Emory Scholars Program

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Activities and Programs

BASE

With the 2003-2004 academic year, BASE (Bridging Academics, Service, And Ethics at Emory) began a unique living and learning experience at Emory. Living on the Clairmont campus, the community consists of twenty-four undergraduate students, one graduate student, and a faculty member and his/her family. The community brings together multiple and diverse voices around complex contemporary issues and is engaged in integrated, interdisciplinary active learning in and out of the classroom. The undergraduates drive the program with facilitation from the graduate student and faculty member. They host monthly dinners with selected faculty and other leaders, and develop their own original learning activities and projects. For more information visit the BASE website.

Team Work

Teams of scholars do a large portion of the work that makes Scholars’ programs and activities successful. Scholar teams work closely with the Scholar-led Advisory Board, which meets monthly, reporting and planning in order to fulfill our mission’s goals. The board and teams are open to all scholars. Team work is a great way to contribute and to learn leadership skills.
All scholars are encouraged to get involved.

Scholars are active participants in the Emory and Atlanta communities. Their involvements include but are not limited to the following:

• College Honors Program participants
• Members of honor and social societies- Phi Beta Kappa, Greek sororities & fraternities, Phi Eta Sigma, etc.
• Research assistants in Emory labs
• Editors and contributing writers for The Emory Wheel and other student publications
• Volunteer Emory volunteers
• Athletes-tennis, soccer, swimming, etc.
• Peer educators and tutors for Emory classes
• And many, many more ....

Fall Retreat

Each year, the Scholars reserve a weekend early in the fall semester for the Scholars Fall Retreat. The scholars meet in focus groups to plan for the upcoming year, play games and music, hike, and relax. This is just one of the ways in which scholars actively create the Emory Scholars community. The 2008 Fall Retreat will be held October 24-26, 2008, at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia.

Coffee Talks

Coffee Talks is a series of small bi-monthly discussions led by Emory faculty or upperclassmen scholar leaders. Here, scholars meet in a group of twelve to fifteen to talk with various faculty members and scholar leaders about their academic work and their lives both inside and outside of the classroom. These are very popular as they are a great way to get to know faculty and fellow scholars on a more personal level.

Scholarship and Service Summer Program (SAS)

The Scholarship and Service Summer Program, SAS, is another attempt to get scholars involved in service with our communities. SAS is a two-tiered program. Tier 1, the Living/Learning Community, is designed for students with less experience in community-based learning. Tier 2, the Independent Internship, is designed for students with a good deal of experience in community-based learning. Both programs offer scholars an opportunity to work as an intern over the summer in an approved service setting, whether in Atlanta, elsewhere in the United States, or abroad. In addition to study discussion sessions, scholars have opportunities for personal reflection and mentoring. A Theory Practice Learning program, SAS helps expand the scholar's knowledge about Atlanta or their particular service setting, themselves, and others, as they discover how they best learn and serve as part of a community.

Feras Akbik reflecting on his SAS 2004 Tier 1 experience:

"As a uniquely powerful tool of exploration, I think this program is an extremely powerful asset, both to Emory and the scholars community. Not only have I been able to experience alternate views and ways of life, my exploration has also been extremely reflective and introspective. I have been able to dig deeper into myself and tease out what I truly believe in certain areas, ranging from what I want to do with my life to the kind of attitude I want to live every day. Not only have I been able to explore myself and service, but I have really come to appreciate how well this program integrates Emory into the Atlanta community."

Finalist Weekend

During March, four days are set aside as Scholar Finalist Weekend during which outstanding candidates for admission to Emory are interviewed for merit-based awards. Prospective students experience Emory's campus and the Emory Scholars Program. Current scholars in conjunction with the Scholars and Admissions staffs have designed the weekend to accurately display the Emory scholar experience. Finalist Weekend is our invitation to stellar students to become a part of our Emory Scholars community. Finalists will be brought to Emory (at no expense to them) for activities designed to help them become better acquainted with programs and opportunities at Emory and to aid the Scholars Selection Committee in making its final choices for the various awards. Attendance is mandatory for all scholar finalists. Finalist Weekend 2009 is March 18-21.

Community Involvement

Through a wide range of service and cultural opportunities throughout the year, scholars have ample opportunity to be involved in both on campus and off campus communities. Scholars can volunteer with a host of organizations that have established relationships with Emory. There are opportunities for both scholar organized events and individual involvement with these organizations. See the Emory Scholars LearnLink conference for the list of organizations. Whether individually or in groups, scholars can also become involved in the community by attending cultural events. Ticketed events in the metro-Atlanta area are considered cultural events and are reimbursed up to $20 per student. Please see the scholar benefits for further details and for the process for reimbursement.

Summer Study Abroad

Each year, there are a maximum of 30 scholarships of full tuition for an Emory CIPA summer study-abroad program available to Emory Scholars. Scholars get a set amount for summer study abroad, which is the academic fee, and are expected to cover transportation and day-to-day spending costs themselves. Please refer to the scholar benefits for a complete description of the selection criteria. For more information on these awards, visit the CIPA website at www.cipa.emory.edu or contact Stacy Shade in the CIPA office at sshade@emory.edu or 404-727-7884.

Scholar Legacy

The Emory Scholars Program builds on the legacy of intellectual enrichment and service that defines Emory College. Acknowledging our past as we look to the future, the Scholars Program encourages all scholars to learn more about their particular scholarship and its benefactors. Periodically, there are legacy events that highlight a particular scholarship or aspect of the Scholars Program that we want to continue and build upon in the future.

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