Pillars Scholars
In partnership with the Village, a Dominican University leadership development program, this cohort of high-achieving students receive a competitive scholarship, which offsets the cost of tuition and housing, as well as a comprehensive campus experience including individualized academic coaching, applied community-based learning opportunities, paid on-campus internships, social justice workshops, mentorship from faculty/staff and more.
Who is a part of this community?
We welcome first-year and transfer students who thrive with the collective support from faculty, staff and peers walking along side students towards realization and discernment of their gifts that will shape their current and future communities, with priority given to African American students.
What makes this program unique?
The Linked Learning approach at the center of the program creates bridges between what’s learned in the classroom and real world application, allowing students to engage deeply in the learning process.
Students will engage in rigorous academics that increase student proficiency in vital areas such as critical thinking, problem solving, media and information literacy, and collaboration all while receiving the opportunity to engage in on campus work and social justice community based opportunities to apply these skills.
The curriculum continues to build across the student’s experience at Dominican University providing support in making direct connections between in-class learning and the application of this learning on campus and within the larger Chicagoland community.
Financial Support
Program participants receive a scholarship. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of satisfactory performance academically and co-curricular involvement. They serve as an incentive, providing participants with a limited income through their years at the university. The aid is to minimize the financial constraints frequently met by employment and thus allow for the student’s participation in the program.
Program Requirements
- Live on campus during the first two years (four semesters)
- Meet on a bi-monthly basis with the cohort and program staff (monthly village meetings in addition to one-on-one meetings with the program coordinator)
- Participate in social justice community-based programming
- Serve for a minimum of one year (typically junior and senior years) as a student mentor in The Village
- Maintain sufficient academic progress toward earning a degree; a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher is required for on-going participation in the program and for annual renewal of awarded scholarships
- Abide by the Dominican University Student Handbook and Student Standards of Conduct