Eckardt Scholars Program encourages academic diversity

Being excused from more than 30 distribution credit requirements was never on Mary Cordova’s list of possibilities for her time at Lehigh.

But when she was accepted into the Eckardt Scholars Program a couple of months after her initial Early Decision II acceptance, she knew she couldn’t give up the opportunity.

The program runs exclusively through the College of Arts and Sciences at Lehigh. Unlike most students, individuals who are selected aren’t required to complete the college’s general distribution requirements, giving them the ability to create course lists that align with their interests and introduce more interdisciplinary education.

Although the scholars are exempt from distribution requirements, each new cohort is required to take a first-year seminar together, where the topics and professors vary each year. Cordova, ‘25, took a music and culture seminar, where she played new instruments from around the world every week. The class of 2024 cohort took a course on the intersection of theatre and technology.

Eckardt Scholars must also take a junior-year seminar together and complete a senior capstone or thesis.

The Eckardt Scholars program is an honors program in the College of Arts and Sciences and excuses its students from the college’s distribution requirements. Students in the program are required to complete a thesis or capstone project and present it at the end of the year. (Courtesy of Jenna Lay)

Most students are accepted into the program prior to their first year, but students can also be nominated by their professors at the end of their first year for acceptance into the program.

A cohort of 15 to 20 Eckardt Scholars occupy each class, with a total of 90 active students.

Jenna Lay, an English professor and the director of the program, has been leading the program since 2020.

The first Eckardt Scholars were recruited in 1989, under the new program named to honor professor Roy Eckardt.

Eckardt was the chairman of the department of religion at Lehigh from 1951 to 1980. His academic works on the Holocaust, Christianity and Judaism were recognized worldwide. Eckardt’s student, George Lemmon, endowed the program in his name.

When recruiting Eckardt Scholars, Lay said the program looks for high-achieving interdisciplinary students, so the admissions office chooses students based on the areas of study they’re interested in and their goals.

The Eckardt Scholars Program is one of the only Lehigh honors programs prospective students cannot apply for. The admissions office keeps the program in mind when admitting new students and finalizes their offers after the initial acceptance process. They look for students who pursue a variety of unique interests while displaying stellar academic achievement.

“We want students who are really motivated, engaged and want to take advantage of all the opportunities Lehigh has to offer,” Lay said. “We want to give them the opportunity to take advantage of everything.”

The program uses its endowment funding to provide support for any external opportunities and academic interests students choose to pursue.

“Unlike some other programs in the college, we do not receive any money from the college or the university,” Lay said. “All the money for Eckardt Scholars comes from (an) endowment, so it’s money that’s specifically dedicated to this program.”

Cordova said she has used this perk to her advantage in recently being awarded a grant for her research lab. She said the program often funds students’ study abroad programs too.

Due to the small size of the program, Cordova said she feels connected to her peers and enjoys connecting with new students each year. The program often hosts events to honor Eckardt student accomplishments, such as a reception after their senior capstone presentations.

“Everybody in the program definitely has deep, cultivated thoughts,” Cordova said. “When I go to the Eckardt events, I can always talk to someone new, and the conversations always feel very connected and meaningful.”

Alex Burmeister, ‘25, was accepted into the program a week after her initial acceptance into Lehigh.

She said she didn’t know a lot about the program and neither did many fellow students or university employees.

Burmeister said most students in the program get accepted after their initial university acceptance, which she said is possibly a significant reason Eckardt Scholar students end up choosing Lehigh over other schools.

“It’s a program that celebrates and encourages students to study interdisciplinary topics,” Burmeister said. “It’s easier to major and really focus on topics you’re interested in.”