Emerging Rural Leaders 9th
Course Description
What does it mean to be a “leader” to you personally? How does one choose to be a leader? How can you create a better future for yourself and your community by leading with courage, capacity, and wisdom? In this one-week introductory course, students will learn about the importance of leadership and civic discourse from a variety of academic and social perspectives.
Through readings, lectures, discussion, and hands-on projects, students will learn from leading faculty in the Parrhesia Program for Public Discourse, the Booth School of Business, and the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship. Several examples include:
Understanding and building skills in civic leadership and deliberation
Diving into experiential learning activities focused on growing collaboration, teamwork, and problem-solving skills
Explore local opportunities for entrepreneurship by creating and pitching community-based business plans
Learning about the highly selective admissions process and pursuing workshops on admissions-related topics
Through activities with your peers, become part of a close-knit community and create new friendships with other highly talented and engaged high school students from rural and small-town high schools across the country.
The program will be hosted on-campus, and program participants must reside in campus housing for the duration of the program.
Program Contact: All questions should be directed to Maxwell Bartley at mbartley@uchicago.edu.
Course Criteria
Eligibility: Current 9th grade students, who are at least 14 years old, and who attend a rural or small-town high school* within the United States are invited to apply.
*Rural and small town high schools: We use data from the US Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics to help us determine which schools are considered rural or small town high schools in the United States. Most rural areas have populations of less than 50,000 residents and are located several miles outside of an urban or suburban area. If you are unsure whether your high school would be considered rural or small town, please contact Maxwell Bartley at mbartley@uchicago.edu.
Academic Interest
College Preview
Application Materials
A complete application includes a transcript, two short essays, a letter of recommendation, writing sample, application fee, and a submitted parent confirmation. If you are seeking need-based financial aid, you must indicate that in your application before it is submitted. Please refer to the Application Instructions for complete details. Applicants to 1 Week Enrichment may have a counselor or teacher submit a nomination in addition to the required letter of recommendation.
Additional Materials:Applicants will be asked to respond to the following essay questions in the application:
Why did you choose the particular program/courses for which you have applied? How are they related to your current interests and future plans? Please be as specific as possible, and make sure your response covers each of the courses you elected. (Limit: 500 words)
"Since its founding, the University has been committed to the idea that a culture of rigorous inquiry requires an environment where diverse perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas inform and stimulate intellectual exchange, challenge, and engagement.” -UChicago Office of the Provost. How would you contribute to this culture of inquiry in this program? What do you hope to gain or learn by engaging with peers from all over the U.S. or from different parts of the world? (Limit: 300 words)
Review the Application Instructions pages for more detailed information.
Cost
$2,500
Significant financial support is available for these programs, and any student can apply for aid. In addition, students applying only to 1 Week Enrichment programs, and whose household income is $120,000 or below, are eligible for the following financial support, as available:
- Household income at or below $120,000 USD: Program fee is waived (e.g., no cost to the student, exclusive of travel expenses).
- Household income at or below $65,000 USD: Program fee is waived + domestic roundtrip travel expenses covered (e.g., no cost to the student, inclusive of travel expenses for domestic students).