techniques and knowledge the student has acquired as an EXCEL Scholar. EXCEL Scholars are expected to be prepared to develop posters or papers presenting the results of their summer work for the Fall orientation.
Participation in the EXCEL Program is an honor reserved for those students who have achieved distinction in their academic program at Lafayette. To be eligible as an EXCEL Scholar, students should have completed their first year at Lafayette (i.e., students are eligible to participate in the summer following their first year) and should maintain an overall and major GPA of at least 3.25.
A faculty member must initiate the application procedure for an EXCEL student.
Student employees are required by the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 to complete a verification (Form I-9) documenting their citizenship or legal authorization to work in the United States.