Nazareth Community Engaged Scholarship (NCE Scholars)

Any Nazareth student can be involved in the local community through Nazareth partnerships. But some students want to go farther and deeper, with extra support and mentoring and the benefit of a significant scholarship.

As a Nazareth Community Engagement Scholar, you will use your academic talents, life experiences, and passion for making a difference to contribute toward community change — to create a more just and equitable world — while developing your leadership and changemaking skills.

If you apply and are selected as a Nazareth Community Engagement Scholar, you benefit from:

A $27,000 Nazareth Community Engagement Scholarship per year, up to four years
Connections and personal growth from a weekly commitment of seven hours of community engagement and workshops (196 hours each year)
A 3-credit course that advances your ability to support social change
Professional development, training, and mentoring with changemakers on campus, in our community, and around the globe
Being part of a cohort of students who work together supporting change. This includes early arrival and an exclusive NCE Scholars Orientation for first year students, and bi-weekly NCE Scholars Workshops that build community, strengthen your skills, and connect you with meaningful community projects.

volunteers working with a LifePrep student

Choose Your Focus

Placements are developmental, moving you through increasing levels of experience and responsibility across your four years. Over time, customize your experiences by working on specific community challenges and focus areas, such as:

Anti-poverty initiatives (hunger and food insecurity, housing)
Equitable education (access to quality schools, instruction and opportunities)
Health and wellness (access to services, public health initiatives)
Equal rights (addressing discrimination, legal justice, public safety, voter education and access, refugee resettlement)
Climate action (mitigate climate change and its impacts)
And more

How to Apply

Applications for fall 2027 open in October 2026.
Interviews begin January 11.
Deadline: Rolling, as spaces permit.

Requirements

Participate in the program for your four years at Nazareth.
Participate in a community-engaged service placement and NCE Scholars workshops for seven hours a week, totaling 196 hours each year.
During your first year, participate in a NCE Scholars Academic and College Success course.
During your time at Nazareth, participate in a 3-credit course that advances your ability to support social change
Complete a community engagement leadership or capstone project by your senior year.
Remain in good academic standing.
Reflect, learn, and grow as you engage with different communities and peers.
You must be applying to Nazareth as an undergraduate entering Nazareth as a first year student.

Student Perspective

Nazareth has offered a comprehensive community involvement program (originally called Bonner Leaders) since 2022.

Jacob Koles

Nazareth's community engagement program connected him to a role with Leadership Rochester. Networking there led to an internship at Legal Aid Society for the legal studies major.

Jacob's experiences »

Sophia Duran

Ongoing work at an animal shelter is supporting her goals to protect animals’ health and have impact. “I think I’m doing the best I can do to be a changemaker,” she says.

Sophia’s experiences »