Expecting the Best of the Best
I want to tell you about a prestigious program at Washington University in St. Louis, named for a nationally renowned educator. The John B. Ervin Scholars Program recognizes the educational and leadership achievements of talented students from across the nation and helps them to further their goals by providing exceptional educational opportunities.
Our first class of 10 Ervin Scholars arrived on campus in the fall of 1987. It was a special delight for John Ervin himself to welcome this class—as well as five subsequent classes of Ervin Scholars—to the program that honors him.
Since that beginning, we have brought hundreds of Ervin Scholars to Washington University. They have come from all parts of the country—from New York City to Sacramento. They have also had a wide range of academic interests—liberal arts, pre-medicine, pre-law, engineering, business, art, and architecture. Our graduates have become physicians, scientists, academics, lawyers, and even Rhodes, Mellon, and Fulbright scholars. We take pride in their outstanding record of achievement.
The Ervin Scholars Program has benefited over the years from the generous financial support of the Danforth Foundation and the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Company, both of which have made substantial commitments to the development of young people.
Since its beginning, the program has evolved. But the fundamental values — and expectations — of the Ervin Scholars Program have not changed. We select students of great promise for whom a high level of academic achievement is important, and we offer them a superb undergraduate education. While they are pursuing their education, our students get to know each other well, and we want them to feel that their fellow Ervin Scholars are a strong source of support.
But simply to remain within this small group would not be in keeping with the spirit of the program, the University, or the life of John B. Ervin. We believe that, as an outgrowth of their education, students should feel an obligation to give back to their community. We hope that their education and accomplishments will become like a flower that blossoms—not just for them, but for others as well.
by James E. McLeod
Vice Chancellor for Students
Dean, College of Arts & Sciences
Director, John B. Ervin Scholars Program