Scholars Day welcomes the best to USU
school. For about 150 high school students, that choice is being helped along by Utah State University.
For the past two years, USU has held Scholars Day, during which students come and learn more about all the colleges and majors. In addition, students have the opportunity to interview for more scholarships and undergraduate research fellowships.
“These are some of the best students around,” said Craig Whyte, a recruitment specialist for the Admissions Office. “Some have a 4.0 GPA and scored a perfect 36 on the ACT. We have a lot of benefits other universities can’t offer and we want to give that them.”
According to the Admissions Web site, Scholars Day is “a special event designed specifically to showcase the endless academic opportunities and extraordinary campus life available on our campus.”
On Thursday, students from across the western United States traveled to Logan to find out more of what USU can give to them.
Brandon Martin, a senior at Bountiful High School, said, “I want to be prepared for a career. Utah State has a lot to offer me. I plan to take as much out of my experience here to help me when I leave.”
Melissa Evans, also a senior at Bountiful High, agreed.
“Some people come to college for sports, others for academics. There is so much to gain from Utah State. I want to go into music education with an emphasis in choral music. They have such a great program here,” she said.
In addition to the programs, students have other reasons to come. Students who came on Thursday also had the chance to interview to receive undergraduate research fellowships. Although offering fellowships to freshmen is not common nationwide, it is another point which Utah State is using to increase a student’s educational experience.
David Peak, a professor in physics, mentioned the importance of research for undergraduate students.
“In physics, we require all undergrads to complete research. This is designed to benefit them. We have many examples of excellent students who have gone on to great heights,” he said, mentioning Lara Anderson, a 2004 Rhodes Scholar who is currently at Oxford University.
Whyte agreed, saying, “We don’t think that students should wait until they are doing graduate or doctoral level work to start doing research. We want to produce the best students possible and are willing to provide our students with the opportunities they need to succeed.”
In a world where college education is becoming more important than ever and the cost is rising, students are required to be resourceful in pursuing their education.
“Atlantic Monthly,” a national magazine, published an article in 2004 describing the current state of many universities throughout the nation. The article focused on not being concerned with getting into the big name schools and instead looking for quality.
“[It should be] better understood that a large number of colleges and universities can now provide students with an excellent education, sending them onward to healthy incomes and appealing careers. Harvard is marvelous, but you don’t have to go there to get your foot in the door of life,” wrote Gregg Easterbrook, a writer for “Atlantic Monthly.”
The university continues its Scholars Day activities today, with opportunities for incoming students to get tuition, housing, classes and everything else squared.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for these students to get ready for college. They are some of the best and brightest and we want to help them get ready for Utah State,” Whyte said.
-nebulter@cc.usu.edu