Welton-Nafissi Summer Scholars Program provides students with the opportunity to conduct independent, individual research with Lake Forest College faculty early in their academic careers.
Set yourself apart with research early in your undergraduate career.
Lake Forest College offers a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to gain hands-on research experience across disciplines—sciences, arts, and the humanities—early in their academic careers.
Welton-Nafissi Summer Scholars work closely with a faculty member doing independent research in a wide variety of fields. Students spend four or eight weeks over the summer contributing to and publishing high-level research. Richter projects often grow into long-term research interests that carry throughout undergraduate studies and lead to grad school placements.
2026 Summer Program Dates
Option I (four weeks)
May 12 through June 5
Symposium held on Friday, June 5
Option II (eight weeks)
May 19 through July 10
Symposium held on Friday, July 10
How does research experience set you apart?
Gaining high-level research experience early in an undergraduate career is uncommon at most schools, but at Lake Forest College, it’s our way of operating. We prioritize research early on by allowing students to participate in the Welton-Nafissi Summer Scholars Program the summer after their freshman year.
Annually, 30 to 50 first-year Foresters are selected to participate in the Welton-Nafissi Summer Scholars Program.
Nearly half of Welton-Nafissi Scholars who go on to grad school complete doctoral level-degrees.
Additionally, Welton-Nafissi Scholars are:
3
Times
more likely
to earn a coveted Senior Award
3.5
Times
more likely
to be inducted into Phi Beta Kappa honors society
3.6
Times
more likely
to go on to grad school
Summer project: How do native plant lawns impact local ecologies?
Students in Lake Forest College's Welton-Nafissi Summer Scholars Program investigated the environmental benefits of lawns that feature native plants. As opposed to classic turf grass lawns, native lawns provide more resources for insects and pollinators, along with a variety of other benefits.
Why is research as an undergraduate student important?
Experiential learning, including research, is a key part of student development. It allows students to try out new things, gain a sense of what they enjoy, and put skills they learn in the classroom into practice. Experiential learning also provides a crucial real-world perspective to learning that helps students understand how what they learn in college impacts their career trajectory after graduation.
Research experience prepares students for future high-level graduate research and engaging careers beyond the College.
Welton-Nafissi Summer Scholar Program News
June 23, 2026
Trevor Madden '29 learns the math behind magic
June 03, 2025
Karen Kirk publishes paper with eight student co-authors
The early research experience students obtain through the Welton-Nafissi Summer Scholars Program sets students on an upward trajectory that leads to academic honors and graduate school completion at much higher rates.
Welton-Nafissi Summer Scholars Program Contact Information
Committee
Enrique Treviño, Chair (Math, Computer Science)
trevino@lakeforest.edu
Courtney Joseph, 2026 Summer Director (History and African American Studies)
cpjoseph@lakeforest.edu
Arthur Bousquet, (Math, Computer Science)
bousquet@lakeforest.edu
Tilahun Emiru (Economics)
temiru@lakeforest.edu
Paul Henne (Philosophy)
phenne@lakeforest.edu
Matt Kelley (Associate Dean of the Faculty)
kelley@lakeforest.edu
Tessa Sermet (French)
sermet@lakeforest.edu
Elayne Vollman (Psychology)
evollman@lakeforest.edu