Rawlings Cornell Presidential Research Scholars

Program Director Dr. Alec Brown is working remotely; please email to schedule a virtual appointment: rcprs@cornell.edu

Program Overview

The Hunter R. Rawlings III Cornell Presidential Research Scholars (RCPRS) Program provides highly motivated undergraduate students with the opportunity to engage in sustained, faculty-mentored research throughout their undergraduate careers. Open to students from all Cornell colleges and across every discipline—including the humanities, social sciences, physical and biological sciences, engineering, and the arts—the program supports students in pursuing their intellectual interests through original research in close collaboration with faculty and other mentors.

Each year, the program supports up to 200 students. The majority are selected as incoming first-year students, with up to 25 additional scholars admitted annually as rising juniors.

The RCPRS program was established in 1996 through an anonymous gift to Cornell University. In 2006, Cornell's Board of Trustees renamed the program in honor of former university president Hunter R. Rawlings III, recognizing his enduring commitment to students, scholarship, and undergraduate research.

Research Opportunities and Support

Scholars work with faculty mentors of their choosing to design and carry out individualized research programs tailored to their academic interests and goals.

To support these experiences, the program provides substantial financial resources, including a Research Support Account (RSA) of $8,000 for scholars admitted as first-year students and $5,000 for those admitted as juniors. In addition, scholars may receive an annual need-based loan replacement grant of up to $4,000, helping to make sustained undergraduate research more accessible.

RCPRS scholars are selected based on their outstanding academic achievement, intellectual curiosity, and the personal qualities that contribute to becoming successful researchers. By joining Cornell's world-class research community early in their undergraduate careers, scholars develop strong mentoring relationships with faculty, deepen their academic interests, and gain experiences that prepare them for graduate study and professional success.

In July 2026, the RCPRS program joined the Office of National Fellowships, creating new opportunities to connect undergraduate research with nationally competitive fellowships. Research experience is a key component of many fellowship applications, and many fellowship applicants are themselves RCPRS scholars. Bringing these programs together strengthens the connections between undergraduate research, faculty mentorship, and fellowship advising, enabling students to explore a broader range of academic and professional opportunities while benefiting from coordinated resources that support their intellectual and professional development both on campus and beyond.

Student Outcomes

The program's outcomes reflect its impact. Approximately 55% of RCPRS graduates pursue graduate or professional education, compared with 34% of Cornell graduates overall. Of those continuing their education, more than 70%pursue advanced professional or doctoral degrees, including PhD, MD, DVM, and JD programs.

More than half of RCPRS students complete a senior honors thesis, nearly half graduate with academic honors or research distinction (such as cum laude, summa cum laude, or distinction in research), and the majority graduate with at least three faculty members able to provide strong letters of recommendation.