Method
To help achieve the goals and objectives of the Provost Scholars program, several methods will be employed:
- Regular Programming: Provost Scholars will come to the CWRU campus on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons while the program is in session to work with their faculty or staff mentor and participate in other programmatic activities.
- Interactions between Provost Scholars and Their Mentors: Together the Provost Scholar and his/her mentor will develop an individualized plan for the Scholar that consists of academic, social, and cultural goals. These goals will lead to the personal development of each Scholar and set them on a pathway to academic and professional success.
- Intensive Seminars: On Thursday afternoons Provost Scholars will benefit from personalized tutoring sessions and seminars that feature special guest lecturers who have expertise in a variety of academic disciplines. Scholars will also occasionally participate in off-site field trips to local museums, parks and science centers.
- Stakeholder Investment: The program is committed to involving parents and East Cleveland teachers and administrators in the program's missions and goals. Parents will be invited to participate in the monthly Parents College at Case and additional activities to expand their involvement in the program. Additionally, all stakeholders, parents, teachers, principals, mentors, and community members, will established a unified initiative to support the Provost Scholars and other youth in the East Cleveland community.
Participants
The Provost Scholars Program embraces several groups: students (mentees), parents, CWRU faculty and staff (mentors), and East Cleveland administrators and teachers. A brief description is provided about each group.
Provost Scholars: Prospective and participating students must be in the 8th to 12th grades and attend school full-time. A student must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA and demonstrate a commitment to the program's goals by attending all program activities and engaging in a relationship with their assigned mentor. Students enrolled at Heritage Middle School or Shaw High School can apply to the program by completing an online application.
Parents: The parents or caregivers who are legally responsible for the students are invited to become involved in the Program. They also agree to participate in program activities, such as celebrations, end-of-year field trips, and the Parents College at Case, and support the program's overall mission.
Faculty: CWRU faculty and staff will be invited to serve as volunteer mentors. They will serve as academic and career advisors, who will help the mentees to make significant contributions to their families, their community, and to the global society. Faculty and staff may assume multiple duties, including tutoring, mentoring, networking, and refining Scholars' social and personal presentation. The mentees, through working with the mentor, will have chances to enhance their academic and professional skills. Faculty and staff mentors will be expected to devote one afternoon per week, typically on Tuesday afternoons from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., with their mentees who will be on the university campus.
Administrators: With the assistance of East Cleveland administrators, the Provost Scholars Program will grow and develop in depth and scope. Administrators provide broad support for the program including identifying the academic needs of students, and assisting Program staff with activities and opportunities to enhance the Scholars' growth.
Teachers: The teachers at Heritage Middle School and Shaw High School are specialists in middle and high school education, and work to help the students to embody high academic, interpersonal, and social/societal standards.