Rockhurst University Hosts More Than 400 Competitive Scholars

The process of applying for colleges and scholarships can be a stressful one, especially for high school students simultaneously juggling school responsibilities and activities.

So over the last two Fridays, as more than 400 of the top high school students from across the country came to the Rockhurst University campus for the annual Competitive Scholars Day events, they received some words of encouragement.

“Be who you are and be that well,” said Rockhurst University President the Rev. Thomas B. Curran, S.J., quoting St. Francis de Sales.

Fr. Curran also offered some very practical advice — "don't forget to breathe" — to the students as they prepared for a series of group conversations with faculty and staff that would in part determine the recipients of 20 full-tuition scholarships offered by Rockhurst. 

Those discussions are the heart of Competitive Scholars Day, a unique Rockhurst tradition that stretches back more than 40 years, according to Lane Ramey, the University's associate vice president of enrollment. It began when a former University dean invited prospective students to campus for conversations aimed at simulating the college classroom environment.

Since then, the event has grown to include the scholarship competition, but giving high school students a chance to experience Rockhurst University through group discussions on leadership, service and other topics remains the focus.

“We want to find out what you are passionate about,” Ramey told the participants. “Above all, we want you to shine and we want you to shine in your own unique way.”

This year, interest from prospective students led to the admissions staff setting aside a second day for interviews, with 200 students traveling to campus each of the two days, along with their families.

Claire Minnick, a senior nursing and Spanish major who attended Competitive Scholars Day as a high-school senior four years earlier, told the students in Arrupe Hall on Friday that she remembers the butterflies, the studying and the practicing in preparation for the day. Minnick said she didn’t ultimately get one of the full-tuition scholarships, but said Competitive Scholars Day is not just about the staff and faculty getting to know prospective students — it’s about the students getting to know campus, as well.

“Today, I encourage you all to implant stop signs for yourself — stop to chat with a current student, hear stories from faculty and alumni, stop to admire the beauty of this campus… just take a few moments to really picture yourself here," she said.