Carleton Students
The Initiative includes support for students in two ways: 1) student research partnerships with Indigenous mentors and 2) student-faculty research teams. Details about each are provided below.
1. Student Research Fellows (SRFs) and SRF Mentor Stipends
What: To extend students’ opportunities to learn directly with Indigenous research mentors, up to four undergraduate student researchers will receive funding for full-time work for up to ten weeks during summer break under the guidance of an Indigenous community partner. Students will be paid at the current rate of $13.91 per hour plus FICA. In recognition of the work Indigenous research mentors will provide to students, the student’s Indigenous community partner SRF mentor will also receive a one-time stipend of $5000.
Why: The Indigenous Engagement in Place initiative seeks to establish an ethical and reciprocal balance to relationships between Carleton researchers and Indigenous peoples by supporting research collaborations that reflect the priorities of Indigenous partners. While the majority of Initiative resources are keyed to curricular Indigenous Engagement, this opportunity recognizes that curricular transformation often begins with relationships born in research collaboration. Unlike other student research programs at Carleton, these also significantly support the Indigenous mentors for their expertise and time. Please see the application procedures for information about how and when to contact community partners for these collaborations.
Who: First year, sophomore, and junior students in good academic standing in any field may apply for funding for the upcoming summer. These projects are intended to be significantly independent, with priority given for applicants who have demonstrated prior experience with Indigenous community partnerships, community-engaged research, and/or Indigenous Studies coursework.
When: Summers 2024, 2025, 2026
Applications for Summer 2025 will be due February 17, 2025.
All grant recipients will need to submit a brief report for internal use following the conclusion of their work.
How: Application Elements:
Stage One
- The Google form for the first round of the application will ask you to describe:
- your anticipated work
- the significance and feasibility of the work for you and your potential community mentor
- your project timeline
- your preparation to ethically engage with Indigenous community partners (this could include any prior collaborations, any coursework or independent work to build knowledge, and/or any work with Carleton’s Indigenous Communities Liaison, Marcy Averill)
- a list of 2-4 possible mentors; unless you are building on a previously existing relationship, please do not contact possible partners until a later round of the application.
Stage Two
- Following the initial stage, all applicants will meet with Meredith McCoy and/or Marcy Averill to go over next steps for connecting with community partners in alignment with Carleton’s overall Indigenous Engagement strategy.
- Student applicants invited to the second round will submit their design for ethical and reciprocal engagement with their mentors and either a brief affirmation of interest from their partner or information for their community partner so that the Mellon co-directors and/or Indigenous Communities Liaison can contact them.
For queries about project elements or proposal questions, contact Michael McNally or Meredith McCoy. Contact Marcy Averill with questions about community partners.
2. Student-Faculty Research Teams
Why: Travel funds are available to support innovative Indigenous Engagement by enhancing the knowledge and collaborative capacities of Carleton faculty and students. By working in teams, Carleton faculty and students can engage in intergenerational, two-way mentoring and shared learning.
What: To build our collective knowledge base and capacities as a campus, funds are available to support teams of Carleton faculty members and students traveling to visit with Indigenous community partners, to attend Indigenous community events that are open to the public, to conduct research related to Indigenous partnerships, or to attend conferences and workshops such as the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association annual meeting. Funds will be used to cover expenses such as air travel (approximately $500 per round-trip flight), ground transportation (approximately $100 per trip), lodging (approximately $200 per night), and meals/incidentals (approximately $100 per day). Additional funds are available to support Indigenous partners’ travel to such events.
Who: Teams should consist of at least one Carleton faculty (tenured, tenure track, or on continuing appointments) and at least one student. All students must be in good academic standing and teams may come from any department/program so long as the shared learning meaningfully engages humanities topics or modes of inquiry.
When: Ongoing.
All grant recipients will need to submit a brief report for internal use following the conclusion of their work.
How: Application Elements
- Applicants should submit a brief description of the anticipated travel, including the nature of the event (conference, travel to a community gathering, etc.), makeup of the faculty-student team, and anticipated budget (750 words or less).
For queries about project elements or proposal questions, contact Michael McNally or Meredith McCoy. Contact Marcy Averill with questions about community partners.