Passionate Leaders Project
The Passionate Leaders Project (PLP) supports undergraduate students seeking to enrich their academic and professional interests by funding learning opportunities beyond the boundaries of the traditional classroom. Students may request up to $4,000 through the PLP to fund a variety of activities, including, but not limited to: global experiences, research, internships, service projects, and creative endeavors.
How to apply
To apply for funding, applicants will submit a written statement:
- Describing the overall project including activities, outcomes, and broader impacts.
- Linking the project to future professional or educational goals.
After completing the project, students will be required to write a reflection that captures their experience and areas of personal and professional growth.
Read the full Proposal Guidelines.
The Passionate Leaders Project will sponsor up to three Spring 2024 projects addressing topics of homelessness and housing insecurity. These projects must receive prior endorsement from the London Center for Community Engagement and Social Justice.
The priority deadline for London Center projects is December 4, 2023. Email [email protected] for more information.
All other Spring 2024 PLP applications will be accepted until 8:00 AM on February 5, 2024.
Eligibility
Second semester sophomores, juniors, and seniors are eligible to apply. Although there is no GPA requirement to access PLP funding, students must be in good academic standing. Undergraduate students may receive PLP funding only once during their time at Simmons.
Goals
Engaging in research with a faculty mentor, studying abroad, or working within one’s field of interest is essential to learning. The PLP strives to make these opportunities accessible to every Simmons student. Through the PLP students will:
- Deepen their passion to address the challenges of an increasingly complex world.
- Develop critical leadership skills and knowledge.
- Attain and demonstrate key competencies, which prepare students for success in the workplace or future academic pursuits.
Passionate Leadership Project in the News
Inspired to Expand a Summer Research Project into an Independent Study
Biology major Leila Aydibi ’24 discusses getting involved on campus, participating in a research project, being a first-generation student, and some of her favorite Simmons courses.
Simmons Welcomes Passionate Leaders Project Scholars for Spring 2024
The Passionate Leaders Project (PLP) supports Simmons undergraduates by enriching their academic and professional interests beyond the boundaries of a conventional classroom. Students may request up to $4,000 to support their research, internships, and creative endeavors. This semester’s cohort comprises student-scholars producing original research on healthcare for seniors, fashion sustainability, and the intersection of the arts, social justice, and gender-expansive agency.
Simmons Announces Passionate Leaders Project Scholars for Fall 2023
The Passionate Leaders Project supports Simmons undergraduates by enriching their academic & professional interests beyond the classroom. Students may request up to $4,000 to support their research, internships, and creative endeavors. This semester’s students produced research related to human rights, documentary film, healthcare access, therapeutic care databases, the neurodevelopment of fruit flies, Muslims’ experiences with healthcare in Boston, and software that supports Simmons’ food pantry.
Ifill Scholar Asiyah Herrera ’25 Shares her Passion for Supporting Those in Need
“To me the Ifill scholarship is just that: the inception of an amazing legacy and the prospect of a radical future.” — Asiyah Herrera '25
Passionate Leaders Project: Spring 2023 Cohort
The Passionate Leaders Project (PLP) supports Simmons undergraduates by enriching their academic and professional interests beyond the confines of the classroom. Students may request up to $4,000 to support their research, internships, and creative endeavors. This semester's cohort is producing...
Passionate Leaders Project: Fall 2022 Cohort
The Passionate Leaders Project (PLP) supports undergraduate students by funding research opportunities that transcend traditional coursework. Participants of the PLP develop research and critical thinking skills and bring the insights of academia to real world issues. This year’s cohort addresses mental health, neuroscience, environmental science, the foster care system, and technology.
Passionate Leaders Project: Spring 2022 Cohort
Passionate Leaders Project: Spring 2022 Cohort The Passionate Leaders Project (PLP) supports undergraduate students by funding research opportunities that transcend traditional coursework. Participants of the PLP develop research and critical thinking skills and bring the insights of academia to real...
Technology, History, Art, Gender, and Class: Students Re-Envision Modern America (and the World) at the Simmons Undergraduate Symposium
Undergraduate students across Simmons presented research projects and creative works in a dynamic day of live Zoom panel sessions and pre-recorded video presentations . In a live presentation, Computer Science students Chelsea Hua ’24, Livic Inoa ’22, Melat Ali ’22...
Passionate Leadership Project Scholars
Wondering what kind of project to explore for the PLP? Read about the work of our current and past PLP scholars!
Dr. Nakeisha Cody
Director of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships