Whitinger Scholars would likely be expected to understand and embrace this concept. Their capabilities for continued intellectual excellence, imaginative creativity, constructive self-awareness, and responsible leadership are put to the test from the time they apply. Full scholarship and room and board are the rewards of acceptance. Successful candidates are selected from public and private secondary schools worldwide. One of four Honors College staff members conducts the interviews and makes notes which, in Edmonds' words, provide examples of individual responses.
Final selection is made by a committee representing the university's colleges.
A representative of the Office of Admissions, Marcia Resler, associate director and a former honors student, also participates in the decision-making process. Several committee members are experienced in this 23-year tradition of selection. Others are newer, but all members take an active interest in the task before them and are advocates for student success. There are 18 in the Fall Semester 1999 Whitinger Scholars class. Twelve of them have been awarded the distinction of Whitinger Scholars.