The Burchard Scholars Program 
Expand your horizons at dinner seminars with distinguished MIT faculty
 


Thanks to all our 2024 Burchard Scholars! 

Expand Your Horizons at Dinner Seminars with Distinguished Faculty

The Burchard Scholars Program brings together distinguished members of the faculty and promising MIT sophomores and juniors who have demonstrated excellence in some aspect of the humanities, arts, or social sciences. About 35 MIT undergraduates are selected each year for the competitive program. Each cohort of "Burchards" participates for one calendar year, from February through December.

The format is a series of dinner seminars that reflect the vast range of inquiry and research in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Science. The Burchard Program consists of eight events throughout a calendar year. Seminars are held monthly, on Wednesday evenings from 5-7pm, during the school year. 

Application Information

The Burchard Scholars application must include the following materials:

  • Curriculum Vitae or résumé
  • List of HASS classes you have taken at MIT
  • A letter of recommendation from a Faculty member who has taught you in a HASS course (to be submitted by the Faculty member no later than the application deadline)
  • An unofficial MIT transcript
  • An essay on one of three essay topics in less than 500 words:

    • If you could require every incoming MIT student to read one book, or contemplate one work of art, or listen to one piece of music, what would it be and why?
    • "Great ideas change the world.” In your essay, personalize the SHASS motto by addressing the following question: How have one or two “great ideas” changed you and your views of “the world”?
    • Write about an experience in which you encountered a tension between personal freedom and community standards. Discuss the experience and the underlying issues, how you dealt with the tension, and whether or not there was a satisfactory resolution.

Students can submit applications online. Applicants are expected to contact their HASS Faculty recommenders directly to arrange for an emailed recommendation letter no later than the application deadline. Applicants should supply recommenders with copies of their résumés and a list of HASS subjects. A complete application MUST include a confidential letter of recommendation from a HASS Faculty Member by the application deadline. Please allow recommenders time to do their jobs!


Contact us with questions about the program or how to apply.

Information on the Burchard Program

Burchard Events
Past Burchard Scholars


Congratulations to the 2024 Burchard Scholars!

  • Julia Camacho, Junior, Urban Studies and Planning
  • Zev Moore, Sophomore, Management
  • James Rock, Sophomore, Political Science
  • Sashko Horokh, Junior, Mathematics
  • Margaret Wang, Junior, Mathematics
  • Grace Zhang, Junior, Mathematics
  • Mustafa Al-Obaidi, Junior, Mechanical Engineering
  • Isabella Gandara, Junior, Biological Engineering
  • Graham Guite, Sophomore, Biological Engineering
  • Leena Mehendale, Sophomore, Biological Engineering
  • Katie Spivakovsky, Sophomore, Biological Engineering
  • Kaelyn Dunnell, Junior, Literature
  • Kelly Kim, Sophomore, Literature
  • Alice Le, Junior, Writing
  • Ariel McGee, Sophomore, Writing
  • Kaitlyn Yanna, Junior, Nuclear Science and Engineering
  • Miguel Buitrago, Sophomore, Philosophy
  • Mishael Quraishi, Junior, Materials Science and Engineering
  • Syd Robinson, Junior, Materials Science and Engineering
  • Effaima Longe, Junior, Chemistry
  • Rumi Lee, Junior, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Emily Kang, Junior, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Esther Kinyanjui, Junior, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Tarang Lunawat, Junior, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Janka Hamori, Junior, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Vivian Hir, Junior, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Franklin Nguyen, Junior, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Mohamed Suufi, Junior, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Renee Ge, Junior, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Janvi Huria, Junior, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Ashley Williams, Junior, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Elizabeth Zhang, Sophomore, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Alex Tang, Sophomore, Biology
  • Saul Balcarcel-Salazar, Junior, Physics
  • Felicia Xiao, Junior, Physics