The Burchard Scholars Program
Expand your horizons at dinner seminars with distinguished MIT faculty
Applications are now closed.
Program open to MIT sophomores and juniors.
Student Application deadline: Wednesday, December 16, 2020.
Faculty Recommendation deadline: Monday, December 21, 2020.
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 usually 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. We deeply miss our in-person dinners, and this Spring's events will probably be virtual, but there is great probability that the 2021 Burchards will enjoy our normal dinners next fall.
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
- An essay on one of three essay topics in less than 500 words:
Students submit applications online here. You are expected to contact your HASS Faculty referee directly no later than the application deadline to make arrangements for them to supply a recommendation directly to burchard-scholars@mit.edu no later than one full week after the application deadline. (For 2020, the deadline for referees to submit recommendations is through Monday, December 21st.) You should supply them copies of your résumé and your list of HASS subjects. Please allow your referees time to do their job!
Applications are now closed for the 2021 Burchard Program.
If you have a question about the program or how to apply, please email burchard-scholars@mit.edu.
Information on the Burchard Program
Burchard Events
Past Burchard Scholars
Congratulations to the 2020 Burchard Scholars!
Paolo Adajar, junior
Mathematical Economics + Computer Science + Public Policy
Ifeoluwapo Ademolu-Odeneye, sophomore
Mathematics with Computer Science
Boluwatife Akinola, junior
Mathematical Economics
Anna Aldins, sophomore
Music and Theater Arts
Isabel Barnet, sophomore
Mechanical Engineering
Israel Bonilla, junior
Aeronautics and Astronautics
Owen Broderick, junior,
Management
Kevin Costello, junior
Mathematics + Music
Hope Dargan, junior
Computer Science and Engineering + History
Nadezhda Dimitrova, junior
Aeronautics and Astronautics
Jade Fischer, junior
Earth, Atmosphere, and Planetary Science
Rogerio Guimarae Jr., junior
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Madeline Holtz, sophomore
Chemistry
Lily Huo, junior
Biological Engineering
Aditya Jog, junior
Biology
Shuli Jones, sophomore
Computer Science and Engineering
Melissa Klein, junior
Mechanical Engineering + Music and Theater Arts
Maximillian Langenkamp, junior
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Keiran Lewellen, sophomore
Physics
Bhavik Nagda, junior
Computer Science and Engineering
Neosha Narayanan, sophomore
Materials Science and Engineering
Avery Nguyen, sophomore
Materials Science and Engineering
Samuel Nitz, junior
Computer Science + Molecular Biology
Isloma Osubor, junior
Mechanical Engineering and Management
Noopur Ranganathan, junior
Anthropology + Biology
James Santoro, sophomore
Management
Haniya Shareef, sophomore
Biological Engineering
Aaditya Singh, junior
Brain and Cognitive Science + Computer Science and Engineering
Nailah Smith, sophomore
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Madison Sneve, sophomore
Biology
Edwin Song, sophomore
Mathematical Economics
Sarah Spector, junior
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science + Latin American and Latino/a Studies
Shobhita Sundaram, sophomore
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Sarah Weidman, junior
Earth, Atmosphere, and Planetary Science + Physics
Alyssa Wells-Lewis, junior
Mechanical Engineering
Kevin Wesel, junior
Biology
Carine You, sophomore
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science