The Archer Fellows Program, for highly motivated, academically-promising students, is one of the College of Arts and Sciences honors programs at Suffolk University

Eligibility Designation as an Archer Fellow is offered each year by The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) to fifteen of the most highly-motivated, academically promising students in the freshman class.  Additional highly academically-promising students may be invited or may apply for membership in the Archer Fellows program up to and including the second semester of their sophomore year.  Students may withdraw from the program, without penalty, at any time during their academic career in the College.

Special Benefits

Archer Fellows receive, throughout their career at Suffolk, special recognition, orientation and advising.  They have, in special Challenge Seminars and Challenge Courses, the unique opportunity to shape the learning experience to their own needs and interests and to work in close collaboration with College faculty members. Archer Fellows are offered, and help to plan, a series of social and intellectual events to bring them together, to offer them food for thought and to them get to know members of the faculty.  Finally, Archer Fellows, upon completion or the program, are separately listed in a place of special honor on the Commencement program at their graduation ceremony, and their student transcripts (sent to potential employers and to graduate or professional schools to which they apply) explain the special distinction, as well as the special requirements and responsibilities, of participation in the Archer Fellows program.  Each full time Archer Fellow receives a merit scholarship of $250 per semester, or $500 per year.  Scholarships are activated as funding becomes available through graduation and program attrition.

Program Oversight

Supervision of the Archer Fellows program is done by the Archer Fellows Steering Committee (see the CAS Administration, Faculty and Committees listing in this catalog).  Questions should be directed to David Gallant, Director of Undergraduate Advising, who handles the administrative management of the program.

Academic Program and Requirements

Archer Fellows have several requirements to fulfill in order to complete the Archer Fellows program. Fellows must complete the Archer Fellow section of Seminar for Freshmen and a minimum of three Challenge Seminars and six Challenge Courses.

Challenge Seminars, coded as ARCH 001, are special topic, one-credit seminars suggested by CAS faculty members and Archer Fellows. The suggestions are forwarded to the Archer Fellows Steering Committee for selection of seven or eight Challenge Seminars to be offered each semester.  Challenge Courses are regular three-credit courses offered in the College of Arts and Sciences catalog in which the student chooses to “challenge” him or herself, in consultation with the instructor, by doing work above and beyond the normal expectations for the course.

Below is the recommended schedule for fulfilling Archer Fellows requirements, which is comprised of ten courses, or twenty-five credit hours, of challenge work:

As freshmen, Archer Fellows are required to take the Archer Fellow s of Seminar for Freshmen.

 As sophomores, Archer Fellows are to complete two Challenge Courses (one per semester) and one Challenge Seminar (in the Fall or Spring).

As juniors, Archer Fellows again complete two Challenge Courses and one Challenge Seminar,

As seniors, Archer Fellows are required to participate in the honors courses or program offered by her or his major department and complete a Challenge Seminar.  One honors course is equivalent to one Challenge Course; if the honors program is for only one semester or if there is no honors program offered, Fellows are to substitute each presumed honors course with a Challenge Course.

Retention

To remain in good standing, an Archer Fellow needs to maintain a “B (3.0) grade point average in Challenge Seminars and Challenge Courses, a 3.0 average in every semester, and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better.  Failure to maintain the minimum CPA, to maintain timely progress within the program, or to provide up-to-date documentation of the students progress will constitute cause for suspension of the $250-per-semester merit scholarship and for his/her dismissal from the Archer Fellows program.