New Tulane Scholars Program rewards curiosity
Tulane University takes pride in the academic excellence of its students. Eighty-seven undergraduates are part of a new Tulane Scholars Program that will continue through their college careers and provide them with interaction and mentoring with faculty members. (Photo by Paula Burch-Celentano)
The new Tulane Scholars Program offers a select cohort of undergraduates the opportunity to be a part of an intellectually ambitious community that interacts closely with faculty.
The Honors Program chose 87 first-year students for the Newcomb-Tulane College program that started this past spring semester. They took a first-year colloquium together that introduced them to the intellectual landscape at Tulane University.
This cohort will continue as a group throughout college, taking more classes together and receiving faculty mentoring. Some students will participate in faculty-mentored summer research and most will live together in an honors community in Weatherhead Hall.
The Honors Program will choose new cohorts every year.
“We teach them how to think about their college careers in ways that best equip them for opportunities later,” says Thomas Luongo, director of the Honors Program, who leads Tulane Scholars with associate director Charlotte Maheu Vail.
Participants hail from all schools at Tulane. The program is geared to intellectually curious students who are interested in seeking knowledge for the sake of knowledge, but it also stresses the pursuit of knowledge as a route to more challenging and interesting careers.
Tulane Scholars is supported by a number of donors, including Chris Austin, a 1980 Tulane graduate who is now an attorney in New York City.
“I think it"s valuable for the students because it provides them the opportunity to develop a close relationship with faculty and a rigorous research experience,” Austin says. “I hope the program will help attract top students to Tulane who are seeking this type of experience.”
First-year student Joseph Ramsey says he enjoys the exposure to different professors that the colloquium offers a different faculty member talks at each class. “It"s been an adventure to take a peek into different fields and careers,” he says.
Mary Sparacello is a communications specialist in the Office of Development Communications.
“The students are all very driven and motivated, and when they are in the classroom together the potential is here to do amazing things.”—Michelle Story, Tulane Scholar
