Maxwell-Lutz Community Impact Award
NAU students in SBS, CEFNS and CEIAS are encouraged to submit proposals for this award
The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS), the College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences (CEFNS) and the College of Engineering, Informatics, and Applied Science (CEIAS) announce the Maxwell-Lutz Community Impact Award for student teams to submit proposals for consideration.
The application period is usually open from February 1 – April 1
Funding of up to $5000 annually may be awarded to one team or shared by multiple teams.
These awards are to fund projects that:
- improve the health and well-being of local and/or global communities;
- improve the vitality of community or cultural systems; or
- improve environmental sustainability
A project outline, developed and submitted by a student team composed of one or more undergraduate and/or graduate students, must specify the following in order to be considered for funding:
- A substantive and verifiable community impact
- Collaboration between the colleges of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of the Environment, Forestry And Natural Sciences, and College of Engineering, Informatics, and Applied Science
Proposals will be judged on interdisciplinarity and the identification of measurable goals/impact.
Additional information
Proposal guidelines Accordion Closed
The project must effectively integrate at least two of the following categories. Please indicate which of the following categories will be addressed in your project:
- Improving health and well-being of local and/or global communities
- Improving the vitality of community or cultural systems
- Improving environmental sustainability
Requirement reports if awarded
- Student participants to present the results of their project and what they learned at an event or meeting such as the Northern Arizona University Undergraduate Symposium
- Student participants will prepare a post-project report which includes an evaluation of its outcomes with relation to proposed community impacts and project goals and a complete list of expenditures. This report will be distributed to the selection committee and Founders within 90 days of the completed funding period.
Additional information:
Projects that are interdisciplinary and cross departmental shall be given extra weight in deliberations.
Projects will be reviewed by a selection committee comprised of individuals from SBS, CEFNS, CEIAS, and the community.
Financial support (up to $5,000) for student community impact project(s) annually for expenses such as travel, supplies, conference costs, fees, and expenses related to the proposed project(s). The project(s) will be expected to be completed within one year of when funds are awarded. Funding renewal is possible, but all projects under consideration will be in full competition with the other proposals and the proposal would have to include a preliminary report of the to-date activities and outcomes and impact of the previous funding. Members of the teams for the selected projects will be designated as Maxwell-Lutz Fellows.
This fund is established by Dr. Susanna Maxwell and Dr. Barry Lutz (Founders). Dr. Maxwell and Dr. Lutz recognize the importance of cultivating curiosity, exploration, hands-on experimentation, and the collaboration of students and faculty of Northern Arizona University for the betterment of our society. They are creating this award with the intent to improve the health and well-being of local and global communities, the vitality of cultural communities/cultural systems and/or the sustainability of the environment.
Application procedure Accordion Closed
Submit your proposal (as defined below) between February 1 and April 1
Please have the following information available before you attempt to post your application:
1. Project information:
- Project title
- Project outline
- Describe the local or global community impact project (300 words or less)
- List the top three goals of this project and how the success of each will be measured
- If this project is a standalone project, describe its intended substantial and verifiable benefit for the community (200 words or less)
- If this project is intended to support another ongoing project or thesis, describe the project and how these funds would make a significant difference to the success of the other project and the intended substantial and verifiable benefit for the community that it, or the other project, would make (200 words or less)
- Show collaboration between the colleges
- Project timeline
2. General team information:
- Name of student leader and NAU email address
- Student group affiliation, if applicable to the project
- Name, major, and class year of all students on the research team
- If this project supplements another ongoing project or thesis, provide the title of the project or thesis and the name of the principal student and department
- Each project will need a faculty endorser – please have name and email address of your faculty endorser
3. Budget information:
- General budget outline for the project including the total amount requested, justification, and a breakdown by categories
- Allowable categories include student wage/graduate stipend (limited to 60% of the request, equipment, supplies, and travel)
Applications close on April 1
Past awardees Accordion Closed
- 2018: “Promoting Education and Elephants in a rural Zambian Community”: Kaitlyn Henry-CEFNS, Samantha Hershowitz-CEFNS, Tyler Tuengel-CEFNS, Nate Gordon-CEFNS, Railyn Stokes-SBS, Dr. Faith Walker-CEFNS, Dr. Carol Chambers-CEFNS, and Dr. Alan Lew-SBS
- 2017: “Prioritizing Ecological Restoration Sites for Educational Purposes”: Adam Bringhurst-CEFNS, Samantha Dinning-SBS, Olivia Camping-SBS, Dr. Rand Decker-CEFNS, Dr. Wilbert Odem-CEFNS, Dr. James Bowie-SBS, and Mark Manone-SBS
- 2016: “PICES Project – Pilot Intervention of Culturally-Responsive Exercise System”: Christopher Frank-CEFNS, Annalee Boyle-CEFNS, Jeff Morrison-CEFNS, Ashley Averett-SBS, Anna Harris-SBS, Dr. Sara Jarvis-CEFNS, and Dr. Melissa Birkett-SBS