LEAP Alliance Events
The LEAP Alliance programs include mentorship, professional development and community building with a focus on ensuring students are informed about academic career opportunities and inclusion in the tech sector.
Below is a list of upcoming events for the LEAP Alliance community, which consists of undergraduate students from LEAP target communities (LEAP Scholars), doctoral students from LEAP target communities (LEAP Fellows), and the supporting faculty and staff at each LEAP Institution (LEAP Advocates).
Events For LEAP Scholars
REU Program Opportunities at LEAP Institutions
Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs are designed to enrich undergraduate students with a full-time experience participating in different phases of research. Many of the LEAP institutions host REU programs. The programs and application deadlines are listed below:
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Programs at LEAP Institutions – CMD-IT
Computer Science Awards, Scholarships, and Fellowships
Below is a link to a GitHub site created by former LEAP Fellow Chinasa T. Okolo. The site includes a curated list of fellowships and scholarships for graduate students in Computer Science and related fields:
https://github.com/chinasaokolo/csGraduateFellowships
PhD Deadlines for Fall 2026 at LEAP Institutions
Below is a link to PhD deadlines for fall 2026:
LEAP Alliance: Computer Science Ph.D. Application Deadlines For Fall 2026 Admissions
Invited Research
The Invited Research talks provide an opportunity for LEAP Fellows to build the extended community across our partner universities. LEAP Institutions are invited to reach out to the senior LEAP Fellow for virtual or in-person presentation opportunities. The presenters visit a partner institution, receive feedback from fellow students and professionals, and use the feedback to strengthen their research.
Testimonial from Kowe, an Information Science Ph.D. Candidate at Cornell University: “Through the LEAP alliance, I have been able to connect with peers of similar backgrounds at different institutions. Not only have I gained collaborators, but I have also gained friends I can lean on during some of the difficulties of grad school. The research talks are an excellent opportunity to share my work and practice public speaking in a safe, supportive environment.”
Past LEAP Events
June 12, 2026: Cohort 2 All Hands Meeting Virtual
Virtual meeting and planning session for LEAP Alliance Cohort 2 Advocates.
June 8 & 10, 2026: Cohort 3 All Hands Meeting Virtual
Virtual meeting and planning session for LEAP Alliance Cohort 3 Advocates.
March 24 & 25, 2026: Cohort 1 All Hands Meeting Virtual
Virtual meeting and planning session for LEAP Alliance Cohort 1 Advocates.
April 10-11, 2025: Cohort 2 All Hands Meeting in Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport
In person meeting and planning session for LEAP Alliance Cohort 2 Advocates.
December 2-3, 2024: All Cohorts LEAP Alliance All Hands Meeting In Houston, TX
In person meeting and planning session for LEAP Alliance All Cohorts Advocates.
October 10-11, 2024: Cohort 3 All Hands Meeting In Chicago, IL
In person meeting and planning session for LEAP Alliance Cohorts 3 Advocates.
August 1-2, 2024: Cohort 4 All Hands Meeting In Chicago, IL
In person meeting and planning session for LEAP Alliance Cohorts 4 Advocates.
July 10-12, 2024: Early Career Doctoral Student Academic Careers Workshop | Chicago IL
Early Career Doctoral Students Academic Careers Workshop (EC-ACW) targets 2nd and 3rd year doctoral students with the goal of exposing the students to academic careers.
LEAP Webinar on Undergraduate Research
Our engaging panel covers what research actually is, how research looks across subfields of computing, how to get into and succeed in undergraduate research, and more!
Why Go to Graduate School Part 3: Graduate Application Review from LEAP Fellows
The Graduate Application Review session provides an opportunity to gain insights about effective graduate applications from the perspective of current doctoral students.