Want to Know More about Summit?
The mission of Wheaton College prepares students to help build the church and benefit society worldwide for Christ and His Kingdom. In support of the College mission, up to 15 students each year with a demonstrated commitment to Kingdom diversity join the Summit Multicultural Leadership Scholars (SMLS) cohort. The title, 'Summit', is a symbol of the student’s commitments, experiences, and achievements prior to and anticipated while enrolled at Wheaton College.
Students who are interested in joining the SMLS cohort complete a separate application, which includes submitting essay responses. Domestic applicants from historically underrepresented or marginalized communities who have demonstrated leadership commitment and engagement in a racially and ethnically diverse context, dedication in pre-college academic courses, as well as evidence of Christian faith are encouraged to apply.
The Office of Multicultural Development supports SMLS’s leadership development through required quarterly meetings, over the duration of each Scholar’s time at Wheaton, designed to:
- cultivate spiritual growth including through a biblical foundation of Christ-centered diversity.
- acknowledge academic achievement, as well as provide mentoring and guidance to academic resources such as Learning & Accessibility Services.
- encourage relationships with students and staff from diverse backgrounds.
- introduce leadership opportunities through Athletics, Residence Life, and Student Engagement; and
- refer students to Student Wellness as well as the Center for Vocation and Career as needed.
SMLS’s leadership development is fostered through required engagement in campus leadership for at least two years to further prepare for post-college leadership roles in diverse contexts.
All students admitted to the cohort of SMLS will receive a full-tuition scholarship for eight semesters. A small number of scholars will also receive a room and board scholarship in addition to the full tuition scholarship.
Students may study off campus during one of their eight semesters in a Wheaton College sponsored program. Examples of such programs include Wheaton in Chicago or Wheaton in Mexico. For a complete list of qualifying programs, please contact Student Financial Services.
Scholars may choose to use one of their eight semesters to participate in one summer off-campus academic program sponsored by Wheaton College. Current programs include:
- the HoneyRock Center for Leadership Development
- Black Hills Field Station
- Wheaton in England
- Wheaton in the Holy Lands
Academic programs are sponsored by Wheaton College in the summer on a rotating basis.
For the current list of qualifying programs, please contact Student Financial Services.