Academics:

> Which academic majors are associated with the Micah Program? Our students are remarkably diverse. Over thirty majors are represented, including Theology, Pre-Med, Psychology, International Studies, Social Work, Pre-Law, English, Nursing, Engineering, Forensic Science, Philosophy, Aviation Science, Languages, and Business.

> What is the Urban Project? The Urban Project is a collaboration of the Micah Program and first-rate academic departments and programs that offer degrees dealing with urban problems, including American Studies, Civil Engineering, Communication Disorders, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Economics, Educational Studies, Nutrition and Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Pre-Law Studies, Political Science, Public Health, Public Policy Studies, Social Work, Sociology, and Criminal Justice. Micah students interested in the Urban Project take Urban Crisis (3 credit hours) and Exploring Urban Vocations (1 credit hour) during the spring semester of their freshmen year. These courses fulfill their Micah Program spring course requirement. Learn more about the Urban Project.

> Can I study abroad as a member of The Micah Program? Absolutely. For students who are interested, we faciliate an immersion program that takes them to El Salvador in the spring of their sophomore year. Many of our upperclass-students also take advantage of other SLU opportunites to study abroad.

> Are there special Micah courses? Yes, Micah freshmen take at least three, and up to five, courses together in their first year: Micah Program sections of Theology and Philosophy are taken in the fall and Micah students may take our sections of Urban Crisis and/or Christian Morality in the spring. Micahs in the Urban Project will also take the 1 credit hour course "Exploring Urban Vocations" in the spring. We also offer an Advanced Writing course for those Micah freshmen who still need their writing course for the university. All of these courses generally satisfy some of the university core requirements. They also take students a long way toward completion of our Interdisciplinary Minor in Urban Social Analysis.

> What are core courses? They are classes that students are required to take in order to graduate from a particular college or school in the university.

Does enrolling in Micah increase the number of courses that I will have to take? Though core requirements vary somewhat from one college or school at SLU to another, Micah classes can usually be counted toward students' graduation requirements. In most cases, Micah does not add more academic requirements than students already have.

> How are the sections of courses taken by Micah freshmen different? Though they cover the same general topics as any other section, they are special in two ways. First, in the fall they are taught back-to-back and connected in content so that things learned in one course contribute to the other. Second, whenever possible, they focus on issues of social justice, drawing connections between what students are studying and what they are experiencing in their community service. Since students in the classes are friends, discussion tends to be lively, and there are more chances to study together and collaborate on projects.

> What about my other course work? Besides the three Micah courses required in the freshman year, your other studies at SLU will depend entirely on your academic interests and the plans that you lay with your academic advisor.

> Are there Micah courses after the freshman year? Yes, but they are optional. Since students who finish our Freshman-Year Project need only a few more classes to complete our Interdisciplinary Minor in Urban Social Analysis, many take some of their other core requirements in ways that allow them to complete that credential, which is often useful in applying for jobs or for graduate or professional studies.

Service:

> How many community service hours are required in the program? Because we understand that it is important for freshmen to focus on their studies, we ask only thirty hours a semester. That averages about two to three hours a week. Many students, however, do more.

> Where do Micah freshmen do their service? We work at over a dozen sites in urban communities near the university, many of them in the Historic Shaw Neighborhood or near Cherokee Street, where many of St. Louis' Hispanic immigrants live. You can learn more about our service sites by clicking on the Service button below.

> What kind of service do they perform? In our regular weekly service, we focus on building relationships with people and helping them in long-term ways that will help them break out of poverty. For that reason, we don't work with crisis agencies such as soup kitchens and homeless shelters. You can learn more about our service sites by clicking on the Service button below.

> How will I be assigned to a service site? Whenever possible, we give students their first choice among the sites that we support. What you do will depend mainly on your schedule, the times when sites that interest you are available, and transportation schedules.

> How will I get to service? The program contracts with the university van pool to rent the necessary vehicles for weekly service and for other Micah events. Students in the program who are certified by the university drive the vans. There are no costs for our students for this transportation.

>Are the places where you serve safe? Our highest priority is to ensure that everyone stays safe. Although no American city is without potential dangers, the neighborhoods where we serve are stable and our sites are well run. We do, however, ask first-year students to follow a few simple rules: never to go to service alone; take the vans directly to service sites and back; and don't leave campus for service at night.

> What other service opportunities does Micah offer? In addition to weekly service, many freshmen volunteer for special monthly events with older Micah students and with the faculty and staff. Though these outings are not required, they are favorites with our students. They often involve renovating houses, landscaping unsightly areas, or fixing up facilities at underfunded schools.

> How does Micah service fit with the Presidential and MLK Scholarships? Presidential Scholars can use the service hours from their Presidential Scholarship service to fulfill Micah service hours. MLK Scholars can use Micah service to fulfill their scholarship's service requirements.

Community:

> Who are the Micah freshmen? Micah students are diverse in faith, education, race, socio-economic background, and personal interests. The common threads that bind them together are faith, seriousness about their education, and desire to serve people in need.

> Where do they live? The Micah freshmen and their Micah sophomore Mentors live on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors of Marguerite Hall, which is a total of 123 Micah students. Typically, thirty freshmen and ten sophomores live on 2 and also on 3, and forty sophomores live on 4. Groups of four students of the same gender live in the sixteen suites on the floors, with each suite being made up of two rooms joined by a private bathroom. The RAs are all students in the program. The floors also contain lounges and full kitchens. Marguerite Hall is located on the main campus sidewalk, close to Campus Ministry, Xavier Hall, Adjorhan Hall, McGannon Hall, Notre Dame Hall, DeMattias Hall, Brouster Hall, Fusz Hall, and other important buildings on campus. It is located directly across from the SLU Village apartments.

> Who are the Mentors? They are sophomores in the program chosen from among those who are interested in helping the incoming freshmen. They are available to serve as guides to the university and the program and to offer support whenever they are needed. Since they have just completed the Micah Freshman-Year Project themselves, they are excellent resources for new students.

> Where do the other Micah upperclassmen live? Since Marguerite is a popular building, many of our students stay there for their sophomore and even junior years. Those serving as Mentors to the freshmen live in their own suites on Marguerite 2, 3 and 4 close to our freshmen. Micah upperclasssmen also live in three houses on campus and in Micah-assigned apartments in Grand Forest. Micah upperclassmen who do not choose to stay in Micah housing usually live in apartments on campus or in the surrounding city. Most older students remain active in the program, which allows opportunities for students at all levels to get to know one another and to form networks of friendships.

> Will I have time to participate in other areas of campus life besides Micah ? Freshmen in the program are required to devote just three to four hours a week total to Micah service and Community Night meetings That leaves plenty of time to become involved in other organizations. Many of our students participate in such organizations as Campus Ministry, Student Government, the student newspaper, academic clubs, intramural sports teams, University Theatre, the choir, and Greek organizations. In fact, since our students often develop unusual leadership skills, they are in demand across campus.

> Are there activities I won't be able to combine with Micah ? Since college courses require much more study time than those in high school, we do not recommend piling up a lot of activities, especially in the first year. In particular, we warn students against combining Micah with extremely demanding activities such as varsity sports and fraternities and sororities that expect heavy time commitments from pledges.

What about part-time jobs? Like other freshmen, many Micah students have jobs. If you have to work to support your education, there won't be a problem so long as your job does not require more than ten or twelve hours a week. We recommend, however, that you not take on activities besides Micah until you have settled in and know what your schedule permits. There won't be time for work and a long string of extra-curricular activities, as there was in high school.

> Can I talk to current participants about Micah ? Certainly! Our current students are always happy to talk with people about the program. If you are going to be on campus, please plan to stop by the office and take a tour of Marguerite 7 and 8. Once you have been accepted to SLU, you're welcome to spend the night on one of the floors so that you can talk at length with students. To schedule a call at home or arrange a visit, please contact our Program Coordinator, Debbie Wilson, at 314-977-3615 or micah@slu.edu

> I'm ready to apply! Great! Click on Apply and you'll receive instructions for printing out an application from a PDF file or for applying directly on line. Since we do a limited number of early acceptances for students who are exceptionally qualified candidates, it is to your advantage to submit your forms as soon as you can.

IMPORTANT: In order to be sure that your application has reached us, please contact our office immediately if you do not receive an acknowledgement within two working days of sending it in.

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