Belmont University has approved the university-wide adoption of Engaged Scholars, a program designed to promote and recognize undergraduate students’ participation in forms of active learning that extend beyond the classroom.
The program draws upon the university’s long-standing commitment to active learning and to learning in settings outside the classroom. “Many universities have an array of co-curricular programs, including study abroad and service learning, but few encourage students to make deliberate connections among these programs or between these programs and their entire university education,” says Dr. David Julseth, Chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Director of the Engaged Scholars Program. “Belmont’s program is distinctive in making these connections happen for the student.”
A student is recognized as an Engaged Scholar for completing a series of curricular and co-curricular experiences with specified levels of attainment. These experiences include Study Abroad, Service Learning, Peer Tutoring, Internships, Independent Research, Creative Projects, Off-Campus Study, major on-campus projects, and Student Leadership. The program requires ongoing reflection and seminar experiences to enable the student to develop habits of lifelong learning outside the classroom and to assume significant responsibility for meeting educational goals. A student completing the Engaged Scholars program will have demonstrated his or her ability to function effectively in a variety of settings, to problem-solve and to communicate clearly, and to work with diverse populations.
“This program helps identify and to make intentional for our students one of the hallmarks of a Belmont education: to engage and transform the world with disciplined intelligence, compassion, courage, and faith,” says Associate Provost Marcia McDonald. For additional information about the program, please consult the program website
