Lilley Fellowship

Named after the late William Lilley III '55 in 2018, the Lilley Fellowship Fund awards fellowships to students who exemplify academic curiosity, intellectual rigor, and scholarly passion. The Fellowship program is overseen by Director of Libraries Lorie Harding, and is modeled after Yale University's Scholars of the House program that ran from 1945-1995.

The Lilley Fellowship Program offers two research opportunities available to Upper School students: the traditional Fellowship and the Advanced Independent Study. Learn more or download the applications below.

Lilley Fellowship Scholars

The foremost Fellowship interdisciplinary project is awarded to students for work undertaken from January to August of a given year. Students devise and curate their own topic and project/initiative with the guidance of a faculty mentor. Scholars develop professionalism and mastery outside the classroom, culminating in a presentation to the Upper School community the following fall. The experience is included in the student's portfolio and reflected in the recommendations submitted by college counselors. Rising freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are encouraged to apply.

Applications for the Fellowship are due in late November for the following year.

Download the Application

Lilley Independent Study

The Advanced Independent Study is a graded, honors-level course that allows students to deeply explore a topic firmly within a particular discipline for either a semester or entire year. Students work in conjunction with Upper School faculty members to devise their own curriculum, objectives, and projects culminating in a presentation/dissertation defense with the faculty mentor, academic department chair, academic dean, and head of Upper School. Mastery of foundational work in the discipline is a prerequisite. Rising sophomores and juniors are encouraged to apply.

Applications for the Advanced Independent Study are due in May for the following year.

Download the Application