Purpose
The ExCEL Faculty/Student Research Awards program will provide funding for faculty to hire undergraduate research assistants in the Spring 2026 semester and support faculty researchers. The Office of Experiential and Community Engaged Learning (ExCEL) will manage this initiative, which aims to foster research excellence while providing meaningful experiential learning opportunities for students assisting in faculty-led research projects. Based on the criteria listed below, the Joint Committee on Research will select four faculty members who will receive both a research award to support their project, and a funding for their student researcher. This funding opportunity underscores Baruch’s commitment to advancing research and providing valuable academic experiences for students in alignment with the College’s Strategic Plan.
Funding Details
Each selected research project will receive a $5,000 Research Award for the faculty member and up to $3,000 in tax-levy funds to hire student research assistants as College Assistants (students must be eligible to work at Baruch). The student research support is one-time funding and must be expended by June 30, 2026. The $5,000 Research Award will be paid to the faculty member at the conclusion of the grant activities, no later than June 15, 2026.
Eligibility and Criteria
Full-time research-active faculty members from all departments are eligible to apply.
· Each proposal must include at least one student researcher who will be directly involved in the
project.
· Awards may be for any proposed research project at any stage of development as long as there is a
meaningful role for the student research assistant.
· CA funding must be spent by June 30, 2026.
· Baruch’s Joint Committee on Research will evaluate applications based on the research
proposal’s innovation, clarity of methodology, and quality of the experiential learning opportunity.
· Students involved in the projects are expected to participate in the 2026 Research and Creative
Inquiry Expo (May 12) to showcase their collaboration with the faculty awardee.
· Faculty will be awarded $5,000 in BCF funds at the conclusion of the award period if all
expectations of the project are met, on or about June 15, 2026.
· Faculty awardees will be expected to share their experiences at an event hosted by the
Experiential and Community Engaged Learning office in Fall 2026.
Proposal Requirements
All proposals must be submitted electronically by November 15, 2025, through this application form.
1. Provide a brief description of the research project, including objectives, methodologies, and expected research product (presentation, paper, etc.). Explain how the student researcher will be involved in the project, including their roles and responsibilities, and how their engagement will contribute to their learning experience and your success as a researcher. (1,000 words maximum)
2. Include an estimate of the number of hours the student researcher will be engaged in the
research project.
3. Submit your Interfolio-generated CV
Important Dates
Proposal Submission Deadline: November 14, 2025
Selection Announcement: December 2025
Research Project Implementation: Spring 2026 semester
Award payment if project expectations are met: June 2026
Contact Information
For any questions or additional information, the Experiential and Community Engaged Learning office, at ExCEL@baruch.cuny.edu.
