Presidential Scholarship Lecturer
Dr. Jackie Wyse-Rhodes, Assistant professor of religion: “The question of how to live a good and meaningful life in the face of human mortality, political instability, and theological doubt is an old question, and a global one.”
Scholarship Competition
High-achieving high school students are invited to campus on Nov. 10, 2018, or Feb. 16, 2019, to compete for one of two
Full-Tuition Presidential Scholarships
These scholarships are valued at more than $140,000 through the four years of undergraduate education at Bluffton.
Participants receive a $1,000 annual scholarship just for participating in the Presidential Scholarship Competition.
To be eligible for the scholarship competition, participants must meet the following requirements:
- Earn a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale
- Score a minimum 24 ACT/1160 on the SAT (critical reading and math)
- Register for the competition
- Applied and accepted to Bluffton University
All eligible students are welcome to participate in this competition. Families are
also welcome to come to campus.
Competition format
- Participating students prepare for the competition by completing an assigned reading that is chosen by the faculty lecturer for the competition.
- Once on campus for the competition, students will attend a 45-minute presentation from the Presidential Scholarship Lecturer. Students are encouraged to take notes during this lecture.
- After the lecture, participants will have approximately 90 minutes to write an essay
in response to a question provided on the topics of both the reading and the lecture.
Students may use the assigned reading and notes taken during the lecture as reference
when writing their essay.
Choosing a winner
The two Presidential Scholarship Competition winners are chosen based on 3 criteria:
- Essay scored by two Bluffton University faculty members
- GPA
- ACT/SAT
Remember, all students that participate in the competition will receive an additional $1,000 annual scholarship to Bluffton. This is a total of $4,000 over four years.
Register to participate
All students wanting to participate in the Scholarship Competition must meet the minimum eligibility requirements. Please check back in the fall to register.
Winter 2019 PSC schedule
| 9-9:30 a.m | Registration and continental breakfast |
| 9:30 a.m. | Welcome |
| 9:45 a.m. | Lecture |
| 10:30 a.m. | Essay exam for students |
| 10:30 a.m. | Alternate activities for parents |
| 11:35 a.m. | Student research showcases |
| 12:30 p.m. | Luncheon |
| 1 p.m. | Presentation of certificates |
| 1:15 p.m. | Academic Fair and dessert |
| 1:30 p.m. | Campus tour (optional) |