CMC’s Scholar Communities support small, experiential learning cohorts designed to assist students in harnessing the full spectrum of support available to CMC students during their four-year journey at CMC. Students are typically selected for each Scholar Community upon admission to the College. Approximately 15% percent of CMC’s first-year students are in a Scholar Community taking advantage of a variety of campus-wide opportunities and programs in science, global affairs, leadership, public policy, and beyond.
The Scholar Community team partners with students to navigate their transition to college, build connections and awareness of resources across campus, and provide funding for early summer internships and experiences, as well as educational and co-curricular experiences. All Scholar Community students are encouraged to take advantage of the individualized personal and professional development coaching offered by our skilled Career Coaches, as well as mentoring opportunities with other Scholars who are farther along in their four-year journey at CMC.
Scholar Communities Programming
Designed to be an additional layer of support for students, the Scholar Community team offers programming focused in three areas:
First Year Transition Support
- Collaborative Student Support model through partnerships with the Office of the Dean of Students, the Office of Financial Aid and the Office of the Registrar to identify opportunities for additional campus resources and support
- Informative discussions with faculty advisors assigned to each Community
- Cohort-Building meetings with other first year students in the cohort
- Mentoring conversations with older students in the cohort to share their experiences and learnings
- Summer outreach and resource sharing prior to a student’s arrival on campus
Individualized Support
- 1:1 meetings with Scholar Community staff
- 1:1 relationship with faculty advisor; with advising support from Scholar Community staff and programming around General Education Requirements, Major Paths, and Study Skills
- Invitations to participate in First Year Study Groups
- Proactive outreach and support from the Scholar Community staff
Professional Development
- Guarantied funding to support a first summer experience through the Sponsored Internships & Experiences Program
- Summer Savings grant to offset the amount a student is expected to contribute to their educational expenses through summer work
- 1:1 career support from the Soll Center for Student Opportunity
- Access to experiential learning funding, networking treks and professional development workshops
- Invitations to meet with alumni and attend other events on campus to foster industry knowledge and to help students build their professional network
Scholar Communities at CMC
Interdisciplinary Science Scholars
A grant from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funds the Interdisciplinary Science Scholarship at CMC. This program is aimed at students interested in exploring a double or dual major that pairs science with a non-science major.
Kravis Scholars
Funded by Henry Kravis '67, this generous need-based financial aid assistance supports under-served and first-generation students across a variety of majors at CMC.
McKenna Scholars
This merit scholarship is awarded to incoming students with high academic achievement and extracurricular activities that demonstrate sustained commitment, leadership and personal growth.
Podlich Scholars
Supported by Bill Podlich ’66, this program supports middle-income students at CMC, and will offer additional levels of financial support to students majoring in government, economics (including economics-accounting) and philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE).
QuestBridge Scholars
In partnership with QuestBridge, a national program supporting high-achieving students’ access to college, all ‘matched’ QuestBridge Scholars are members of the CMC QuestBridge Scholar Community.
Robert Day Scholars Program
Since 2008, this program funded by Robert A. Day ’65 P’12, seeks to ensure that students gain the technical fluency necessary to navigate today’s complex markets, the skills required to lead modern organizations, and a strong sense of judgment to ensure responsible leadership.
Seaver Scholars
The Frank Seaver Leadership Scholarship is a full-tuition merit scholarship awarded to students who demonstrate exceptional promise to become leaders intent on making a positive impact in the world.
St. Dennis Scholars
Named in honor of former CMC professor, Jerry St. Dennis, the St. Dennis Scholar Community is comprised of students interested in quantitative disciplines. These Scholars are not only connected through their love of numbers, but also their backgrounds as graduates of public high schools and first-generation college students.
Wagener Family Global Scholars
The Global Scholars program supports students with a demonstrated interest in global affairs and provides students with need-based financial aid, a study abroad travel stipend and access to financial support for professional development activities.
