Presidential Scholars Program

How a Program Within Honors Promotes Self-Discovery and Service 

By Lily Nelson

The Presidential Scholars Program (PSP) provides a yearly scholarship as well as a community to foster the growth of undergraduates in the Honors Program. PSP focuses on helping develop students who lead not only academically, but within their communities. 

“Being a part of PSP has been amazing!” said current presidential scholar and senior Mia Dukle, summing up what the program has meant to her.

Self-reflection and community are at the heart of PSP. Dukle, who double-majors in biomedical sciences and informatics, found this to be one of the most beneficial parts of the program. Students join the application-based program as first-years and may serve in the executive committee as upperclassmen. Inspired by her experience in the program, Dukle has served two years on the executive committee as secretary. 

“I’ve learned from different perspectives, broadened my view, and discovered more about myself in the process,” she said. 

Dukle pointed to two unique classes, taught by Student Scholarship and Development Specialist Candice Wuehle and Associate Director Emily Hill, that make this program more than just a scholarship, but an opportunity for personal growth. 

The curriculum emphasizes understanding oneself as well as how one fits into the world. The first of the two semester-long classes focuses on deepening the student’s understanding of themselves, and the second focuses on helping students understand how their identity weaves into the community around them through service-based learning. 

The format centers on reflective writing and group discussion to foster community among the scholars. Along with special events for presidential scholars, the classes bring together students from various academic programs to explore topics they might not otherwise

 discuss. 

“It’s been wonderful to meet other students who are passionate about various topics and learn from so many others,” commented Dukle.

Guest speakers expose students to a variety of service-based activities, and members of the PSP are encouraged to engage more with the community around them. Many become highly involved in their respective areas of study as well as service more broadly.

Dukle exemplifies this type of student involvement. In addition to serving as secretary on the PSP board, she has also picked up many other responsibilities on campus, including research in the PENDL lab, service as an OUR ambassador, and work in Child Life at Stead Family Hospital. 

Child life focuses on the social-emotional wellbeing of children within hospitals. Dukle’s role at Stead involves supporting pediatric patients, particularly long-term patients. Since arriving on campus, it is this work that Dukle has found herself to be most passionate about. 

“Every day, I'm struck by how different each child's story is and how much there is to learn from them” she observed. “They are resilient, hopeful, and endlessly curious—and they surprise me every time.”  

The Presidential Scholars Program emphasizes not only understanding others but understanding your impact on the people around you. 

“I've found there's something uniquely special about working with kids; you can answer their questions in ways that help shape how they see and understand the world before any biases have the chance to settle in,” said Dukle. 

Integrating oneself into and bearing responsibility within a community can provide great satisfaction--a point PSP imparts to each new cohort of students and articulated clearly by Dukle: “I carry a deep sense of responsibility in this work but have also found great joy.” 

After completing her undergraduate degrees at Iowa, Dukle plans to attend medical school. She hopes to continue conducting research, as well as using what she’s learned at Stead in child life to continue beneficially impacting pediatric patients via clinical care. In doing so, she will be another PSP alumna broadening the network and taking the skills she’s learned on campus as well as in the program to the broader community.