Ciresi Walburn Leadership Fellows

The CWLF Program provides resources to help students address the barriers to success facing Black male students with high financial need. It provides funds for school as well as mentoring, leadership development, and spiritual/emotional support for 4 years. Funding includes:

• Tuition scholarships: $15,000 each year for first and second years, and $10,000 each year for third and fourth years (a total of $50,000 over 4 years)
• Opportunity to earn wages for an internship or research project in your junior year
• Opportunity and support for on-campus employment or work study

St. Thomas offers a number of merit scholarships and scholarships specific to individual areas of study. Receiving this scholarship may impact other funds you receive from the university. By federal regulation, no student may have financial aid in excess of their total Cost of Attendance (COA).

While funding is important, success in college also relies on having a community and feeling a sense of support; these critical elements of student achievement are included in the CWF Program.

• Consistent group (or cohort) of 10 peers who gather regularly throughout their 4 years at St. Thomas for events, activities, and meals
• Each cohort of 10 students is assigned a mentor to act as a trusted counselor and guide
• All CWF Fellows are committed to living on campus as part of the Emerging Scholars LLC during their first and second years
• Opportunities to participate in community service and civic engagement, along with involvement and leadership in clubs and organizations, organized through Student Diversity and Inclusion Services Staff (SDIS)
• Annual celebration dinner/gathering with all current and past Fellows/cohorts, families, faculty, St. Thomas staff, Ciresi Walburn Foundation board and staff

The CWF Program provides structure and resources to help students stay in charge of their college experience, assisting students with tracking their credit hours, finding internships, networking, and building their resume or portfolio so they can leave college after four years and move into their chosen career.

• Paid summer internship (or research project) following your junior year
• Writing workshop with a professor at the University of St. Thomas
• Academic advising, check each semester if "on track" for graduation
• Summer leadership course which provides credits that count towards your degree
• Finding and tailoring a professional business suit for each Scholar
• Career planning, intern placement, and networking with Ciresi Walburn Foundation Board members and other companies (US Bank, Target)

The CWF Program is ultimately interested in the development of the scholars, regardless of their chosen career path, and provides individualized tools and guidance for personal growth.

• Mental health and spiritual support from an assigned advisor
• Cohort retreat to attend a national conference, expenses paid by the program
• Individual goal-setting/development plans with an Academic Advisor at the University of St. Thomas

A cohort is a group of people who attend a program together, often for 2-4 years. By participating in the same activities (structured and casual), the group builds a bond and provide peer support for each other throughout the program.

The cohort model, together with embedded mentorship, is a pillar of the CWF Program. The cohort is expected to create a distinct web of lifelong mental, spiritual and academic support for the students and create accountability within the group for each other to strengthen the experience for each individual participant.