Laidlaw Leadership and Research Program

Overview

The Laidlaw Undergraduate Leadership and Research Program promotes ethical leadership and international research around the world—starting with the passionate leaders and learners found on campuses like Cornell.

With generous support for your research, leadership development, and a summer abroad putting your skills into action, this two-year cohort program for emerging leaders lays out a path for you to invest your skills, knowledge, and experience to make global change. As a Laidlaw scholar, your talent and motivation are cultivated through international experiences, leadership training, research experience early in your college career, and networking with like-minded peers at 22 of the top research universities around the world.

Interested in joining our next cohort of scholars? Join us for an upcoming information session.

The Program's Key Components

Research

Your first summer as a Laidlaw scholar you'll work on an internationally-focused research project that is supervised by a faculty member or an experienced research team. Your work is supported by a stipend.

You may choose from a diverse list of faculty-proposed research projects or propose your own internationally- or interculturally-focused project and faculty mentor.

Explore the research of current and previous Laidlaw scholars on the Laidlaw Scholars Network.

Leadership Training

Leadership training is an essential component of the program that continues throughout your time as a Laidlaw scholar. You'll learn about your unique leadership strengths, further develop your skills through critical reflection, and explore how good character influences leadership.

Laidlaw scholars stand among researchers in Kenya looking at a field of corn. — "Participating in the Laidlaw Scholars Program has been a great privilege of my time at Cornell. The two-year duration of the scholarship has allowed me to be intensely involved with my professor’s research program at Cornell and with her partner in Kenya, introducing me to the best colleagues and most rewarding experiences." —Eli Newell '24, seen on the far right

Leadership-in-Action Experience

Develop a six-week leadership-in-action project contributing to a community-based project in an international setting. You may choose from existing Cornell and Laidlaw projects or propose your own project and host organization where you can learn from real-world leaders enacting change in their communities and beyond. Your travel and living expenses are supported by a stipend.

Explore the leadership-in-action projects of current and previous Laidlaw scholars on the Laidlaw Scholars Network.

Networking

Over your two years in the program, you will get to know like-minded scholars who are passionate about Laidlaw's shared values. In addition to other Cornell scholars, you'll meet scholars from other universities in person at the North American Laidlaw conference during your first fall, and connect virtually throughout the program around character, research, international experiences, and mentoring.

The international network of Laidlaw scholars extends beyond Cornell University to a global community that shares an online space for continued collaboration.