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Undergraduate Affairs
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College of Business James Scholar Honors Program

Since at least the 1950’s the University of 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 and continuing with all future entering classes, 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 theme of the seminar will be professionalism. The seminar will meet during the spring semester.
Participate in the winter break Job Shadow program administered by the Office of Business Career Services.
Beginning in 2009, 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 2009 Sleeman Leadership Conference will be held on Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7.
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.

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.

Complete two of the following:

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 option can count for both sophomore and junior year requirement.
Tutor College of Business students for 80 hours in one academic year under the supervision of the College of Business Office of Undergraduate Affairs.
Successful participation in Illinois Business Consulting.
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).
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 three CHP courses in sophomore and junior years combined.
Serve on the James Scholar Student Executive Committee.
Serve on the Sleeman Leadership Program Executive Committee.

Earn at least 3.5 GPA each semester in 14 graded hours.

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.
Executive committee member of Beta Gamma Sigma

Earn at least 3.5 GPA in fall semester of senior year.
Participate as student facilitators in the Sleeman Leadership Conference.

Becoming a James Scholar

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.

Students who do not enter the College of Business as freshmen James Scholars may nominate themselves for the James Scholar Program through the end of the first semester of the sophomore year. There are two ways for students who enter the program later to satisfy the freshman year requirements.

Complete an honors class of at least three credit hours with a grade of B- or better, have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 for the freshman year, and participate in the Sleeman Leadership Program (beginning with the entering Class of 2012).
For students who did not complete an honors class during the freshman year, they must complete three of the four sophomore/junior year requirements and have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 for the freshman year. Participation in the Sleeman Leadership Program is required beginning with the entering Class of 2012.

Maintaining James Scholar Status

Students whose GPA is not 3.5 for a semester (except the freshman fall semester) will be dropped from the James Scholar Program at the end of the semester when they fail to meet the requirements for continuing as a James Scholar. Freshmen James Scholars will be dropped if they do not meet the minimum GPA of 3.3 for the fall semester.

Students graduating early must complete all the requirements during the semesters that they are enrolled in the College of Business in order to earn 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

James Scholar Honors Program
for the Classes of 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, & 2011

For the College of Business undergraduate classes of 2007, 2008, and 2009, the description and requirements for the James Scholar Honors Program remain unchanged. Information about the James Scholar Honors Program for the classes of 2007, 2008, and 2009 is available below.

Students admitted to the James Scholar Program are characterized by outstanding academic records; high general aptitudes for college work; and reputations for seriousness of purpose, persistence, and self-discipline in educational endeavors. Named for one of the University's distinguished presidents, Edmund P. James, this program recognizes students of extraordinary ability and achievement.

Admission to the James Scholar Program

New freshmen:. Each entering freshman who is ranked among the top 10-15% of the applicants for that fall will be a James Scholar designee for his or her freshman year. These students will enjoy the benefits of James Scholar designation during their freshman year. If they complete the requirements noted below, they will earn James Scholar recognition for the year and be a James Scholar designee for their sophomore year.
Other students:. Any student who has been recognized as a James Scholar for one academic year will be a James Scholar designee for the following academic year. In addition, any student may nominate him or herself as a James Scholar designee through the College of Business STARS web petition and request program.

James Scholar Recognition
At the end of each academic year the records of all James Scholars and James Scholar designees will be examined. The designation as a James Scholar for the academic year just completed will be awarded to students who meet the following criteria:

Earned a 3.5 or higher gpafor each of the preceding two semesters and maintained a cumulative gpa of 3.5.
Completed at least 14 graded hours per semester at UIUC.
Have completed at least one honors activity in the previous two semesters. Honors activities include (1) completing an honors course or honors section of a course; (2) completing an Honors Credit Learning Agreement in a course; or, (3) studying abroad.
Students on study abroad programs need to be enrolled in at least the minimum number of hours requred by the host institution for full-time status; there is no requirement for the number of graded hours during a study abroad semester.

Honors Credit Learning Agreement
Any course may be made an honors course by signing an Honors Credit Learning Agreement with the instructor:

After classes begin, meet with the instructor to determine an additional project in the course that you can do to make this course an honors course. This project should go beyond standard requirements for the course.
Obtain the Honors Learning Agreement form from 214 DKH; complete the form, including securing a signature from the official instructor of the course; return completed form to 214 DKH.
Honors credit will be given if a grade of "A," "B," or "S" is earned for the course.
Deadlines for turning in an Honors Credit Learning Agreement are:
October 13, 2006 for Fall 2006
March 9, 2007 for Spring 2007

Benefits of James Scholar designation include early registration privileges, extended use of library facilities, transcript designation, and the opportunity to work closely with a professor of one's choice.

ASSISTANT DEAN FOR HONORS
Dr. John Hedeman, Assistant Dean for Honors, is director of the College of Business Honors. He can be reached at the College of Business at 217-333-2740 and by email.

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