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Great Issues Scholars

  • GIS

    Spend your first year exploring some of the great issues of our time. 

Overview

Great Issues Scholars participate in a year-long series of interactive events aimed at enhancing their understanding of the world and current international events. The program is a unique opportunity to connect with faculty, visiting experts, alumni and fellow students around complex global issues.

Scholars work and learn together while they gather for presentations, simulations, discussions and other small group events around topics like global health, climate change, gender in politics, international development, and regional security challenges.  Scholars also learn about various academic and career paths.

GIS is not a class and you do not receive academic credit for participating. However, it is designed to complement the academic experience of a first-year student. Most Scholars find that GIS helps shape their academic trajectory at Dartmouth either confirming they are on the right major/minor path, or opening up new pathways for exploration.

Expectations

Regular participation in GIS ensures that you see a variety of viewpoints and hear differing approaches/opinions. It also means you have more opportunity to get to know your fellow Scholars.

Scholars are expected to attend as many Great Issues Scholars events over the course of the year as they can and attendance will be taking at each event.

You do not have to attend all events. But regular participation (at least 4 per term) ensures that you see the term's theme from a variety of viewpoints and hear differing approaches/opinions. It also means you have more opportunity to get to know your fellow Scholars. We take attendance at each scheduled event and track completion of the attendance requirement.

Many athletes participate in the program. So do students with campus jobs and other out-of-class commitments. We vary the event days/times so that you can pick events that work in your schedule. We plan 8-10 events per term, but the attendance requirement is a minimum of 4 per term or 12 in the year. This allows flexibility for other commitments such as classes and extra curriculars.