Program Information

Named in honor of President Philip J. Hanlon '77 and his decade of leadership, the Hanlon Scholars Program aims to empower undergraduate ideas and initiative. The program will support a cohort of 24 scholars who demonstrate a robust commitment to making positive change in society and possess the resourcefulness and creative thinking to do so. 

The Hanlon Scholars Program is designed to embolden students' idealism, leadership, and academic and social pursuits through cohort programming, mentorship, and research opportunities. All Hanlon Scholars will work closely with the program director and faculty advisors to develop the confidence and skills to think independently and pursue their own solutions to community, national, and international challenges. 

The first two years of the program will focus on opportunities for faculty-mentored research and the development of research, leadership, and creative skills. By the end of their sophomore year, Hanlon Scholars will have identified a research plan and faculty mentor, with the goal of producing an appropriate output by the time of graduation from Dartmouth. 

As a key feature of the program, all Hanlon Scholars are eligible for experiential learning grants during each of their undergraduate years. Named for Gail M. Gentes '77a, a champion of experiential learning and wife of President Hanlon, these grants will empower Hanlon Scholars to develop independent research, creative projects, and/or entrepreneurial ventures related to their longer-term goals. 
 

Scholars will be selected through the admissions process each year, with the Class of 2028 the first to be selected. Consistent with College policy, selection to the Hanlon Scholars Program is need-blind and open to matriculated undergraduate students. All scholars who demonstrate financial need will receive scholarship support for all four years. Cohort programming and Gentes grants will be available to all scholars, whether or not they receive financial aid. 

We are now accepting applications for a secondary cohort of Hanlon Scholars for the 2024 - 2025 academic year. Scholars must be rising juniors at the time of application. Selected scholars will be eligible for Gentes grants beginning in their sophomore summer. For more information on how to apply as a rising junior, please see the Scholar Selection page. 

Hanlon Scholars will be eligible for $20,000 over the course of their four years, with potential to apply for additional funding, to enable experiences that enhance their academic and intellectual development. Funding is contingent on approved plans for its use and continued academic progress. 

Examples of funding categories include:

• Part-time research with a faculty mentor during "on" terms
• Leave-term research, internship, or other related opportunity
• Travel for research, field work, or other purposes related to an academic pursuit
• Attendance at conferences, leadership training, or other experiential programming related to a field of study
• Supplies and equipment related to the funding categories above

Students selected as Hanlon Scholars are expected to actively engage in their academics and in the program for the entirety of their undergraduate degree. This includes:

• Regular meetings with the program director and faculty mentors once identified
• Attendance at scholar programming events
• Submission of quarterly progress reports and annual plans
• Engagement and leadership with on/off-campus groups and initiatives
• Continuation of academic engagement and achievement 
• Submission of a letter of gratitude to program sponsors and updated profile information annually

If you have questions that aren't addressed on this website, email to set up an appointment: scholars.programs@dartmouth.edu