Eagle Scholars Program Mission

Our Mission:

The following mission statement outlines what the program aims to do and provide.

The Eagle Scholars Program (ESP) provides high-achieving freshmen and sophomores, regardless of major, the personal and professional development that cultivates leadership skills for college and beyond.  Students build community as they work together through experiential curricula.

Aspects of the Mission:

The following will expand on what the mission involves.

High-achieving freshmen and sophomores: You will be among hard-working students who seek to make the most of their college experience. Each student is encouraged to actively engage in events/activities and be the positive example they wish others to be. This fosters a culture of collaboration and support.

Regardless of major: You will meet students from diverse majors and backgrounds. Students enjoy this diversity as it brings value to their campus experience. This can expand your network beyond those similar to your field of study. It is up to each student to build the bridges of connection.

Personal and Professional Development: ESP encourages its students to consider college as a professional endeavor. ESP will help each student to manage their workload, by way of assignments, class support, and individual mentoring by faculty and the ESP Director. College is a temporary training ground and our aim is for program students to grow as professionals prior to launching into their vocations.

Cultivate leadership skills: Students are given the opportunity to behave as leaders whether they are part of a group or leading a group. This requires each Eagle Scholar to support and serve as a positive example and help their program-mates. This will be learned in class and can be applied to ESP assignments and during connections and events throughout the semester.

Community: While this aspect of the program is placed later in the mission statement, it is a major goal of the program. ESP facilitates connections. You will interact with others through classes, assignments, and events. Students are encouraged to use those instances as a springboard to build on and foster connections with their fellow students. Each Eagle Scholar must make an investment in the community by reaching out and making others feel welcome. Looking outside of one’s own situation and encouraging others is a cornerstone of leadership.

Experiential Curricula: The curriculum is designed with a mix of activity-based and written assignments. There is an opportunity to work with others, support leadership, and lead. ESP teaches and facilitates leadership concepts, and students can learn/practice via the curriculum and apply those to their overall college experience. This will train you to live as a leader without having the title or position of “leader.”

As you can see, ESP facilitates opportunities, and each student must practice leading themselves and others in order to grow as leaders and professionals. We count it a blessing and privilege to work with each Eagle Scholar, and we seek to bring value to the experience. We aim to convey the lessons we have learned in our professional experiences to each new generation of Eagle Scholars.