John P.Chesick Scholars Program

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Frequently Asked Questions

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General
Mentoring
5 Week Summer Program

General

  • Is this a remedial program?

    On the contrary, the Chesick Scholars Program is designed to challenge students who are already strong to become even more successful. Many Chesick Scholars engage in research with faculty in their freshman year and beyond, some with publishable results. The program seeks to amplify, through intense mentoring, the natural talent and grit the scholars already possess.

    Chesick Scholars have been awarded prestigious Fulbright and Beckman fellowships, obtained research internships from the Center for Peace and Global Citizenship and Hurford Humanities Center, become Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellows,  and obtained many other academic honors and prizes commensurate with their amazing potential.

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  • Are there any ongoing requirements of Chesick Scholars?

    Yes! The Chesick Scholars Program has an Academic Year component that is not optional. Scholars meet their mentors every week, and also meet regularly as a cohort and in social and academic programming to facilitate their continued development as academic leaders. They also attend three academic events (lectures, concerts, films) of their choosing each semester and engage in ongoing academic, social, and professional / career development activities, including support in applying for internships and other opportunities. Finally, Scholars write a letter annually to the sponsor of the program.

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  • How is "Chesick" pronounced?

    Like cheese-ik, with a long "e" and short "i"

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  • Who was John P. Chesick?

    A deceased long-time Chemistry Professor at Haverford, who is remembered for his high expectations and mentorship of students.

    Read John Chesick's article "A Global Experiment: CFC's and the Ozone Crisis" from the Winter 1992 issue of Haverford magazine.

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  • Can I become a Chesick Scholar without doing the summer program?

    No. The five week summer experience is a critical part of the entire mentoring program.

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  • Can anyone apply to be a Chesick Scholar?

    No, only students invited to apply are eligible.

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  • Who are the students invited to the Chesick Scholars Program?

    Chesick Scholars are especially interested in focused study and research in their areas of scholarly interest, and in working with mentors and like-minded peers to build a supportive academic community. In addition, Chesick Scholars are students from a variety of backgrounds, including coming from a background historically underrepresented in academia, coming from a family with neither parent finishing college, growing up in a low-income setting, and/or having had limited access to previous mentoring experiences.  

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  • How are the 15 Chesick Scholars selected from all those that apply?

    A committee reviews the applications and selects the students who express a particular scholarly focus, an interest in building a strong mentoring relationship with a faculty member, and enthusiasm for working with peers to support each others' academic pursuits. We also try to balance the cohort's interests in Natural Sciences, Humanities and Social Science.

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  • What does the Chesick Scholars Program cost for participants?

    Nothing. The program will cover your round-trip travel expenses to the summer program (we'll purchase the tickets), pick you up at the bus, train, or plane when you arrive and take you back when you depart. If you arrive by car, we can offer a mileage reimbursement. The summer program covers housing and all meals, and cost of textbooks and school supplies.

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  • How much does the Chesick Scholars program cost the College?

    Approximate costs are $10,000 per student.

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  • Who is paying the costs of the Chesick Scholars Program?

    A generous donation from the San Francisco Foundation has provided seed funding for the first five years of the program. Continuation of the program is made possible by additional generous donors.

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Mentoring

  • What is a mentor?

    A mentor can be a lot of things: advisor, friend, taskmaster, teacher, or a combination of these. Most successful people can point to one or more mentors who were instrumental in their success. The most important element in the mentoring relationship is trust. Mentors can help students to network to find opportunities for internships, research, and make connections for employment and post-graduate education.

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  • Why is the Chesick Scholars Program focusing on mentorship?

    Everyone in academia agrees that mentorship was a critical element in helping them shape and achieve their goals. Professors, researchers, graduate students and others all learn how to find mentors and use them effectively to advance in their fields. The Chesick Scholars Program wants to foster mentoring relationships with undergraduates to help every Scholar explore multiple areas of interest and to learn how to best utilize Haverford resources.

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  • When will Chesick Scholars get to work with their mentors?

    Participants will begin meeting with mentors towards the end of the 5 week summer program to discuss goals and choose courses for the fall semester.

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  • How are mentors assigned?

    Mentors are faculty and staff members with particular interest in working with students to achieve academic excellence. Some of the mentors will be instructors of the summer courses, while others will be chosen to better accommodate Chesick Scholar interests.

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  • How often will I meet with my mentor?

    At the start of the semester, you might meet several times per week, while you’re shopping for courses. Once classes are underway, meetings will be every week.

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  • How many students will a mentor be advising?

    Each mentor will have up to 3 first-year mentees, who will continue with that faculty member throughout their four years.

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  • Will I also get a faculty advisor in addition to my Chesick mentor?

    Your Chesick mentor will serve also as your faculty advisor until you declare a major at the end of the sophomore year, when you'll get a new faculty advisor in your major department.

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5 Week Summer Program

  • Are the summer classes remedial?

    Absolutely not! The Summer Institute is designed to challenge students who are already strong to become even more successful. The summer courses are at the advanced first-year/sophomore level, and expectations are high. By jump-starting the transition to college-level learning experienced by all students, the summer program positions the Chesick Scholars to start their first year ready to take advantage of College resources (research opportunities, fellowships and internships).

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  • What classes are being offered in the summer program?

    The courses offered will change each summer, depending on the interests of the instructors. Each student will take two one-credit courses that meet 8 hours per week. One course will be writing intensive, and the other course will focus on quantitative and/or natural science disciplines.

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  • Is there a lot of homework?

    While this will vary, you can expect to spend three or so hours per day (including weekends) reading, writing, or working assignments. This is less than the term-time, since you’re only taking a 2 credit load.

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  • Can I go home on weekends during the summer program?

    No. The activities during the summer weekends include trips to Philadelphia to learn how to explore the city resources, and other fun and useful destinations. Participants have Sundays until 2pm at leisure to meet with family and friends, but need to be back on campus at 2pm for a workshop and study session.

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  • What if I have a family event (wedding, etc.) taking place when the summer program is in session?

    Under certain circumstances Chesick Scholars may miss up to one weekend of the program, provided this is negotiated with the Summer Program Director in advance.

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  • May I have overnight guests in my dorm room?

    No. The Chesick Scholars summer program has stricter rules about guests, alcohol and drug use, than the standard College rules that kick in once the Honor Code orientation has occurred.

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  • Do I get Haverford credit for the summer coursework?

    It depends. All students may apply up to 4 credits earned before their freshman year towards the 32 needed to graduate. Haverford awards 1 credit for an AP score of 5, and ½ credit for an AP score of 4 in any discipline, and students may also have credits from college courses. So the two credits earned in the summer program will count towards the 32 course graduation requirement, but the total credits is capped at 4. So, for example, students with 1 AP credit can earn 2 additional credits in the Chesick summer program; students with 3 AP credits will be able to earn only 1 additional credit.

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  • Are the courses graded?

    Yes. There will be graded homework assignments and exams, and final course grades at the end of the program. The summer courses, while compressed, will have the same level of expectation of student work as during the term.

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  • Do I get paid for attending the summer program?

    We recognize that most students need to earn some income over the summer to support their Financial Aid package. All Scholars who complete the summer program will receive a check for $2000, which many students use to partially offset financial aid summer earnings expectations. Note: This payment represents taxable income for the Scholar.

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  • Why would I want to give up my last summer before college to do coursework?

    The short answer is that students choosing to apply as Chesick Scholars welcome the intense academic experience and the chance to learn together as a cohort. The five week introduction to college-level work, and beginning your relationship with a mentor pay off in increased opportunities for research and internships once you get to college. And, as many students who participated in the Chesick Summer Institute find, they make lasting friends and connections with fellow participants and other upperclass Haverford students that have enriched their college years. Finally, there are plenty of non-academic experiences worked into the five weeks – weekend field trips to Philadelphia museums and neighborhoods etc. The five weeks go by quickly, and there are still several weeks at the end of August before you come back to Haverford.

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  • What should I bring with me to the summer program?

    We will supply towels and a pillow. You need to bring bedding such as sheets, pillowcase and a blanket, personal toiletries, clothes, and a calculator (if you have one) and a laptop computer (if you have one). There will be computers and a printer available in the dorm. A more complete list of what to bring will be sent several weeks before arrival.

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  • Can I leave my things on campus at the end of the summer program?

    Yes. We have a storage closet in which you can leave your belongings until your return to campus at the end of August.

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  • Can I contact students who are currently Chesick Scholars about their experience in the program?

    Yes – contact info for current scholars will be made available when students are invited to apply.

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