Introduction to the Robert S. Harrison College Scholar Program

The Robert S. Harrison College Scholar Program represents the pinnacle of the liberal arts experience at Cornell. This program is focused on a small group of stellar students whose interests transcend disciplinary boundaries. These students have demonstrated exceptional promise and maturity to plan and carry out a well-designed individualized program of study and research.

Program Structure

Upon acceptance into the program, students are paired with a faculty advisor from the College Scholar Advisory Board. Students work with their advisors to construct their curriculum and plan their research program. In the spring of sophomore year, students take COLLS 3001, The College Scholar Seminar, to learn methods for finding, evaluating, using, and presenting both qualitative and quantitative information. Students develop skills for presenting complex ideas in written research proposals and oral presentations. The seminar bridges traditional divides between the sciences, humanities, and arts.

During their time at Cornell, College Scholars create their own curriculum and are not required to complete college distribution or foreign language requirements. However, College Scholars are required to complete two first-year writing seminars, 120 total credits and 100 credits in Arts & Sciences to graduate, as well as meet the university graduation requirements of two semesters of PE and passing the swim test. Students may double-major, combining a College Scholar major with other majors or minors in the College.

The main requirement of the Robert S. Harrison College Scholar Program is the completion of an independent project and thesis. Projects vary widely in their scope and content. Some students focus on library-based research, some do laboratory work and others focus on community engagement. Students may design their own empirical studies; others incorporate creative components, and some do both.

Student Research and Activity Funding

The Lynne S. Abel ‘62 College Scholar Endowment Fund supports College Scholars' independent research year-round. Students may receive up to $500 per semester, including summer, to support research costs, conference expenses, and travel. This fund memorializes Associate Dean Abel, who through her spirit and actions, supported students in a wide variety of ways, including by directing and expanding the College Scholar Program.

How to Apply

The application will require the following elements:

• Recommendation: A recommendation letter from one Cornell faculty member. The recommender should be someone who can attest to your general academic ability, maturity, capacity for independent scholarship, and, if possible, to any particular talent in the proposed field of study.
• Research proposal: A thoughtful, well-crafted essay describing the focus of your proposed College Scholar project, and the intellectual question(s) that will be at the core of your curriculum and research.
• Proposed courses: A list of at least eight potential courses for your curriculum from department websites or prior course catalogs and briefly describe how the courses are related to the intellectual focus you have identified.
• Personal statement: A statement addressing why you want to be a College Scholar, what you hope to get out of your participation in the College Scholar Program, and why you are a good fit for the program.

Program Benefits and Outcomes

Cornell’s Robert S. Harrison College Scholar Program is a crown jewel of the College of Arts & Sciences. The impact on our students is profound and life-long. College Scholars often go on to advanced study in the arts, medicine, business, and sciences. The maturity, academic rigor, and independence this unique program requires creates students who are highly desirable in a range of contexts. A College Scholar degree from Cornell opens doors to employment with companies like Google, careers in medicine, finance, law, and the arts, and research and faculty positions in the sciences and humanities across the globe.

Student Profiles

The program includes students from various classes, including:

• Class of 2025:
  • Rebekah Camp
  • Ming DeMers
  • Jack Donnellan
  • Hyrum Edwards
  • Gaveal Fan
  • Daniela Gloster
  • Violet Gooding
  • Sophia Gottfried
  • Leah Han
  • Ella Hough
  • Banafsheh Hussain
  • Armita Jamshidi
  • Ashley Koca
  • Shuqian Lyu
  • Kat Martin
  • Stanislav Matkovskyi
  • Freya Nangle
  • McKenna Grace Norton
  • Aindri Patra
  • Jordan Richards
  • Daniela Rojas
  • Shelby Lynn Williams
• Class of 2026:
  • Noor Jehan Ahmad
  • Grace Aiono
  • Joice Chen
  • Arina Danilina
  • Adowyn Ernste
  • Miles Fowkes
  • Ashley Kim
  • Prakriti Khanal
  • Žiga Kovačič
  • Tae Kyu Lee
  • Christina MacCorkle
  • Carissa Nair
  • Lain Nelson
  • Lily Nicholson
  • Liyu Pan
  • Kira Pawletko
  • Miranda Stewart
  • William Su
  • Jingzhi Zhuang
• Class of 2027:
  • Kingsley Aaron-Onuigbo
  • Ayman Abou-Alfa
  • Alysha Adusei
  • Nancy Chen
  • Isabella Cho
  • Jack Clauss
  • Olivia Guseman
  • Skylar Kleinman
  • Dominic Martinelli
  • Hannah Meng
  • Cassidy Mitchell
  • Sujan Munver
  • Julia Nakabugo Leary
  • Arkar Oak Soe
  • Liam Patterson
  • Madelyn Rhodes
  • Katie Rueff
  • Amanda Russo
  • Sabrina Schrynemakers
  • Sofia Spillane
  • Jillian Walker

The Robert S. Harrison College Scholar Program provides students with a unique opportunity to develop their intellectual interests and pursue independent research projects. The program is designed to foster academic excellence, creativity, and innovation, and to prepare students for successful careers in a wide range of fields. With its rigorous academic requirements, research opportunities, and faculty mentorship, the program is an ideal choice for students who are passionate about learning and committed to achieving academic excellence.