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The Qualities of a Cutler Scholar
Cutler Scholars are not simply high-promise students with good grades. They also have a record of positively impacting their communities through engagement, service, and leadership. Applicants must demonstrate potential and commitment to lifelong growth in four areas: intellectual curiosity, leadership, civic responsibility, and character.
Intellectual Curiosity
Cutler Scholars’ curiosity about the world and how to make it better helps define their ambitions. They are interested in an intellectually rigorous college experience, inside and outside of the classroom.
Leadership
Cutler Scholars envision, enable and energize. They take initiative for the common good rather than individual glory.
Civic Responsibility
Cutler Scholars act on their responsibility to the larger community and use their talents to make a positive difference in the world.
Character
Cutler Scholars make ethical decisions based on well-reasoned principles. They are self-aware, empathetic, persistent, and humble.
Becoming a Cutler Scholar
Eligibility
Students must be freshman applicants to Ohio University and satisfy either geographic or discipline eligibility requirements.
Geographic Awards: A student must attend or hold a degree from one of the eligible high schools.
Discipline Awards: A student must apply to one of the eligible academic disciplines at OHIO. Selection for a Cutler Scholar Award is contingent on admission to an eligible program of study.
The Cutler Scholars Program encourages any eligible student with strong intellectual curiosity and a demonstrated commitment to community engagement to apply. We do not consider standardized test scores in our selection process.
Application
Students who meet Cutler eligibility requirements will be sent a supplemental application after they have submitted the Common Application, provided they met the initial November 15 Early Action deadline. Students should respond to the supplemental application, which will include the following prompts:
- Reflect on a service activity or other efforts you’ve undertaken to contribute to your community or communities. Your actions might involve individual service, a group project, or substantial activities to support your family, such as employment or caring for a sick relative. What did you learn about yourself and your community? What did you learn about how society functions more generally? (Limit 250 words)
- What qualities are most important when practicing leadership? How have you tried to model these qualities when working with others? What opportunities are you interested in seeking out to develop new qualities of leadership? (Limit 250 words)
Interview
Cutler Scholars Program staff and alumni review all applications and select award finalists. Finalists will be notified and invited for virtual interviews which typically occur in late January and early February.
All Cutler Scholar awardees are automatically admitted into the OHIO Honors Program, unless they have earned admission to the Honors Tutorial College.
Selection
Finalists are notified of their selection status by late March. Those selected for awards have until May 1 to accept their Cutler Scholar Award and secure their position in the Cutler Scholars Program.