Five new scholars have joined the Robertson Scholars Program’s Class of 2013, program officials announced last week.
Duke freshmen Fabio Berger, Alpha Tessema and Kelsey Woodford, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill freshmen Alec Rubenstein and Lauren Winston, were accepted through the Robertson Scholars’ First-Year Scholar program, which debuted this year. In an unprecedented procedure for the program, freshmen already enrolled in either university this year were allowed to apply to the current scholar class.
“As a developmental leadership program, we wouldn’t want to have just one entry point into the program,” said Tony Brown, former executive director for the Robertson Scholars Program. “It opens up some of the program’s resources to other students at Duke and UNC.”
The Robertson Scholars Program focuses on leader development through education and collaboration. The program requires students to study at both Duke and UNC and integrates community service, usually through a summer internship or volunteer opportunity.
Brown, who served as executive director from July 2007 to February 2010, pioneered the pilot program and was the first to suggest opening the scholarship to current freshmen. There were initially questions about how the pilot would change the Robertsons’ dynamic, but the applicants selected are indicative of the program as a success, Brown said.
“I think the fact that we originally planned to select four [new scholars] and we selected five is evidence the transition went really, really well,” he said.
The new scholars were selected from a pool of 161 applicants and a multi-step selection process, said current executive director, Alex Perwich, who assumed the position Feb. 15.
Perwich said that as the new director, his agenda for the 10-year-old program is not one of change but of development. Using the program’s growing resources is a large part, he said.
“It’s a young program with a growing alumni base,” he said. “It’s a dynamic, changing environment—we need to be a relevant resource always—it’s an incredible opportunity to be in the leader development industry.”
Prospective applicants were e-mailed about the pilot program last November and applications were accepted until mid-January. After winter break, finalists were selected through a series of three interviews. The process aimed to conclude in late February but was slightly delayed due to the shift in leadership.
Winston said the delay made her believe that she had lost her chances at acceptance.
“I’m really time line-oriented so I was under the impression I did not make it to the next round,” she said. “When I got the word I had made it through the preliminaries, I had already decided I hadn’t been chosen.”
Across the board, however, the scholars agreed that the news was well worth the wait.
“I mean, I was euphoric, I don’t know how to put it in any other word,” Berger said. “It took a while to sink in, something that huge—I really saw it as the first day of the rest of my life.”
Tessema, who had applied to the program as a high school senior but was not selected, said he applied to Duke for the Robertson and jumped at the chance to apply again this year.
“When we found out, it was numb and... unreal,” he said.
The scholars said they are looking forward to a variety of new resources in the future.
“The opportunity to study at both universities and to participate in the summer program, both domestic and abroad, are the things I’m looking forward to,” said Rubenstein.
The other scholars in the program are also an attractive resource, Berger said.
Woodford said the program’s unique perspective on leadership was appealing to her, and is also what she is most excited to encounter.
“I will learn to lead in a collaborative way,” she said. “It’s a developing thing for me—it will make me grow as a person.”
Perwich and Brown said they have high hopes for the new Robertson Class of 2013 members, but they do not know whether the program will continue to extend applications to freshmen until later this year.
“The key thing now for them is to become assimilated into the program,” he said. ‘They don’t have any catching up or making up to do—as of today they are part of the Class of 2013 of Robertson scholars.”
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.