Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the John C. Young Scholars Program?
A: The John C. Young Scholars Program is an initiative designed to serve strong, highly-motivated senior students. The program allows selected students to engage in a yearlong independent study, research, or artistic work in their major discipline or in an interdisciplinary area of their choosing. John C. Young scholars work closely with a faculty mentor and receive financial support for research and travel. They present their results at a public symposium in late spring and their work is published in journal form by Centre College.
The program was initiated through an Excellence-in-Undergraduate Education grant from the Knight Foundation. Centre College was one of eight leading liberal arts college (along with Carleton, Macalester, and Swarthmore, for example) to receive the first of these awards to encourage increased collaboration between faculty and students on extra-class intellectual activities.
Q: Is there an application for the JCY Program?
A: Yes! Students apply for the program in the spring of their junior year. Interested juniors should first seek a faculty member who will serve as their project director and who will collaborate with them in designing their proposal. Applications are generally due in March via email to the current chair of the JCY faculty committee.
Q: How are candidates chosen?
A: A JCY Scholars Committee, composed of no fewer than four members of the faculty, with representation from each of the academic divisions, will serve as the body to select admissions to the program. In the weeks following the application deadline, each candidate will interview with the JCY Faculty Committee and final selections will be made just prior to the current year's symposium.
Q: Do I have to propose a project in my major? How many faculty mentors do I need to ask?
A: No. Scholars may select a project in their major field, in another discipline, or in more than one discipline. Each scholar normally will have only one project mentor, unless the field of study is interdisciplinary, in which case as many as two advisors may be involved. Each faculty mentor may only work with one scholar per academic year.
Q: Is there a required minimum GPA to apply?
A: A minimum grade point average of 3.3 is expected for admission to the Scholars Program. Exceptions may be made in the case of outstanding proposals.
Q: Once accepted, how does grading and crediting work?
A: The independent project normally will count as six credit hours of course work taken under the "400 Individual Study" rubric in the catalogue. Scholars' work will be taken for a regular grade, and will not be offered on a pass/unsatisfactory basis. The usual regulations for dropping classes will apply during each term for which a student is enrolled in the program. If it becomes necessary for a student to drop out of the program at the end of a given term, the project director will recommend a grade to be determined in consultation with the chair of the John C. Young Scholars Committee. Students who successfully complete the program will have the notation "John C. Young Scholar" entered on their transcripts. An explanation of this notation will be contained on the transcript guide that accompanies the transcript.
Q: What is the "John C. Young Scholars' Symposium"?
A: Scholars will present the findings of their research at a special Scholars' Symposium on campus in the spring of their senior year. The Symposium will be announced and open to the public. The 2024-2025 John C. Young Scholars' Symposium will be held on Saturday April 26, 2025.
Q: What happens when I finish my project?
A: The results of the scholars' project will be considered for publication in a special "John C. Young Scholars' Journal," underwritten and printed by Centre College.
Q: Is there funding available for my project?
A: Yes! The college will provide funding for each scholar at a reasonable level to offset expenses for books, approved travel, photocopying, clerical supplies, computer software, certain types of equipment, and other approved expenses related to the project. Each applicant should present a budget with their project proposal. As long as funding is available, the major project director will receive a stipend from the college for overseeing the project during the academic year.
Q: I have questions about the IRB process?
A: All information about the IRB process can be found on the appropriate website or via this information sheet
Q: Anything else to know?
A: One final note: admission to the John C. Young Scholars Program signifies only that a student will be considered for John C. Young Scholar designation. The actual award will be approved by the John C. Young Committee upon recommendation of the faculty sponsor. The student's performance in the program must be judged outstanding in order to merit this award.
Applications for 2025-2026 John C. Young Scholars Program Due Thursday, March 20th
All applications should be emailed to azita.osanloo@centre.edu (type "John C. Young Application" in the subject line).
Download the application here.