Summer Scholars

Dr. Rachel Wifall, Director of the Summer Scholars Program
201-761-6326 rwifall@spc.edu

announcements

Congratulations 2008 Summer Scholars! Your transcripts will be mailed out on August 14.

Our very own Dr. Kristina Chew was featured on Good Morning America, discussing autism. You may view her interview at SPC here.

Read about two 2007 Summer Scholars and their study experience in the Weehawken Reporter.

What is the Summer Scholars Program?

Each summer Saint Peter's College offers outstanding high school students entering their junior or senior years the opportunity to participate in our Summer Scholars Program. For a nominal fee of $300, students may earn three college credits (a $2,220 value), learn from full-time Saint Peter's College professors, and experience the richness of college life.

Summer Calendar

The 2009 Summer Scholars classes will meet from July 6 to August 6, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 9 am until 12 noon.

The classes will be conducted on a colloquium model: a one-day (Monday) general Scholars meeting, and two days (Wednesday and Thursday) of individual class meetings. General Scholars meetings will include performances and presentations by professionals from the various fields represented in the Summer Scholars Program: the arts, the social sciences, and the sciences. In 2008 we began with a dramatic reading of Excavating Katrina, a play written by our own Professor Casey Groves, about the aftermath and personal/social consequences of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans; this presentation was paired with a talk by Gil Gillen of OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration), who described her job and the work she did both in New Orleans, post Katrina, and at the World Trade Center site. Another day we learned about global warming from atmospheric physicist Dr. Scott Gianelli of NASA. We also enjoyed a discussion of the growing field of Robotics, by Professor Ed Moskal of St. Peter's Department of Computer Science, and a presentation about the concept of science, as reflected in ancient mythology, by our own Dr. Kristina Chew of the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literature.

At the end of the semester, students work in groups to create presentations which illustrate what they've learned in their classes. They present these before the general body of Summer Scholars, and in this way students not only learn about teamwork and public speaking and performing, but all the Summer Scholars also learn from each other.

Courses

Summer Scholars choose one of four courses, representing various disciplines. The 2008 course offerings were as follows:

Civilization and Disease - An interdisciplinary survey of the impact of disease on human history, during the course of which we will consider the following questions, and more: the Black Death versus nuclear war - is recovery the same? What is the evolutionary correlation between malaria and sickle cell anemia? What are the similarities and differences between the 1918 Spanish Flu and present-day avian flu? Taught by Dr. Richard Petriello, Department of Biology, and Dr. Jerome Gillen, Department of History.

Bearing Witness to War and Genocide through History and Literature – This course asks the question: What does it mean to bear witness—to experience, report, and examine ethnic conflict and racial violence? From first-hand accounts of participants and survivors, to fictional interpretations and historical analyses, we will explore how individuals and societies explain the violence and destruction of ethnic cleansing, genocide and war, and how they cope with its horrible aftermath. We will utilize several cases, such as the Holocaust, South African Apartheid, and ethnic cleansing in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, to focus our attention on how and why authors create specific narratives about such events for generations past, present and future. Taught by Dr. Paul Almonte, Department of English, and Dr. David Gerlach, Department of History.

Shakespeare: from the Page to the Stage - Shakespeare's plays were originally intended to be performed by a group of actors, before an audience—not read alone, in silence. Therefore we will work together to both critically analyze a selection of his works (some sonnets, a comedy, a "history play" and a tragedy) and then to bring the texts alive, acting out scenes for our classmates and for the body of Summer Scholars. These plays will be studied in terms of genre, history, and past stage and film productions. Taught by Dr. Rachel Wifall, Department of English, and Casey Groves, actor, playwright, and adjunct professor.

Literature and Psychology – So what is normal? In this interdisciplinary course, we will consider what is mental illness—and, for that matter, mental health—from both the analytical viewpoint of psychology and the descriptive viewpoint of literature. We will match up psychological theories with novels and short stories, engaging the material through lecture, critical discussion, role play and film. Taught by Dr. Jennifer Ayala, Deparment of Education, and Dr. Kristina Chew, Department of Modern and Classical Languages.

Selection of Summer Scholars:

Summer scholars must be in good academic standing and display a commitment to learning, extracurricular activities, and public service. Admission to the program is based on academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, and application essays.

Rising juniors who successfully complete the Summer Scholars Program are encouraged to reapply for the next summer, to take a different course; their application essay and letter of recommendation will be waived. Rising seniors who successfully complete the Summer Scholars Program are encouraged to apply for admission to Saint Peter's College, and their application letter of recommendation will be waived. However, participation in the Summer Scholars program does not guarantee admission to the college, which is also based on senior-year academic standing and SAT scores.

How to Apply

All application materials must be postmarked by Friday, April 18, 2009. Successful applicants will be notified the week of May 4, 2009. Please remember that, if accepted, a $300 payment shall be required for participation. There is no application fee.

Please mail applications and supporting materials to:

Dr. Rachel Wifall
Summer Scholars Program
Saint Peter's College
2641 Kennedy Boulevard
Jersey City, NJ 07306-5944

Essay

Please write a 200-word essay considering the following questions:

Saint Peter’s College is committed to the Jesuit motto “men and women for others.” The motto of another local college, CUNY Queens College, is Disci's ut serviamus ("We learn in order to serve"). What do these statements mean to you, in the context of higher education? What do you want to study in college, and how do you want to employ the skills and knowledge you acquire--will it be, in some way, in service to others? Provide specific examples from your life.

Syllabi & Books

Your professor will distribute the syllabus for your course on the first day of class. Required textbooks will be indicated on your syllabus. Students may purchase books at the Saint Peter's College Store in McDermott Hall or may choose to purchase books off-campus; in general, professors endeavor to keep the cost of textbooks to a minimum.

Attendance

Regular attendance in Summer Session classes is mandatory. Any question about this policy should be directed to your professor.

Grades

At the completion of the course(s), grades will be assigned according to the following scale:

While studying at Saint Peter's, Summer Scholars may use the Saint Peter's College Library and Academic Computer Center. Once they are registered in a Summer Scholars class, students may obtain information about accessing the SPC Computer System on the My Accounts page.

At the completion of the Summer Scholars Program, an official copy of your grades will be mailed to you at home. You may also request transcripts through the Enrollment Services Center. If you have successfully completed your Summer Scholars course, are a rising senior, and are interested in applying to Saint Peter's College, your letter of recommendation will be waived.

Here are links to directions to, and a map of, the Saint Peter's College Jersey City campus.