Alumni
Our Students
They’re Multidimensional, Multicultural, and Multitalented
I’m a Contributor to the Stentor · I’m a member of Greek Council · I play intramural sports · I’m a member of the Student Alumni Association · I frequently go to Chicago on the weekends · I receive financial aid · I am mailing out resumes for an internship in Chicago · I am vice president of my fraternity · I serve as an Admissions Ambassador · I’m a third-year student at Lake Forest College · Does this sound like a Lake Forest College student you know?
Chances are, if you’re affiliated in any way with Lake Forest College, the description of the individual above probably sounds like many College students you know.
Broadly speaking, Lake Forest College students are, in a word, multidimensional. When new students arrive on campus in August for their first year, they bring multiple talents, myriad cultural identities, and a thirst to dive into the wide range of experiences that Lake Forest will offer them during their next four years. They are hungry to let their hearts be touched by those around them. And when they leave, they’ve left their own mark on the College and the students who will come after them.
Facts and figures paint only a part of the portrait of our student body, but the facts are still significant: Our 1,333 students come from 46 states and 50 countries worldwide. Fifty-seven percent are women; 43 percent are men. Of those 1,330 students, 173 are students of color; 188 others come from countries beyond the United States. The average high school GPA of our applicants is greater than 3.4.
The numbers contribute to a picture of a student body that is diverse, engaged, interested in ideas and in those around them, and — most tellingly — reflective of the part they will play in the world when they enter life beyond Lake Forest College.
In an opinion piece written for the Chicago Tribune in March 2004, College President Stephen D. Schutt summed up the diversity of thought and the dedication to learning that Lake Forest College students display. During the previous year, more than 300 Lake Forest College students had participated in a national survey of first-year students. Schutt wrote of the survey in the Tribune: “Eighty percent of our student participants [in the survey] said that their primary reason for attending college is to ‘learn more about things that interest [them],’ or learning for learning’s sake. Second runner-up (67 percent) was ‘to gain a general education and appreciation of ideas.’ Further back in the pack came the response ‘to be able to make more money’ (58 percent).”
Schutt’s piece continues: “What’s more, 80 percent have recently done volunteer work, and 61 percent said one of their most important objectives in life is ‘helping others in difficulty.’ Finally, some 75 percent have recently socialized with members of other racial or ethnic groups, and two-thirds reported that ‘being honest in [their] relationships with others’ is one of their primary personality traits.”
Dean of Students Beth Tyler also portrays Lake Forest students as involved, energetic, and culturally engaged. “The survey told us that nearly 75 percent of our first-year students had recently visited a museum, compared to only 57 percent nationally,” she says. “This cultural awareness is reflected once they arrive on campus as well; we see a lot of student involvement in many different areas of campus life. In general, our students are collaborative, cooperative, and friendly, even as they challenge the institution to do better. And that’s a joy.”
Myriad Opportunities — Both On-Campus and Off
“It is the culture of our campus that our students are active and involved people,” says Bill Motzer, vice president for admissions and career services. “That’s one of the reasons that students are drawn here — they know they can participate in many different activities.”
One look at the list of clubs and organizations active at the College (see page 9) details more than 85 organizations open to students — and that doesn’t include the 17 varsity sports teams, in which more than 30 percent of Lake Forest students participate (an additional 30 percent are involved in intramural sports). From football to the French Club, from swimming to student government, from basketball to Big Brothers/Big Sisters, our students can join as many organizations as pique their many interests.
The long list of options includes: National fraternities and sororities; political clubs (College Democrats and Republicans); arts–based organizations (Dance Team, Garrick Players, Expressions, Art Club); professional interest groups (Mathematical Association of America, Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society); cultural groups (Muslim Student Association, United Black Association); community outreach opportunities (Soup Kitchen Project, League for Environmental Awareness and Protection); and social awareness clubs (Women for Social Change, Amnesty International, United Students Against Sweatshops).
But it’s no surprise that Lake Forest College students are highly participatory and come to the College ready to engage in themselves and those around them.
“We look for well-rounded, multidimensional young people in the application process,” says Motzer. “We want them to have a strong academic curriculum in high school, and we also value a strong work ethic and an interest in learning over an innate testing ability. High levels of involvement in many areas of life signal to us that these students will come prepared for learning.”
One of Lake Forest College’s most important initiatives in recent years has been the advent of the “Geographically Extended Classroom.” Taking advantage of the College’s proximity to Chicago, students are encouraged through a variety of programs and opportunities to utilize the city and all its resources to expand upon their on-campus education. From museum visits to organized neighborhood walks to internships, Chicago provides a wealth of new and valued experiences to Lake Forest students.
“More and more of our students are using Chicago as a ‘classroom,’” says Tyler. “We have expanded the number of courses that take advantage of the city’s resources, and we’ve tried to provide other opportunities to help newer students to be acquainted with the city. For example, our Chicago Ambassadors Program pairs more experienced students with less experienced ones to help them become more comfortable with navigating around the city, using public transportation, and so on.”
“Our ‘Geographically Extended Classroom,’ sponsored by the Mellon Foundation, has been one of the most significant initiatives at the College in recent years. Exposing our students to the wealth of experiences Chicago offers broadens their perspective and helps make them true citizens of the global world.”
Diversity — The International Connection
The Lake Forest College mission statement encourages its students to become “responsible citizens of the global community.” It follows, then, that Lake Forest would actively recruit international students to its campus in addition to creating study-abroad programs that allow American students to participate in experiences overseas.
“Most students at Lake Forest have the opportunity to interface closely with a student from another country at some point during college,” says George Speros, director of international studies and associate provost and dean of the faculty. “Kris Sundberg, director of international admissions, and I conduct an active international search for the best, brightest, and most diverse students to bring to campus. We are looking for a diversity of experience — we look at not just what these international students will bring to and take from Lake Forest College, but what they will leave behind once they move on.” This broad diversity, says Speros, contributes to a raising of the academic and cultural bar across campus.
Last year Lake Forest College was asked to become one of only 50 prestigious American institutions invited to recruit students from the Davis United World College Incentive Grant Program (UWC). The UWC is a group of 10 institutions across the world that provide higher education to “young ambassadors” — international eleventh and twelfth graders with great academic and leadership potential. The opportunity to recruit and bring these students to Lake Forest is a coup for the College and will contribute wonderfully to the on-campus cultural mix.
Lake Forest is equally committed to study abroad programs, and the College sends between 80 and 90 students each year to other countries. The College maintains active programs in Paris, Greece and Turkey, and Chile, and is participating in a program in China. Other program opportunities are reviewed as individual students present their needs.
“There are many opportunities to study abroad at Lake Forest,” Speros says. “Students can take advantage of an existing program, those offered by the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM), or work with another college to devise a specific program. It is so important that we offer these opportunities for students to gain an international perspective.”
The Admissions Process — How and Why They Come
Consider these statistics — since 1994, in just the past 10 years, the applicant pool at Lake Forest College has more than doubled. In 2004, Lake Forest College received nearly 2,300 applications for only 350 to 400 first-year spots, an increase of 25 percent over 2003.
Many factors have contributed to this increase, including very active and effective recruiting, talented alumni involvement, and a strong push by the College to “get the word out” about its unique position as “Chicago’s National Liberal Arts College.”
A recent overhaul of the College’s publications and Web site has articulated this message and given it consistency and focus. Databases have been constructed that allow a student to visit the Web site and receive personalized information based on his or her interests. Sophisticated e-mail systems have also been put into place to keep in touch with prospects through online newsletters and other personalized points of contact.
The Mentor Program has also expanded significantly in recent years, connecting alumni with students interested in similar careers. Expanding this alumni–student network has been a high priority of the College, which is working on additional ways to pair alumni with current and prospective students, including the newly formed Admissions Committee of the Alumni Association Board.
Also in the last year, the College has done some restructuring of its scholarship programs, creating new and more prestigious scholarships designed to draw high-potential students, some tying into the College’s Chicago connection. “The Presidential Scholarship Program asks students to write an essay envisioning how Chicago could be integrated into their program here,” says Motzer. “These scholarship recipients have a minimum ACT of 28, a minimum 3.5 GPA, or must rank in the top 20 percent of their class.”
The Trustee Scholarship is even more elite — 36 students from the pool of 300 Presidential Scholars receive a $15,000 scholarship and are invited to campus for an intensive weekend interviewing with faculty and current Trustee Scholars. The weekend also includes a welcome reception, a tour of Chicago and its many cultural and historical attractions, and a Second City comedy performance. In addition, students have breakfast with President Schutt and then attend classroom visits and talk with faculty. These students are the cream of their high school crop — the average ACT is 33, and half of them are valedictorians of their class.
In addition to these scholarships, a new Annual Fund program has been created by which donors can offer $2,500 scholarships each year to a deserving student, providing even more potential to bring a wide variety of students to campus.
“We pair up a student and the family providing the scholarship,” says Jerry Cebrzynski, director of financial aid. “This personalizes the process and brings donors and students together. It helps us with retention, and after graduation, many of these students stay in touch with their benefactors.”
Financial Aid — A Critical Piece of the Puzzle
It is no secret that financial support from a variety of sources plays a key role in bringing this flavorful mix of students to campus — and keeping them there once they have come. Approximately 80 percent of Lake Forest College students receive some type of financial aid, from named scholarships to federal grants to loan assistance.
Praising Lake Forest’s generous financial-aid program, the Princeton Review recently lauded the College as a “best value,” and it was ranked No. 2 in the nation in the “Best Academic Bang for Your Buck” category.
“When we put together a financial aid package, we try to keep it ‘real,’” says Cebrzynski. “We don’t just base it on a family’s bottom line, but we take into account the other life circumstances that the family is dealing with. And it’s a fluid process — families can contact us at any time throughout the school year if their circumstances change.”
Providing this financial assistance has become increasingly difficult due to the economic downturn in recent years, which has led to less support from federal and state sources as well as a decline in private funding from organizations and foundations.
This has required the College to seek additional financial support through the Annual Fund and endowment to continue to provide aid to an increasing pool of students who need it.
The Best and the Brightest
“The support that we receive from our alumni, parents, and friends certainly allows us to provide our students with the full range of experiences we want them to have,” says Motzer. “With their generous support, we can provide everything from academic resources such as the new library to funds for student organizations and certainly to financial aid.”
“Many things are coming together for our students right now,” says Schutt. “The expanding academic programs we can provide through our Geographically Extended Classroom and other initiatives…the new scholarship opportunities available…the increased alumni mentoring and support programs … all have strengthened our ability to provide the best possible education to the best and brightest students across the nation and the world.”