The Sellinger Scholars Program is a leadership development honors program in business administration which provides highly motivated students with increased academic rigor beyond the traditional curriculum of the Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Through the Sellinger Scholars Program, classroom education is augmented through unique opportunities to interact with business professionals and community leaders and complemented with skills-based learning. Driven by the University's mission, "to inspire students to learn, lead, and serve in a diverse and changing world," these interactions strive to enhance understanding of leadership and individual and corporate social responsibility, while fostering reflection on personal and professional choices.
Students majoring in accounting or business administration who have completed their first semester of the freshman year with 15 credits applicable to a degree (excluding AP credits) and a 3.300 cumulative GPA will be invited to apply to the program. While applicants with a GPA of 3.300 will be given full consideration, a GPA of 3.500 or higher is preferred. Admission is competitive. Scholars are selected in the spring of the freshman year on the basis of academic achievement, leadership experience and potential, commitment to service, and community involvement. Although the program does not begin until the fall semester of the sophomore year, accepted students must successfully complete 15 credits applicable to their degree with a 3.300 cumulative GPA during the spring semester of their freshman year in order to maintain their eligibility.
Once in the program, Sellinger Scholars are expected to meet the following academic standards each semester:
- Successful completion of 15 credits applicable to a degree program;
- Maintain a minimum 3.300 cumulative GPA;
- Full participation in Sellinger Scholars Experience (BH 197 ) sophomore year and Sellinger Scholars Seminar (BH 198 ) junior and senior years, which includes the development and completion of an e-portfolio.
To maintain Sellinger Scholar status and be in good standing, each semester a student must meet all three requirements noted above. If a student does not meet the outlined requirements, he or she will no longer be eligible to continue in the program. The student may appeal his or her ineligibility in writing to the academic director within 10 business days after grades have been posted for the relevant semester.
The program has two primary components: three-credit core curricular coursework and the one-credit Sellinger Scholars Experience (BH 197 ) taken sophomore year and Sellinger Scholars Seminar (BH 198 ) taken junior and senior years. Students are usually expected to complete all required courses as a cohort. These courses offer increased rigor in the form of outside reading, discussion, and class presentations. Coursework begins in the fall of the sophomore year and must be taken in sequence. Required courses fulfill degree requirements as indicated for the BBA: