User:Ian15691/University scholars program

The University Scholars Program (USP) is an interdisciplinary, intergenerational community of scholars at Duke University in Durham, NC. The program supports creative exploration of the various interactions between different fields, paradigms, and methods of analysis. The program was created in 1998 by the Office of the Vice-Provost of Interdisciplinary Studies with a gift from Duke University Trustee Emerita Melinda French Gates and her husband Bill Gates, through the William H. Gates Foundation. The USP is part of the Duke Office of Undergraduate Students and Fellows.

Undergraduate university scholars are given a grant to cover tuition, room, board, and fees associated with Duke for four years of undergraduate study. Every year, around 30 Duke applicants are chosen based their family’s financial need and on their ability to explore new academic horizons. The applicants come to Duke for a finalist weekend during which they stay with current University Scholars, explore Duke, and conduct an interview with a panel of faculty, graduate students, professional school students, and undergraduate students associated with the USP. According to the USP website, scholars “represent a range of personal and intellectual backgrounds and share an excitement for original research, collaborative thinking, and innovative scholarship.”

Undergraduate unis are also given the opportunity to use up to 7000 dollars for a summer enrichment program. Valid enrichment programs help the scholar grow intellectually and help the scholar prepare for a career, graduate school, or a senior thesis. The money must be used for costs associated with travel, program fees, and living expenses. Graduate university scholars are given stipend to cover the departmental expenses associated with the first year of graduate school.

The University Scholars have a variety of activities to help develop a community of friendliness and intellectual discussion. Each fall, all USP scholars (sometimes called “Unis”) take a 2 day weekend retreat to discuss the principles of the program and the goals for the year. Throughout the semester, the USP hosts numerous seminars lead by USP scholars or faculty members. Additionally, informal “coffees” are arranged to facilitate discussion of non-academic issues of interest, ranging from organic farming in Europe to senior theses.

Each spring, the USP holds a daylong symposium that explores a specific topic from the perspective of a variety of disciplines. This typically involves a keynote speaker followed by panels of University Scholars who discuss a certain aspect of the topic from the perspective of their respective disciplines.

The program director, Victoria Lodewick, is central to the community of scholars. She acts as an academic and personal advisor to the scholars. In addition, she is instrumental for connecting scholars with people and events of interest in Duke and Durham, as well as for fostering an environment of collaboration, inquiry, and curiosity. Tori is perhaps best known for her alter ego Veronique Diabolique (http://www.veroniquediabolique.com/) in a local french goth band.

References: http://www.duke.edu/web/usp/index.html http://www.aas.duke.edu/ousf/