Honors, Scholarships, & Fellowships

A 3.5 GPA with at least four 4-credit graded courses (or 16 graded credits) and no Pass/Fail courses that semester.

No — they're different things, with different GPA rules. Dean's List is a per-semester recognition based on that term's GPA (3.5, per the Registrar's criteria above). The Honors Program is a multi-year track — roughly 70 students at a time — requiring four honors courses, an "Honors Experience" (research assistantship, instructional fellowship, or study abroad), and Distinction in the Field senior year, with a 3.3 GPA required just to remain in the program. Completion is noted on the final transcript.

Neither, exactly — it's selective but not something you apply for as an incoming student. Most students are selected during the admissions process, based on high school curriculum, rigor, and GPA, with Admissions notifying them directly. Some first-years are added after their first semester based on that semester's performance. Transfer students can also petition to join, with advisor and Honors Program director approval, by June 1 after their freshman year.

Typically open to eligible seniors and alumni regardless of major, consistent with how Fulbright works nationally.

Start by talking to Emmanuel's Director of Scholarships and Fellowships, who works directly with students through the process — from identifying the right fellowship to building a competitive application and securing strong letters of recommendation. The Academic Resource Center's Writing Specialists help specifically with personal statements.

More than grades. Reviewers look for a genuinely pursued interest — not just coursework — leadership and extracurricular involvement, meaningful use of summers (an internship, service, language study, or one of Emmanuel's own fellowships like the Travel Fellowship for Advanced Study or the Summer Community Service Fellowship), demonstrated language fluency, study abroad experience, and research alongside a faculty mentor.

Yes — beyond Emmanuel's Director of Scholarships and Fellowships, faculty are directly involved throughout: many, especially in the sciences, bring students into their research, which strengthens an application, and faculty are typically the ones writing the letters of recommendation these fellowships require (the Rhodes, for instance, asks for four references from professors). Building those relationships early — through classes, advising, or research — is part of what makes a strong application possible.

Students with a 3.5 GPA in their major courses can complete a significant research project — developed with their faculty advisor — to graduate with Distinction in their field. Projects are presented each April at Senior Distinction Day. Students with an individualized major follow a similar path, but their project must be approved by two faculty members from different disciplines within that major.