What is Examined Life Scholars?
In partnership with Baylor’s Honors College and the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, the Examined Life Scholars program is funded by the Teagle Foundation’s Knowledge for Freedom Initiative to introduce local, first-generation college-bound high school students the liberal arts and to assist the scholars to picture themselves on a college campus.
ELS students will live on Baylor’s campus for two weeks of the summer prior to their senior year. Students will read Plato during the first week, paired with relevant contemporary sources; during the second week they will read Aristotle, also paired with contemporary writers. Scheduled events and activities through Baylor’s Campus Living & Learning and Student Engagement offices will give ELS students exposure to the diverse social and cultural life and traditions beyond the classroom on a college campus.
The students will attend a seminar entitled Living the Examined Life and the Purpose of an Education. Course objectives for students include:
Understanding that liberal learning is worthwhile as an end in itself, and directly related to human flourishing
Understanding the responsibility of citizens to write and speak well
Grasping concepts related to the social and discursive construction of the world around them.
Displaying the skills and knowledge to make a successful transition into college from high school.
Forming connections between their lives in academic settings and this university experience and their lives in the wider community.
Understanding how to make sound life choices for personal wellness through self-reflection, critical thinking, and decision-making.
Understanding the practical benefits of being on a college campus and learning in a campus community.
The Examined Life Scholars program includes cohort programming throughout the two weeks. Activities will include social events, movie night, outdoor recreation, seminars, cultural events, Bible study, and more. Often, students who are first-generation college students do not have a full picture of the college experience. We want to use the ELS program to broaden their sense of college, and help them understand that they have a place in university. ELS faculty will assign readings periodically and lead discussions with students while building a library of material for each ELS student. Additionally, throughout the senior year, Honors College mentors will meet monthly with the ELS students to guide them through the college application and selection process.