Marquette University Urban Scholars Program Expectations  

Updated: January 2025

  

Since 2007 when the first cohort entered as Urban Scholars, the Urbans Scholars Program at Marquette University has had proven success in providing access to a Marquette education and building leaders who contribute back to the Milwaukee community. The program components are important and lead to the growth of Urban Scholars collectively and individually. This scholarship is not just an award, but an holistic support program. These expectations are designed to connect students back to the mission of Urban Scholars and the mission of Marquette University. 

 

Your Urban Scholars award is renewable for 4 years (eight semesters) provided you continue to meet with the following obligations:  

• Maintain full-time student status (minimum of 12 credit hours each semester). 

• Maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) (academic standing is minimum 2.0 GPA as detailed in the Marquette University Undergraduate Bulletin and/or per college academic regulations). 

• Serve 20 hours of community service each academic year (or approximately 2.5 hours of service each month during fall and spring semesters)  

• Participate fully in all mandatory components of the program unless excused for an extenuating circumstance (see below).  

• Comply with all rules and regulations governing Marquette University students as defined in the Standards of Conduct and the University Ethos Statement located in the Student Handbook.  

   

Mandatory Components of the Urban Scholars Program:  

• New Scholar Orientation 

• New Scholar Retreat 

• All-Scholar Meetings (2-hour monthly meetings on Monday evenings)  

• Holistic Advising Meetings (biweekly meetings for first-year students with staff) 

• Scholar’s Keeper meetings (regular check-ins upper-class/returning student mentor) 

• End-of-year/Graduation celebration every year 

• Other Signature/Pillar Urban Scholars events including Leadership and Professional Development Workshops, Holiday Celebration, Fortunate Choices, Professor Pizzaz, Graduation Celebration, etc. These events may occur in the evenings or weekends. 

• Tracking and monitoring of community service  

• Program assessment survey (providing feedback about your program experience and reflection of your growth)   

Additional policies and expectations:  

• Urban Scholars gives permission to the Program Staff to review/have access to course records, all mid-term, semester, and cumulative grades. Urban Scholars are required to maintain good academic standing per university academic regulations. If good academic standing is not met, the Urban Scholars Program has the right to place the student on an intervention plan for the student to reach minimal standards. If students face academic censure, the scholarship will be at risk. The program and university consider the student’s circumstances and if they are meeting other obligations and requirements. 

• The Urban Scholars award can be applied for a semester of study abroad. 

• However, the scholarship will not apply to J-Session or Summer Session, without academic advising and approval by Urban Scholars staff and the Office of Student Financial Aid.  

• Though it is preferable that Urban Scholars use their eight semester awards consecutively, students may opt to take a semester away from the program with approval of the Urban Scholars staff. Reasons may include study abroad (programs not charged through Marquette University), medical withdrawal, or extenuating personal/family circumstances.  

 

Consequences: 

If the student is unable to maintain the Urban Scholar Program Expectations the following progressive measures will be put in place: 

 

1. Student will receive written documentation detailing what expectation they are currently not meeting and ways to get back on track. 

2. Student will receive a reminder and second written documentation detailing what expectation they are currently not meeting and ways to get back on track. 

3. Student will receive a reminder and third written documentation detailing what expectation they are currently not meeting and ways to get back on track and must check in with the Membership and Standards Chair of the Urban Scholars Student Governance.

4. If the student has yet to make progress, they will receive a fourth written documentation detailing what expectation they are currently not meeting and ways to get back on track and must schedule a meeting with the Urban Scholars Coordinator(s) to explore options for reengagement. 

5. Student will receive a final written documentation. They must then meet with the Director of Black Student Initiatives and the Urban Scholars Coordinator(s) and they will review the student’s position within the Urban Scholars Program. Together they will create a plan for reengagement over the course of the following semester.