College Scholars Program Continues to Thrive
The past year and a half have been busy and productive for the College Scholars Program (CSP). We have established an alumni advisory board to work with the director to strengthen the program. Our website has been redesigned and now includes an on-line alumni directory. We have admitted twenty-six new students since January 2015 and twenty-two have graduated. Students in the CSP continue to prove that they are arguably the most talented and interesting students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. As usual, there were some truly amazing senior projects both in 2015 and 2016.
Because of the generosity of our alumni and friends, we can provide financial support to the scholars to pursue their individual academic goals. Scholarships for tuition and other expenses are important, but we can also provide support for senior projects, to allow travel to conferences to present their research or to learn things that are not part of the UT curriculum. Every year, it seems, more and more students are requesting financial support for travel to professional meetings where they will be presenting their research. This is a positive development, but it is straining the budget.
Another development is that more students are seeking internships to gain more practical experience. Sometimes these are paid, but more often the students are volunteers. A summer internship away from home can be transforming, but it can also be expensive. Every effort is made to provide financial help from the College Scholars Program.
Because of these new developments, the Alumni Advisory Board and I, with the help of the Arts and Sciences Development Office staff, will be talking to alumni about the financial needs of the program. When I meet with CSP alumni, they usually say that the College Scholars Program was what set the stage for their future careers. In my years as director, I have seen how the scholars mature both personally and academically and they progress through the program. In taking command of their education, these young men and women blossom. They also quickly become fiercely loyal to the program.
Dean Alvin Nielsen and the founding director, Harry Jacobson, had a vision for a unique honors program at UT. I think they knew they were creating something special, but I don’t know that they knew how special the program would become. I am proud and humbled to have become part of this remarkable endeavor.