How to Apply
Initial meeting with Assistant or Associate Dean:
A student interested in becoming a Dean’s Scholar will normally meet first with the Assistant or Associate Dean in the College office to discuss the student’s general questions concerning the Dean’s Scholar Program.Dean’s Scholar advisors in each college are listed below:
- Agriculture and Natural Resources: Kimberly Yackoski, 104 Townsend Hall, (302) 831-2508
- Arts and Sciences: Cynthia Schmidt-Cruz, 207 Jastak-Burgess Hall, (302) 831-0439
- Business and Economics: Marcia Rollison, 102B Purnell Hall, (302) 831-4369
- Engineering: Chuck Shermeyer, 141 DuPont Hall, (302) 831-8659
- Health Sciences: Suzanne Clark, 345 McDowell Hall, (302) 831-8371
- Human Services, Education, and Public Policy: Butch Patrick, 105 Pearson Hall, (302) 831-2301
- Marine and Earth Studies: Frank Newton, 111 Robinson Hall, (302) 831-2841
- University Honors Program: Jama Allegretto Lynch, 201A Elliott Hall, (302) 831-1195
At the meeting, the student’s specific educational goals and their relationship to existing academic curricula and programs will be discussed. If the discussion indicates that the student’s needs will, indeed, be best met through an individual plan of study, the student will then be referred to one or more faculty members at the University who would be appropriate advisors to guide the student’s proposal development and work with the student in independent studies, graduate course work, research, foreign experience, internships, and other discovery learning experiences as appropriate.
Work with faculty advisors:
Dean’s Scholar advisors are faculty whose research and professional expertise enable them to further the particular student’s intellectual, academic, and professional goals.They usually come from more than one academic department and/or college, each providing a perspective needed for the proposed plan of study.At least one faculty advisor must come from the academic department whose discipline most closely relates to the student’s desired program.
It is expected that the development of the proposal will involve substantial interaction between the student and these advisors.In consultation with the advisors, the candidate will formally apply to the Program by submitting an application which includes a detailed proposal of the course of study and the names of at least three faculty who each agree to serve as the applicant’s Dean’s Scholar program advisors. Each of these faculty members must submit a Dean’s Scholar Advisor agreement.
The Dean’s Scholar Proposal:
The proposal should present, clearly and cogently:- a statement of the focal question, issue, and/or goals driving the student’s plan;
- an evaluation of why existing options are insufficient in addressing this issue and an explanation of the choice of courses listed in (3);
- a detailed outline of specific courses, independent study, research projects, internships, etc. that will constitute the proposed plan of study;
- an explanation of the role of each individual faculty advisor in the applicant’s Dean’s Scholar program.
What Colleges offer the Dean's Scholar Program?
The Dean’s Scholar Program is available in the Colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources; Arts and Sciences; Business and Economics; Engineering; Health Sciences; Human Services, Education and Public Policy; and Marine and Earth Studies.
What evidence is needed to begin such a program?
This evidence may include, but is not limited to, excellent grades at the University of Delaware, as well as information from instructors and advisors that indicates extraordinary motivation, insight, and ability.