Innovation Scholar Program

Yes! In fact, many Innovation Scholar courses may also count toward Integrative Core Curriculum (ICC) and/or your major or other minor requirements.

The program expects to enroll about 40 scholars per year on a competitive basis.

The minor is 18-20 credits (5 courses) including:

• Ithaca Seminar (4 cr): Required of all first-year students in their fall semester, but scholars take a specific seminar
• One (1) program elective (4 cr): A course created specifically for the Innovation Scholar minor
• Two (2) parallel electives (6-8 cr): Courses offered by various H&S departments that fulfill the aims of the minor
• Culminating Course (4 cr): Participate in a Community Engagement Capstone with the entire Innovation Scholar group, and develop and implement a project with relevance to a community.

You may take all four years of your undergraduate enrollment to complete the minor, or you can finish it sooner. You just have to maintain good grades (GPA 3.0) and show evidence of engagement with the program to keep your scholarship active.

Yes, your scholarship will apply to all four years of your undergraduate enrollment, even if you complete your minor earlier.

You will be assigned an advisor specifically for the Innovation Scholar minor (this will be in addition to the advisor you are assigned for your major). Innovation Scholar advisors are faculty who oversee the Innovation Scholar Program and may also teach courses associated with the program.

Yes. In fact, we recommend spending a semester elsewhere as a way of broadening your world experience.

Yes!  International students would be especially welcomed into this program because of their unique perspectives. International students would also be eligible for the scholarship award.

Only students in their first year can apply to be part of the program. The Innovations Scholar minor begins with a first semester seminar that transfer students typically are not required to take.