|
 |
Syracuse University Scholars
Guidelines for Student Portfolio
The Syracuse University Scholar Committee recommends and intends to abide by the following guidelines for student portfolios. To facilitate the handling of the materials by as many as twelve Committee members reviewing each candidate, materials should be submitted in a 3-ring binder for orderly review and easy referencing. All materials submitted should be properly marked with the candidate's name and home college or school.
Please do not use accordion folders. Do not use plastic sleeves for letters or papers. For some programs of study, it may be necessary to include some materials in other containers (e.g., boxes with carefully packed pottery or portfolio cases with drawings). Be certain that these are clearly labeled with the student's name.
Please organize the materials in your 3-ring binder in the following order:
- Student Nomination Form. The nomination form must be signed by the nominated student.
- Nomination Letter. If the school or college writes a letter of nomination it is counted as one of the four additional recommendations (see #6 below).
- Resume.
- Personal statement. The candidate should include a personal statement. This statement serves as an introduction to the candidate and as a current sample of the candidate's writing. In it the student should describe her/his intellectual growth and how experiences at Syracuse University have contributed to that growth.
- Transcript.This does NOT have to be an official transcript; it may be an unofficial transcript printed from Peoplesoft. However, if a student earned 6 or more credits from another institution(s) of higher education, an official transcript from that institution must be included in the application binder.
- Letters of recommendation.The candidate should have two letters of recommendation from faculty; four (4) additional recommendations may be included from both within and outside the University. School or college nomination letters are counted as one of the 4 additional recommendations. The Selection Committee is particularly interested in why the candidate's achievements uniquely quality him/her for this honor.
- Writing samples. The candidate should select no more than three samples of her/his writing. This assures that all members of the Selection Committee read and are able to discuss the same papers. Students are encouraged to provide context or insight into those writing samples that are technical or very specific to a particular discipline by writing a brief introduction. Particularly lengthy papers may be separate from the binder. While there is not a limit to length of writing samples, candidates should be mindful that especially lengthy selections are unlikely to be read by the committee.
- Creative materials appropriate to the academic discipline.
Criteria for Evaluation of Co-curricular Activities
It is clear from the enabling legislation passed by the Senate that a student's designation as a Syracuse Scholar recognizes scholarly achievement. It does not merely recognize extraordinary service; there are other awards that serve that purpose. It also is clear that the academic / scholarly record of a student with no evidence of involvement in outside activities will be less impressive than the record of a student who shows such evidence. Indeed past Selection Committees have used "service" (broadly defined) to differentiate among nominees; and schools and colleges have, in some instances, emphasized service differentially in the selection of their candidates. This inconsistency is problematic. Below are the criteria that the Syracuse Scholar Selection Committee has adopted in its consideration of extracurricular activities.
In reviewing nominees, the Syracuse Scholars Selection Committee will consider activities both within and outside the classroom that are indicative of an overall academic, intellectual, and/or professional integration of nominees' scholarly endeavors.
- Under this guideline, activities outside the formal classroom setting that are indicative of excellence in a student's scholarly, intellectual, and professional accomplishments (such as publication in professional journals, product development, artistic endeavors, internship performance, etc.) may be considered in the selection of Syracuse Scholars.
- The crucial concepts are the relevance and integration of activities into a scholarly gestalt or whole. A student whose record of activity outside the classroom is extensive but irrelevant to overall scholarly and/or professional development will not benefit from such activity in our selection process.
- If relationships between a student's program of study and such activities would not be clear to an outside reviewer (such as a colleague from a different academic discipline), students should note such integration as part of their personal statements.
If the Selection Committee's guidelines are inconsistent with the interpretation of your school or college selection committee please indicate this to the Selection Committee.
Special note for dually enrolled students:
If you are dually enrolled in two schools or colleges, you should submit only one portfolio which includes materials expressing both programs of study. If two or more schools or colleges wish to nominate you, please discuss this with your advisors and school or college administrators, and decide which unit will be the nominating entity. YOU MAY BE NOMINATED BY ONLY ONE (1) SCHOOL OR COLLEGE.
Confidentiality Instructions
Because the materials submitted on behalf of each student contain confidential letters of recommendation, the materials should not be delivered or picked up by the individual student. Materials should be transported to and from the University Scholar Selection Committee by school or college personnel.
Updated August 22, 2007
|
