The mission of the Lisska Center for Intellectual Engagement is to support research and scholarship, to foster intellectual community and academic enrichment among all Denisonians, and to provide an interdisciplinary space for the open exchange of ideas, perspectives, and arguments.

1. Fellowships Advising

The Lisska Center staff assists students and recent alumni in applying for nationally and internationally competitive fellowships at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Fellowships fund summer programs, study abroad programs, service projects, and postgraduate study and research both in the U.S. and abroad. The Lisska Center provides intensive one-on-one support to those applying for any fellowship or grant opportunity, helping applicants identify appropriate opportunities, prepare their application materials, and write their application essays. The Lisska Center also coaches fellowship competition finalists preparing for interviews.

Examples of prestigious fellowships include the Rhodes Scholarship, the Marshall Scholarship, Fulbright awards, the Harry S. Truman Scholarship, the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship in Science and Mathematics, the Morris K. Udall Scholarship in National Environmental Policy, National Science Foundation Fellowships, the Boren Scholarship for International Study, DAAD (German Academic Exchange) grants, and many others. Denison is proud of the many students and alumni who have won such awards over the years.

While some fellowship applications require an institutional endorsement and/or have a minimum GPA requirement, many do not. All interested students are encouraged to schedule an individual appointment and/or attend group information sessions. Comprehensive listings of national and international fellowships can be found on the Lisska Center's MyDenison page.

2. Summer Scholars Program

The Lisska Center coordinates Denison’s Lisska Summer Scholars Program. Each year, more than 120 students across all disciplines receive funding to support independent research under the close supervision of a faculty member, or full-time collaborative work with faculty members, during the summer. The program  gives students a unique undergraduate venue in which to experiment with ideas and artistic expression, pursue an intellectual passion, and focus intently on the resolution of a question over a sustained period of time.

Summer Scholars projects do not confer credit hours and are not graded. All students must produce a scholarly project (e.g., final poster, paper, performance, or equivalent) and present their summer’s work at a fall Summer Scholars symposium at Denison.

Lisska Scholars work under the close guidance of a Denison faculty member between mid-May and the end of July. Lisska Scholars may be awarded funding for projects on campus (10 week or 5 week option) or off campus (10 week option only) in fine arts, humanities, or social sciences. Applications for Lisska Scholars awards are evaluated by the Student Research Grants Committee (SRGC), an elected committee of four faculty members (one from each division of the college), overseen by the Lisska Center for Intellectual Engagement. Lisska Summer Scholars receive a stipend, free campus housing, and supplemental research funds.

Faculty mentors are expected to work closely with students as they develop their project proposals and must submit a detailed endorsement supporting each student’s application for a Lisska Scholars award. Faculty mentors are expected to be on campus (except for short absences) and should meet at least twice weekly with each student during the duration of the project. Faculty members may not supervise more than three individual or joint projects. Faculty advisors also receive a stipend per student supervised. Complete program guidelines can be found on the Lisska Center MyDenison page.

Decisions on faculty eligibility to supervise, or share in the supervision, of student summer research, are made on a case-by-case basis by the Provost. In most cases, tenure track and non-tenure-track faculty who teach at least 75% of a full-time load, and who have a contract to teach at Denison in the fall semester following the summer research, are eligible to supervise summer research.

Qualified students who are rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors in all disciplines are eligible to apply for Summer Scholars awards. A qualified student is one who meets one of the following criteria:

• will be returning to Denison in the fall and has registered for classes;
• will be on an approved off-campus study program in the fall;
• is on an approved academic leave;
• is on an approved leave of absence and does not have to reapply to return.

Any student who does not fall into one of the above categories is not eligible. Projects do not necessarily need to be in the discipline of the student’s major. Interdisciplinary projects may be proposed.

Off-Campus Summer Scholars awards from the Lisska Center provide support for students conducting a full-time independent research, scholarly, or creative project in fine arts, humanities, or social sciences that requires some or all of the time to be spent off-campus. Projects typically last 10 weeks between mid-May and the end of July. (Some time may be spent on campus before and/or after the off-campus portion of the project.) A Denison faculty member must be the primary mentor, but a non-Denison mentor may help supervise the project on-site, as appropriate. Proposals must specify the role and time commitment of the Denison and non-Denison mentors; faculty stipends will be awarded accordingly. The student stipend and guidelines are the same as for on-campus awards, but also cover some approved additional expenses for lodging and supplemental research funds. Applications for Off-Campus Summer Scholars awards are evaluated by the SRGC. For complete guidelines, see the Lisska Center MyDenison page.

Woodyard Scholars awards provide students with Summer Scholars awards to carry out individual or collaborative projects in the area of “Religion and Civic Responsibility.” Woodyard Scholars are supervised by members of the Religion Department for 10 weeks between mid-May and the end of July. (For projects involving other disciplines, other faculty members may also be involved.) For more information, contact the Department of Religion.

Ashbrook Summer Scholars awards are intended to “foster and promote research and educational cooperation between faculty and students in exploring ways to improve the political and economic betterment of the underprivileged Licking County person.” The Ashbrook Scholarship is open to any student who has engaged in community service (broadly defined as including, but not limited to, DCA involvement, work with America Reads or as a Community Service intern, and service learning coursework). Scholars work under the guidance of a Denison faculty member as they carry out research and engage in service with an organization that provides some kind of assistance to the community. For complete guidelines, see the Lisska Center MyDenison page.

Battelle Memorial Institute awards support Denison students participating in science research projects throughout the world. Some awards for entire summer support may be given, whereas other awards may be for a student’s short stay at a remote location to carry out data collection. For complete guidelines, see the Lisska Center’s MyDenison page.

Denison University Research Foundation (DURF) awards support students working as research assistants for Denison faculty members during the summer. (Note: research assistants are only considered Summer Scholars if they are doing a piece of independent work, not just assisting with a professor’s project.) Any qualified Denison student is eligible. Faculty may contact the Associate Provost for Operations, Planning and Resource Management for more information.

Student research may also be supported by outside grants received by faculty in various departments. Students receiving outside funding to conduct summer research (e.g., DURF Scholars, DAAD-RISE, etc.) may also be included as members of the Summer Scholars Program.​

The Lisska Center will host an information session for interested students in November when the proposal guidelines become available. Applications are typically due in late January, with faculty endorsements due in early February.

3. Scholar-leader Programs

The Scholar-Leader First-Year Advising Experience is a community of first-year students who have an identifiable interest in leadership, academic enrichment, and selective fellowship opportunities. These courses provide a foundation of skills and experiences in preparation for leadership, scholarship, and service. In the first semester, students develop personal and professional skills that support a healthy transition to college. Students reflect on their values and goals to shape their career exploration and identify areas of potential academic scholarship and leadership impact. In the second semester, students focus on developing leadership and networking skills and exploring competitive fellowships, internships, and research opportunities. The Scholar-Leader First-Year Advising Experience includes the pre-orientation trip called Exordium (The Beginning) before fall classes. 

The Scholar-Leader Sophomore Experience is a sequence of courses for sophomores that develops academic enrichment, leadership, civic engagement, and scholarship skills and emphasizes collaborative problem-solving. In the fall, students learn and assess their strengths and engage in experiential learning focused on exploring and researching expressed needs, whether on campus, in the community, or beyond. Students work in small groups to research those needs and network with leaders to learn about available services and potential areas for partnership. Successful completion of the fall course enables students to progress into the spring course, where they choose a pathway or project based on their research and networking experience. The goal is for students to channel their creativity and experience into a concrete plan that they work on together to design potential community solutions. Examples include the design of a project to address a specific need, a polished group application to a granting agency or other opportunity, a planned event, and so on. Students may enroll in the Scholar-Leader Project in their junior and senior years to move their projects to an implementation stage and continue to work collaboratively on their outcome. 

4. Academic Funding Opportunities

The Lisska Center serves as a hub for funding student research and academic enhancement travel. In addition, faculty can apply for funds to enhance their courses. Specifically:

• The Student Academic Travel Fund provides up to $750 per student for travel to academic conferences to present papers or posters. For Fine Arts students and Creative Writers this would be the equivalent of participating in a performance or workshop.

• Student Research Funding provides up to $500 per student for conducting senior research or other research during the academic year. The SRGC reviews and approves all awards.

• The Academic Enhancement Fund supports individuals or small groups of students wishing to travel for an academic purpose not associated with a regular semester course or study abroad programs. Examples include conducting research or attending a conference or workshop (where they are not presenting or performing). The Lisska Center will make grants of up to $750 per experience.

• The Faculty Course Enhancement Fund provides small grants of up to $500 to faculty members wishing to take a class on a field trip or other class activity.

The Lisska Center also administers a number of other Denison scholarships and awards, including the A. Blair Knapp Award, the Kenneth Joseph Hines Memorial Award, the Reverend John and Arlena Hasel Endowed Award, the Megan Lisska and Elin Lisska Christensen Award in the Humanities, the Dr. David Baker Endowed Fund for Experiential Learning, and the Provost's Academic Excellence Award.

5. Intellectual Programming

The Lisska Center sponsors an array of programs and events designed to promote a culture of intellectual life on campus.

Minds Wide Open Series

This speaker series showcases a diversity of voices and perspectives on timely and important subjects through lively conversational programs featuring global and local thought leaders. The Lisska Center hosts up to three events per semester. For past event recordings, as well as more information about these programs and topics, please log onto the Lisska Center’s MyDenison page.

Research Tables

The purpose of Denison’s Research Tables is threefold: (1) to bring together faculty members from across the college and other institutions to explore various aspects of the liberal arts, using practices that sustain a strong academic community; (2) to create a forum for faculty members from different disciplines to learn from one another; and (3) to deepen the intellectual tone on campus by increasing opportunities for different disciplinary perspectives to intersect and new pathways among faculty and students to form.

Research Tables should focus on multidisciplinary issues of interest to participants who are committed to sustained intellectual exploration within the liberal arts. Research Tables may vary in scope, ranging from limited undertakings similar to reading groups (e.g., locally-based members, one-year time frame) to more ambitious projects (e.g., one or more outside faculty members, travel component, up to a three-year time frame). 

Students in good academic standing may be invited by faculty sponsors to participate in a Research Table. Calls for new Research Tables are put out in April and up to three Research Tables are typically funded in a given year.