Find the Support—and Skills—to Become a Changemaker
Pillars Scholars are high-achieving students from historically marginalized backgrounds who are interested in pursuing leadership opportunities and making an impactful change on the lives of others.
As a Pillars Scholar, you will receive a competitive scholarship that offsets the cost of tuition and housing and provides access to a comprehensive campus experience. This program includes individualized academic coaching, applied community-based learning opportunities, paid on-campus internships, social justice workshops, mentorship from faculty/staff and more.
With a focus on truth seeking and curiosity, you will enhance your critical thinking, problem-solving skills, media and information literacy, and collaboration abilities as you pursue campus work and opportunities that are community-based and justice focused. The Linked Learning approach at the center of the program creates bridges between what’s learned in the classroom and real-world application, allowing you to engage deeply in the learning process. Collaborative support from faculty, staff and peers will help you discern how your own unique gifts that can shape current and future communities.
The Pillars Scholarship is in partnership with the Village, a community-building and cultural enrichment program offered at DU.
Pillars FAQs
-
Application Deadline
Applications must be submitted by March 15.
-
Eligibility
Admitted first-year freshman and transfer students with a cumulative 3.25 grade-point average or greater.
-
Summary of Award
The scholarship amount varies but reduces out-of-pocket cost to no more than $3,000 per year after merit-based scholarship, institutional scholarships (if applicable), grants and student loans. The scholarship is renewable for first-year freshmen for four years and transfer students for two to three years depending on transferable credits. Students must be in good academic standing each academic year of renewing the scholarship.
-
Submission Materials
Submit The Pillars Scholarship Application, essay (included on the Pillars Application) and a letter of recommendation.
Program Requirements
Pillars Scholars must:
- Live on campus during the first two years (four semesters)
- Attend and participate in regular programming with the cohort and program staff
- Participate in social justice community-based programming
- Maintain sufficient academic progress toward earning a degree. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher is required for on-going participation in the program and for annual renewal of awarded scholarships
- Abide by the Dominican University Student Handbook and Student Standards of Conduct