KOCH STUDENT SCHOLAR OPPORTUNITY AT USU

The Koch Charitable Foundation has funded a unique scholarship program that gives USU students from a variety of academic disciplines the opportunity to read a variety of books (including economics, political science, science, philosophy and history) then meet on a weekly basis to engage in a discussion about the principles and concepts that are presented in the books.

Koch Scholars meet weekly on Wednesday evenings to discuss selections from at least 10 important books on the subject of freedom and responsibility. The agenda of these discussions is to critically engage the ideas in the books. Each Koch Scholar will receive a stipend of $1,000 and all texts. A light meal will be served each week.

Koch Scholars are generously supported by the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation whose mission is “to advance social progress and well-being through the development, application and dissemination of the Science of Liberty.”™

If you know an exceptional student and would like to nominate them for the 2010 Spring Semester, send the students name and email address to Teri Routledge at (teri.routledge@usu.edu) and she will send them an application. Deadline for applications is November 6, 2009. The Koch Scholar program is competitive and selects only the most promising candidates.

Students should apply to become a Koch Scholar if:

· They are a mature scholar who embraces the opportunity to read, think, and talk;

· They are committed to contributing to each discussion;

· They have time to devote to a challenging set of readings;

· They are a person who enjoys discussing ideas;

· They are willing to put their ideas before a group for critical, sometimes passionate discussion and dissection;

· They are available Wednesday, January 13, 2009 from 5:30 to 7:30 and all other Wednesday evenings during the semester.

Applicants are chosen based on their application materials. Those chosen as finalists undergo interviews with Professors Chris Fawson, Diana Thomas and Randy Simmons, who direct the Koch Scholars program. Applicants may be asked for references or additional materials.

In addition to attending weekly Koch Scholars meetings, each week the student will write a short blog (250-300 words) and post it on the Koch Scholars webpage. By the end of the semester students are also expected to formulate a research question that could be the basis for a senior thesis project or master's thesis topic. At the end of the semester the student will be asked to write a summary paper (1500-2000 words) describing their Koch Scholar experience.