Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP)

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. For priority consideration, apply early each semester. Submit an application and you will hear back from program staff within a couple of weeks. For immediate needs, contact us at LSAMP@nau.edu or 928-523-6704.

Once you have received confirmation from LSAMP that you have been accepted to the program, you are then eligible to work with any faculty member to apply for research funding! You can either contact us to help you find a faculty member, or talk to any professor you are interested in working with. Together, you can then apply for funding – see the Research tab.

One of the benefits of LSAMP is our peer mentoring program that allows students to receive one-on-one support from other students in the program. Through mentoring, LSAMP students will be provided resources to help them succeed academically and socially.

The mentoring program we offer allows participants to learn from both being a mentee, as well as being a mentor. LSAMP freshman and sophomores are paired with junior or senior mentors, ideally in a similar academic discipline. These same junior and senior students are paired with STEM graduate students, who will guide them through the transition of graduation to graduate school or career plans. LSAMP peer mentors are offered training each semester to support their progression from mentee to mentor.

LSAMP strives to provide resources and support to LSAMP participants interested in undergraduate research. We have a multitude of faculty researchers eager to work with LSAMP students and we offer a variety of funding options. Students are encouraged to meet with our staff about opportunities within their academic field. We will provide guidance on their next steps and outreach to appropriate faculty/labs. Once a research project is secured, the student can apply for one or more of the following stipends.

Due to budget reductions, research funding for AY 2022-2023 is on hold until further notice. Please email LSAMP@nau.edu for alternate funding recommendations.

• Research stipend of up to $2,000 (approximately 150 hours) of internship/research work with a defined, independent project. This stipend is renewable for projects of a larger scope. The online application for this type of stipend can be found here. 
• Material and supplies stipend of up to $600 for lab supplies, poster printing, field equipment, etc. The online application for this type of funding can be found here.
• Travel stipends of up to $650 for travel to professional conferences, field site visits, etc. The online application for this type of funding can be found here.

We award stipends for research completed during fall, spring and summer semesters on a rolling-basis throughout the academic year. Priority is given to upper-division students who are first-time applicants. Lower-division students and second-time applicants may be eligible as funding permits. Check with the LSAMP office for priority application deadlines each semester.

Financial aid is money lent or given to you to help you pay for college. Grants and scholarships are kinds of financial aid that you don’t have to pay back. Loans, however, must be paid back with interest. Follow these guidelines to get as much free (grants and scholarships) financial aid as possible each year. You can also meet with an advisor from the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA) for help with this process.

1. Complete the FASFA by the priority deadline of April 1^st each year. Earlier applications may receive more free funding. The application period is October 1 – June 1 each year and since the FASFA uses the prior year’s tax information there’s no need to wait! (ex: you can apply for aid for the 2024-2025 academic year on October 1, 2023 using tax records from 2022). Even if you don’t qualify for federal aid, many scholarships require a FASFA on file for you to be considered.
2. Review all NAU scholarship opportunities here. All students can apply for NAU Foundation, OSFA, departmental, and private donor scholarships. Others listed have more specific eligibility requirements so make sure to review them as well.
3. See this guide for important info and deadlines for NAU Foundation and OSFA scholarships.
4. Departmental and private donor scholarships may have different requirements and deadlines.
5. Apply for all scholarships for which you are eligible. Many require a single application to be considered for multiple scholarships (ex: there’s a single application for all NAU Foundation scholarships).
6. Mark important deadlines on your calendar or planner and request any letters of recommendation at least three weeks ahead of time.
7. Draft your essay or personal statement and ask for feedback. Some great resources are: The University Writing Commons, NAU Career Development, or a trusted mentor. Friends and relatives might not be the best resource since they may not be aware of current trends and expectations.
8. If requested, make sure to provide a current resume. Use this guide to create, checklist to review, and/or resume dropbox to get professional feedback from NAU Career Services.
9. Make sure to submit your complete application including all requested items by the deadline. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered!
10. Keep an eye out for additional scholarship opportunities throughout the year. Any we learn about will be posted to our LSAMP Discord server. Good Luck!