Samuels Scholars Program
Logo by Samuels Scholar, Liz Sandoval '25
AY 2025-2026 Samuels Scholars Program Application
Program
The Samuels Scholars Program is an innovative yearlong cohort experience that offers first- and second-year undergraduate students the opportunity to learn about and explore the many exciting pathways for community engagement offered at Brandeis University and beyond.
One goal of the Samuels Scholars Program is to remove barriers for students interested in community engagement and increase access and opportunity in related programs across the university. We know that community engagement can be less accessible to students who need to work to support themselves and/or their families. Therefore, eligible students who are selected to be Samuels Scholars will receive $1,500 in compensation.
We invite applications from any first- and second-year students at Brandeis with an interest in community engagement. First-generation, low-income and underrepresented students will be prioritized.
Applications for the AY 26 cohort are due by September 19, 2025!
Program Highlights
Peer Mentorship
Mentorship is a cornerstone of the Samuels Scholars Program. Scholars consistently report that peer mentoring—particularly through individualized meetings—fosters a strong sense of belonging, builds community, and often leads to lasting connections beyond the program. Peer mentors play a vital role in guiding reflective conversations, helping scholars explore their goals for joining the program, plan their next steps in community engagement, and draw meaningful takeaways from their experiences.
Peer Mentor Liz Sandoval '25 meets with Samuels Scholar Jananbe Meite '27.
Pathways Panels
Pathways Panels are our signature two-part fall series, designed to “bring to life” the wide range of community engagement opportunities at Brandeis and beyond. One panel features faculty and staff leaders, while the other highlights student leaders actively involved in community engagement. Sponsored by the First Year Experience, these panels are open to the entire Brandeis campus community.
Brandeis student leaders participating in a Community Engagement Pathways Panel in Fall 2023.
Alumni Engagement
Scholars have meaningful opportunities to connect with alumni through sponsored workshops, events, and small-group interviews featured in the COMPACT Story Lab. As our program continues to grow and more scholars graduate, we are excited to foster a strong and connected Samuels Scholars alumni community—one that both celebrates our graduates and inspires future cohorts.
Samuels Scholars Alanis Gonzalez '27, Monica Claros '26, and Emily Levy '27 with Jonathan Goldman '19, Executive Director of the Student Clinic for Immigrant Justice.
Community Partnerships
Community engagement is a foundational element of the Samuels Scholars Program. Through volunteering with local organizations and interviewing community leaders, scholars strengthen their ties to the community and gain a deeper understanding of what ethical and respectful community engagement entails.
AY 24-25 Samuels Scholars volunteering with Healthy Waltham in November 2024.
Office Hours & Contact
This fall, we will be hosting open office hours in the ASAC 3rd Floor Conference Room (Room 302) on the following dates/times:
- Monday Sept. 15 from 1:00 - 2:00 PM (Aish Ramesh & Elizabeth Ford)
- Wednesday Sept. 17 from 10:00 - 11:00 AM (Megan Moran)
- Thursday Sept. 18 from 1:00 - 2:00 PM (Aish Ramesh & Elizabeth Ford)
- Friday Sept 19. from 2:00 - 3:00 PM (Megan Moran)
Connect with Megan Moran, COMPACT's Associate Director, and Samuels Scholars Peer Mentors Aish Ramesh and Elizabeth Ford to discuss any questions about the program or the application process. Outside of those dates and times, please feel free to email meganmoran@brandeis.edu with any questions.
Student Leaders
Aish Ramesh '27 (she/her) is a rising junior from Waltham, MA, double majoring in Neuroscience and Biology and minoring in Creative Writing.
Elizabeth Ford '27 (she/her) is a junior from Ellsworth, Maine, Women's, Gender, and majoring in Sexuality Studies and Health: Science, Society, and Policy with a minor in Sexuality and Queer Studies.
Jonathan Mikanovsky '28 is a sophomore from Hollywood, Florida, majoring in Chemistry.
Click to view past Samuels Scholars Program Cohorts!
Testimonials
"I have benefited so much from being a Samuels Scholar as I learned so much about myself and how I want to engage with the community, built both peer and faculty connections, felt apart of an academic community that I shared common passions with my freshman year, and had so many opportunities to volunteer, engage, and impact my community which was one of my main goals when going to college."
"I have become more well-rounded and mindful to what is happening in the community. My leadership, communication and planning skills have greatly improved as well and I was able to form friendships with others who are just as community oriented as myself."
"Being a Samuels Scholar taught me that I can indeed have an impact in any field I decide to pursue and it's possible to use what my interests as tools for social change in my community. Additionally, I now know what resources to look for and how to continue my community engagement journey at Brandeis and beyond."
"It's provided me with a lot of connections and support and has been a huge motivator in keeping me engaged in my project. I've also loved that I now have a new group of friends and people I can always talk to even after this program."
"I feel that being a part of the Samuels Scholars program has allowed me to further develop my interpersonal skills. I have grown more confident in not only connecting with my peers but also faculty mentors who inspire me and alumni connections who have come to visit... I am so grateful to have spent the last year cultivating such valuable connections with members of the Brandeis community and beyond, and hope to continue fostering those relationships in my next two years at Brandeis."