Kahn Student Fellowships

Long-term Projects

Students can participate as fellows in year-long Kahn projects, alongside faculty and academic staff. The group meets weekly throughout the school year to examine a specific theme. Their discussions and conversations are enriched by their varied disciplinary expertise and perspectives, thus infusing multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary energy and insights into their academic and scholarly work. The fellows also propose readings, present on their individual research, recommend outside speakers or events, participate in occasional relevant field trips or activities, and share a weekly meal.

Student fellows receive a stipend each semester of the project, disbursed in equal bi-weekly payments on the student payroll schedule (if they receive financial aid, student fellows must notify Student Financial Services to integrate the Kahn stipend into their total aid package). During the project’s year, student fellows may not hold another ongoing job that requires a fixed work schedule or substantial time commitment.

Additional Information

A student fellow:

is a rising senior or junior at the time of application.
is on campus during the academic year when the project takes place.
takes initiative in conducting independent research.
proposes and pursues a research project related to the project’s theme.
attends the project’s weekly meetings and meals, as well as special events.
participates equally and in collaboration with faculty members & staff.
presents their research to the other fellows, and during Celebrating Collaborations.

Early in the spring semester, submit

a research description,
a statement about prior independent research experience,
the names of three Smith faculty members as references, and
a current résumé.

Key Dates & Deadlines

2025–26

Date	Item
Tuesday, December 2	Project Information Session for students with faculty organizers
Tuesday, February 3	Student Application Writing Workshop
Tuesday, February 10	Deadline for student fellowship applications
Week of March 1	Candidate interviews
Week of March 9	Finalists and waitlist notifications sent
Thursday, May 7	Project Kickoff Meetings
May–August	Library research session, summer reading and research, prepare and submit research questions and annotated bibliography
Late August, early September	Mandatory Kahn Institute Student Fellows Orientation

From Current Fellows

Curious what current student fellows are researching? Read about two fellows in the long-term project “Hauntings.”

Cynthia Arguijo ’27J

Mathematical Sciences major; Environmental Science & Policy minor

The increased frequency of flooding due to global warming has haunted marginalized communities. Incorporating statistical and data science methods, Arguijo is researching how water quality, homes/infrastructure, health, and finances are affected by frequent flooding in Harris, Cameron, Galveston, Brazoria, and Jackson Counties in Texas and is determining how resilience varies in communities of different racial and economic demographics.

Hala Anderson ’26

Architecture & Urbanism and Government double major

Anderson is examining how architectural homogenization haunts contemporary society, erasing cultural specificity and disconnecting communities from their histories. Her primary interest is understanding how people are influenced by the built environment and how governance and policy influence urban development.