College of Business
James Scholar Program for students entering the College of Business in August 2007 or after
Since at least the 1950s, Illinois has encouraged outstanding undergraduate students by offering participation in the Edmund James Scholar Program. The program has changed over the years. At present, each college has a James Scholar Program -- a college-level undergraduate honors program. The programs are named for the fourth president of the University of Illinois, Edmund J. James. James believed scholarship and research are fundamental to human progress, and in the years of his presidency, from 1904-1920, he brought world-class scholars and researchers to the campus, developed many new graduate programs, and fostered a sense of community among faculty and students. His achievements helped to transform the University of Illinois into a campus of international importance.
Beginning with the College of Business Class of 2011, a revised James Scholar Program in the College of Business will promote professional growth in our students and will encourage all students to meet our educational goals.
Components of the Program
Freshman Year
Students invited to enter the College of Business as James Scholars as a result of the review of the admissions applications must meet the following requirements to continue as a James Scholar in the sophomore year:
- Earn an "A" or "B" grade in the honors sections of BUS 101 and successfully complete the assigned honors project.
- Successfully participate in the James Scholar Dean's Honors Seminar which will meet monthly with the associate dean of undergraduate affairs. The Dean's Honors Seminar will introduce James Scholars with resources that they may select to build skills in areas such as leadership, teamwork, consulting, technology, community service, entrepreneurship, etc.
- Participate in the winter break Job Shadow program administered by the Office of Business Career Services.
- Participate in the Sleeman Leadership Program for James Scholars. The Sleeman Leadership Program will be funded by the Sleeman Gift and will be offered by the College of Business Office of Undergraduate Affairs and sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The 2010 Sleeman Leadership institute is scheduled for March 5 and 6.
- Earn at least 3.3 GPA in 14 graded hours in fall semesters and at least 3.5 GPA in 14 graded hours in the spring semester with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 for the freshman year.
Sophomore and Junior Years
Students continuing as James Scholars must complete two of the following options, one during sophomore year and one during junior year and complete the academic requirements to continue as James Scholars:
- Participate in an international experience approved by the College of Business Office of International Programs.
- Earn the leadership certificate sponsored by the Illinois Leadership Center. (This can count as both for both the sophomore and junior year requirement. Students must make successful progress toward meeting the requirements of the leadership certificate in the sophomore year as determined by the Illinois Leadership Center.)
- Tutor College of Business students for 40 hours in one academic year under the supervision of the College of Business Office of Undergraduate Affairs.
- Successful participation in Illinois Business Consulting.
- Successful participation in OTCR (The Office for Technical Consulting Resources).
- Junior year membership in the College of Business Finance Academy.
- Junior year membership in the Golder Center for Private Equity Research.
- Successful participation in Social Entrepreneurship Summer Institute (SESI).
- Junior year membership in the Hoeft Technology and Management Minor.
- Work as a research assistant for a faculty member in the College of Business.
- Students in the Campus Honors Program are able to maintain James Scholar status by taking a CHP course in sophomore or junior years. This option may not be repeated.
- Serve on the James Scholar Student Executive Committee
- Serve on the Sleeman Leadership Program Executive Committee.
- Successful participation in the James Scholar Case Competition.
- Successful participation in the PricewaterhouseCoopers xACT competition by finishing among the top three teams.
- Serve as a fellow in the Market Information Lab during junior year.
Earn at least 3.5 GPA each semester in 14 graded hours and continue to have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5. Students on study abroad programs need to be enrolled in at least the minimum number of hours required by the host institution for full-time status; there is no requirement for the number of graded hours during a study abroad semester.
Senior Year
Students continuing as James Scholars into the senior year (fourth year) will be able to graduate with College of Business James Scholar Distinction if they complete the senior year requirements.
Complete one of the following activities in the fall semester of senior year:
- Lyceum Program in Department of Accountancy.
- Finance Academy in Department of Finance.
- Golder Center for Private Equity Research
- A research project with a member of the College of Business faculty.
- Section leader for BUS 101.
- Membership in the Hoeft Technology and Management Minor.
- Fellow in the Market Information Lab.
- Member of Illinois Business Consulting
- Member of OTCR (The Office for Technical Consulting Resources).
- Executive committee member of Beta Gamma Sigma.
- Member of James Scholar Student Executive Committee
- Member of Sleeman Leadership Institute Executive Committee.
- Study abroad in program approved by the College of Business Office of International Programs.
Earn at least 3.5 GPA in fall semester of senior year. Students on study abroad programs need to be enrolled in at least the minimum number of hours required by the host institution for full-time status; there is no requirement for the number of graded hours during a study abroad semester. Participate as a student facilitator in the Sleeman Leadership Institute.
Participate as student facilitators in the Sleeman Leadership Conference.
Becoming a James Scholar
Freshmen and first semester sophomores may nominate themselves to become James Scholars. Approximately, 90 students enter the College of Business as James Scholars as a result of the freshman admissions decisions.
Approximately 120 students (including students in the College of Business Honors Program) will enter the College of Business as James Scholars as incoming freshmen based on an individual evaluation of their admissions application to the College of Business. However, all freshmen entering the College of Business may become James Scholars.
Freshmen who do not enter the College of Business as a James Scholar and who earn at least a 3.5 GPA in at least 14 graded Illinois credit hours will be invited to nominate themselves for to be evaluated as a James Scholar. The email invitation will be sent in mid January to eligible students who must then complete a nomination form available in the College of Business Office of Undergraduate Affairs by 5 PM on the second Monday in February. To complete the requirements to become a James Scholar, these eligible freshmen must:
- Complete an honors class of at least three credit hours with a grade of B- or better. (See the procedures for taking an honors class in the FAQs for James Scholars.
- Earn a GPA of 3.5 for the spring semester in at least 14 graded Illinois hours with a cumulative average of at least 3.5 for the freshman year.
- Participate in the Sleeman Leadership Institute or an approved substitute.
The Office of Undergraduate Affairs will evaluate the James Scholar nominees during the summer after their freshman year to determine if they have qualified as James Scholars. If they qualify, the students will be eligible for James Scholar benefits starting with the sophomore (or second) year.
Sophomores
All sophomores in the College of Business who are not recognized as James Scholars may nominate themselves to be considered as James Scholars if they have a freshman year GPA of at least 3.5 with at least a total of 30 graded credit hours.
College of Business sophomores who wish to be considered for James Scholars status must complete a nomination form available in the College of Business Office of Undergraduate Affairs by 5 PM on the second Monday in September. To complete the requirements to become a James Scholar, these eligible sophomores must:
- Complete an honors class of at least three credit hours with a grade of B- or better. (See the procedures for taking an honors class in the FAQs for James Scholars.)
- Earn a GPA of 3.5 for the fall semester in at least 14 graded Illinois hours with a cumulative average of at least 3.5 for the freshman year.
- Earn a GPA of 3.5 for the spring semester in at least 14 graded Illinois hours
- Have cumulative average of at least 3.5
- Complete one of the following:
- Participate in an international experience approved by the College of Business Office of International Programs.
- Enroll in leadership certificate sponsored by the Illinois Leadership Center. Students must make successful progress toward meeting the requirements of the leadership certificate in the sophomore year as determine by the Illinois Leadership Center.
- Tutor College of Business students for 40 hours in one academic year under the supervision of the College of Business Office of Undergraduate Affairs.
- Peer Advisor for 40 hours to be fulfilled within one semester during the academic year under the supervision of the College of Business Office of Undergraduate Affairs.
- Successful participation in Illinois Business Consulting.
- Successful participation in OTCR (The Office for Technical Consulting Resources).
- Successful participation in Social Entrepreneurship Summer Institute (SESI).
- Work as a research assistant for a faculty member in the College of Business.
- Successful participation in the PricewaterhouseCoopers xACT competition by finishing among the top three teams.
The Office of Undergraduate Affairs will evaluate the James Scholar nominees during the summer after their sophomore year to determine if they have qualified as James Scholars. If they qualify, the students will be eligible for James Scholar benefits starting with the junior (or third) year.
Maintaining James Scholar Status
Students must meet the yearly requirements to continue as James Scholars. James Scholars and James Scholar nominees are evaluated each summer to determine if they will continue as James Scholars or be recognized as James Scholars.
Because students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.5 each semester in at least 14 graded Illinois hours (except the freshman fall semester), students will be dropped from the James Scholar Program at the end of the semester when they fail to meet the grade and credit hour requirements for continuing as a James Scholar. Freshmen James Scholars will be dropped if they do not meet the minimum GPA of 3.4 for the fall semester in at least 14 graded Illinois hours.
Each spring James Scholars and James Scholar nominees will be asked via email to complete a form asking them to list the activities that they participated in to meet the James Scholar requirements. Students who fail to complete this online form may jeopardize their James Scholar status.
Students graduating early must complete all the requirements during the semesters that they are enrolled in the College of Business that students who are enrolled for four years must complete in order to earn James Scholar Distinction at graduation. Students graduating early must inform the assistant dean for honors at least a semester in advance of their graduation of their desire to be considered for James Scholar distinction at graduation.
Benefits of the Program:
The College of Business James Scholar Honors Program offers many benefits and privileges to enhance the academic and professional experience of its participating students.
- Priority early registration.
- Dean's Honors Seminar and BUS 101 honors section during freshman year.
- Professional development by attending the Sleeman Leadership Program as freshmen and by participating in the job shadow program.
- Scholarships to fund participation in an international program--$200 for each student who meets the James Scholar requirement with an international experience.
- Participation in special programs sponsored by the College of Business.
- Graduation as a College of Business James Scholar with a certificate of achievement, a commemorative medallion, and the University James Scholar designation listed on your academic record.
- Guarantee of MBA x 2 Scholarship.