Cornell alumni Gerald Robinson ’54, Margot Robinson ’55, Robert Appel ’53 and Helen Appel ’55 established the Robinson-Appel award to recognize and honor undergraduate students who have had significant involvement in community engagement by providing support for their projects, which address a community’s social needs or problems.

Three projects are selected each year to receive $2,500 to further community engagement work initiated and proposed by Cornell undergraduate students. The focus of the project’s efforts may be the Cornell campus, the Ithaca community or a location outside of Tompkins County (but within the United States and its territories).

Proposed projects should not be part of academic coursework, dissertation research or for academic credit, but may be an outgrowth of previous work or course experience.

Funding cannot be used for travel or salary. 

This student award is taxable unless it is issued to a non-profit or transferred to a Cornell department or student group.

Semifinalists must be available the week of March 10, 2025 to virtually present a 20-minute prepared presentation of their project and respond to follow-up questions from the selection committee. If applying on behalf of a group, the person that is named on the application must be the person that presents.

Awardees must be available to attend the award ceremony on the evening of April 8, 2025.

Students must apply by February 10, 2025 by using the online application form. 

Applications should demonstrate the student’s initiative and ability to translate ideals into the practical result of meeting community-defined needs.

The application includes:

• Résumé with a description of the service work you’ve performed in the past twelve months
• Project description, no longer than three pages, describing how you would use the award, including:
  • information about the community you plan to work with and the issue you will address together
  • goals or intended outcomes for the project and the steps you will take to achieve them
  • how and when you will assess the results
  • how the project will have lasting impact beyond the initial investment
• Budget outlining how funds will be used
• A support letter from a community partner collaborating on the project
• Optional: a letter of recommendation (not from a peer) that speaks to your project proposal or to your previous service work

If you have any questions about the application process, please email Whitney Tassie.