What is the Preston Scholars Program?
The Preston Scholars program (PSP) supports students of any major, minor, or intellectual
interest in their quest for
academic and community leadership. Students must reside in Preston for at least 1
semester to apply to the Preston Scholars Program.
The Preston Scholars Program supports students in their quest for academic and community leadership development and service through:
- Connecting students to opportunities for meaningful service experiences;
- Promoting opportunities for leadership development and engagement;
- Supporting progression toward Graduation with Leadership Distinction;
- Recognizing high-achieving students in areas of leadership and service
Why should I participate in the program?
If you’re a student involved in the community through coursework, Preston organizations,
or service, you are
already working towards completing the requirements of the Preston Scholars Program!
Becoming a Preston
Scholar distinguishes you from your peers, demonstrating your dedication to developing
leadership and service. If
you earn a distinction as a Preston Scholar, you will be better prepared to market
yourself as a servant leader and
a civically engaged individual both inside and outside the classroom. The Preston
Scholars Program will serve as a
springboard into your completion of Graduation with Leadership Distinction. Additionally,
participating in the
Preston Scholars Program is the only way to earn your Preston senior recognition cord!
Program Requirements
- Students must reside at Preston for at least one semester, and can begin the program at any time during or after their residency.
- Attend one meeting per semester with the Graduate Assistant, Assistant Principal, or Faculty Principal to discuss your progress toward completing the requirements of the Preston Scholars Program.
- Write a reflection detailing how your involvement in Preston and on campus has contributed to your development in the four Preston pillars
- Fulfill the Core Requirements
- Graduate with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA
- You must remain in good standing with the University
- Earn a C or better in a Preston class
- Complete at least one of the pathways of GLD
- Engage in experiences that add up to 10 points under each pillar (note that experiences have different point values)
Frequently Asked Questions
If your course trajectory prevents you from enrolling in any Preston courses, please contact the Faculty Principal, Assistant Principal, or Graduate Assistant.
You may count an experience up to two times. For example, if you participated in Dance Marathon each year during your time at Carolina, you could include two of those experiences in your Preston Scholars Program requirements.
In order to have an all-inclusive representation of your experiences in Preston and at Carolina, you are encouraged to continue updating your spreadsheet!
Your off-campus experiences, if initiated during your time at Carolina, may count in one of the four pillars. Approval will come from the Faculty Principal or the Assistant Principal.
The Preston Scholars Program is intended to encapsulate the experiences and growth you have during your time at Carolina. Experiences in high school, while valuable for your development, do not meet the mission and goals of the Preston Scholars Program and therefore do not meet the requirements of the Preston Scholars Program.
Once you have fulfilled the point requirements of the Preston Scholars Program and completed your GLD requirements, you will receive a letter signed by the Faculty Principal and the Assistant Principal indicating your successful completion of the Preston Scholars Program. You will also receive a signed copy of your Preston Scholars progress worksheet. Finally, you will receive your Preston senior recognition cord.
While many experiences in Preston and on campus are multi-dimensional and may contribute to two or more of the Preston pillars (ex: Out-to-Lunch program, service leadership, U101 Peer Leader), one experience may not count in multiple pillars. You must select which pillar you would like to associate with that experience.
If you are participating in something that you think fulfills the requirements of the Preston pillars, let us know! The lists we have provided are not exhaustive and they leave room for other opportunities.
Point opportunities (this is not an exhaustive list)
* available only to current Preston residents
| Experience | Knowledge | Passion | Community | Responsibility | Points | Keywords (hidden column) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIV 101* (Preston section) | X | 3 | course, class | |||
| ENGL101(Preston section) | X | 3 | course, class | |||
| ENGL102 (Preston section) | X | 3 | course, class | |||
| STAT201 (Preston section) | X | 3 | course, class | |||
| STAT 210 (Preston section) | X | 3 | course, class | |||
| SPCH140 (Preston section) | X | 3 | course, class | |||
| UNIV 290 (Preston section) | X | 1 | course, class | |||
| COLA 298 (Preston section) | X | 3 | course, class | |||
| BIOL 101 (Preston section) | X | 3 | course, class | |||
| BIOL 110 (Preston section) | X | 3 | course, class | |||
| PSYC 101 (Preston section) | X | 3 | course, class | |||
| Preston Travel Grant* | X | 1 | grant, scholarship, study abroad, travel | |||
| Magellan Explorer Research Grant | X | 1 | grant, scholarship, research, study abroad, travel | |||
| Conduct undergraduate research | X | X | 5 | grant, scholarship, research, study abroad, travel | ||
| Study Abroad (≥ 12 weeks) |
X | X | 5 | grant, scholarship, study abroad, travel | ||
| Serve as a U101 Peer Leader (1 semester) | X | X | X | X | 4 | course, class, leadership, peer leader |
| Serve as an SI instructor (1 semester) | X | X | 4 | leadership, peer leader, student success center, SSC | ||
| Serve as a Peer Tutor (1 semester) | X | X | 3 | leadership, peer leader, student success center, SSC | ||
| Serve as a Writing Center Tutor (1 semester) | X | X | 3 | |||
| Attend a conference | X | X | 1 | |||
| Attend the Student Leadership and Diversity Conference (SDLC) | X | X | 1 | conference, leadership, LSC | ||
| Minor in Leadership Studies | X | X | 7 | |||
| Attend Preston's Leadership Weekend | X | X | 3 | |||
| Serve on the Exec Board of a Preston organization (2 semesters) | X | X | X | 4 | ||
| Published submission in Bellwether | X | 1 | ||||
| Serve as a Resident Mentor anywhere on campus (2 semesters) | X | X | 5 | RM, Housing, leadership, peer leadership, crisis | ||
| Serve as an Orientation Leader (1 summer) | X | X | 4 | |||
| Serve on the Exec Board of a registered student organization (2 semesters) | X | X | X | 4 | ||
| Serve in Freshman Council | X | X | X | 2 | ||
| Elected role in Student Government (2 semesters) | X | X | X | 2 | ||
| Appointed role in Student Government (2 semesters) | X | X | X | 2 | ||
| Serve as a Pillars XM (1 summer) | X | X | X | 2 | ||
| Participate in the Preston Mentor Program (mentor or mentee) | X | X | 5 | |||
| 1 semester relationship through Adopt-an-Associate | X | X | 5 | |||
| Participate in the Out-to-Lunch program with faculty | X | X | 1 | |||
| Serve as a University Ambassador (2 semesters) | X | X | 3 | |||
| Participate in the MAPP Mentor Program (mentor or mentee) | X | X | 3 | |||
| Attend OMSA Diversity Retreat | X | X | 1 | |||
| Serve as an EcoRep (2 semesters) | X | X | X | 2 | ||
| Study abroad with Preston | X | X | 2 | grant, scholarship, study abroad, travel | ||
| Alternative Break through LSC | X | 5 | service, travel, break, leadership | |||
| Campus-wide philanthropy events (Relay for Life, Dance Marathon) | X | 2 | ||||
| Serve on Carolina Judicial Council | X | X | 2 | |||
| Participate in Cocky's Reading Express | X | X | X | 1 | ||
| Course taught by a Preston Associate | X | 3 | ||||
| Participate in MLK Days of Service | X | X | X | 2 | ||
| Participate in a service organization (2 semesters) | X | X | 2 | |||
| Participate in Service Saturday | X | X | X | 1 | ||
| Present at a conference | X | X | 2 | |||
| Present at Discover USC | X | X | X | 2 | ||
| Participate in Preston's Lunch with the Dean | X | X | X | 2 | ||
| Study Abroad (≤ 11 weeks) | X | X | 2 | |||
| Serve as a Study Abroad Ambassador (2 semesters) | X | X | X | 2 | ||
| Serve as a Teaching Assistant | X | X | 3 | |||
| Serve as an Undergraduate Research Ambassador | X | X | X | 2 | ||
| University Band section leader | X | X | 2 | |||
| Volunteer for Preston Tour Corps | X | X | X | 2 | ||
| Attend Women LEAD Conference | X | X | 2 | |||
| YIMPACT service projects | X | X | X | 2 | ||
| Safe Zone Ally training | X | X | X | X | 1 | |
| Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper training | X | X | X | X | 1 | |
| At least two meals with a Preston Associate while enrolled at the University | X | X | X | X | 3 | |
| Preston Leadership Conversations hosted by Dr. Armen Shaomian | X | X | X | 1 |
Getting Involved
If you're interested in learning more about the Preston Mentor Program, please contact McKenzie Ouzts at mouzts@mailbox.sc.edu.