Global Scholar
Illinois Global Scholar Certificate Program
A transcript designation of merit for academic coursework, service, collaboration, and a capstone project.
The Illinois Global Scholar Distinction Promotes and Documents Global Competence High school students face rapidly changing expectations for future educational and career pursuits. In an increasingly connected and automated world, human skills of collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and communication in diverse cultural contexts are valued traits for scholars, citizens, and employees. As students develop global competence through globally-focused coursework across disciplines, they become future-ready in their approach to these complex challenges. They grow more aware of their strengths and passions as they learn to chart their own unique path to future pursuits. The Illinois Global Scholar Certificate on a student’s transcript, as well as curated evidence of their global experiences and competencies, signals to university selection committees, employers, and community members that the student values diversity, is curious about the world, participates in change for the greater good, builds relationships, adapts to novel situations and can communicate effectively to collaborate in our interdependent world.
Requirements
Established by Illinois legislation, the certificate recognizes students who have attained expertise in global competencies. To earn the certificate, students must complete these 4 requirements:
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Select 8 globally-focused courses from at least 2 disciplines
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Engage in at least one sustained and globally-focused service learning experience
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Experience at least one global collaboration and/or dialogue opportunity
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Complete and pass the Illinois Global Scholar performance-based capstone assessment which requires students to choose, investigate, and take action on a global concern
Students will maintain a portfolio of artifacts from coursework and service to document their competencies and accomplishments.
A variety of courses across disciplines have been designated globally-focused. Students who have taken these courses at any time in their high school career will be eligible to include them among the 8 required courses. Students complete the capstone assessment in the Global Scholar Capstone course (1 of the 8 required courses).