Gulf Scholars Program

Community-Driven Innovation Workshops

You can earn your degree while doing meaningful and effective work in this community as a Gulf Scholar! The Gulf Scholars Program (GSP) prepares undergraduates to collaboratively tackle big challenges. Throughout the GSP, you will:

Learn about the complex and dynamic United States Gulf of Mexico Region
Participate in community engagement workshops and activities
Work with peers, faculty/staff, and community members on a Gulf Impact Project

You may already have a deep understanding of the region based on your lived experiences. These experiences are valuable and will be recognized and accounted for in your program of study. The GSP may be an opportunity to bring your lived experiences and community connections into your undergraduate education.

Application Information

Requirements

Be an undergraduate in good academic standing at FAMU or FSU
Have at least 4 semesters remaining as an undergraduate student

Any FAMU or FSU undergrad may apply. All majors welcome!

We accept students of all majors and are committed to diversity and creating an equitable and inclusive environment. Applicants should plan to complete the program in 2-3 years.

Application

Apply through your home university:

FAMU program application
FSU program application (FAMU Engineering students may apply to either the FSU program or the FAMU program

Pathways

Scholars may choose between two pathways:

Co-curricular: this pathway requires at least six hours of coursework, participation in a Gulf Impact Project, and 4 semesters of extra-curricular experiences.
Extra-curricular: this pathway requires approved research and service experiences, participation in a Gulf Impact Project, and 4 semesters of extra-curricular experiences.

Faculty Mentorship Opportunity!

If you are a FSU or FAMU faculty member and are interested in working with Gulf Scholars on their Gulf Impact Project, please email the program at gulfscholars@eng.famu.fsu.edu

Gulf Scholars sitting together on the grass — Photo credit: Rahni Wright

FAMU-FSU Gulf Scholars Leadership Team

Program Director - Kassie Ernst, Ph.D., FAMU-FSU COE
Program Manager - Rahni Wright, FAMU-FSU COE
Community Engagement - Maria-Paula McIntyre, FSU Center for Leadership and Service
Curriculum Development - Jayur Mehta, Ph.D., FSU Department of Anthropology
Interdisciplinary Capacity Building – Evangeline Coker, FSU Office of Research
Mentorship - Sophia Rahming, Ph.D., FSU CAT
Program Evaluation - Roxanne Hughes, Ph.D., National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Strategic Planning - Jarrett L. Terry, FSU Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Centers for Institutes, Community and Economic engagement
FAMU Partnership – Richard Aló, Ph.D., and Richard Long, Ph.D., FAMU College of Science and Technology

Funding and History

The GSP is committed to the goal of building a more just, equitable, sustainable and resilient Gulf of Mexico Region. Funded by the Gulf Research Program, this vision stems from the effort to recover from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and prepare for additional social, economic, environmental, and climate stressors occurring throughout the region.

The Gulf Research Program is funded by the largest environmental damage settlement in U.S. history – a $20.8 billion settlement reached to attempt to restore the damages done by the April 20, 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. The spill killed 11 people, injured 17 and spewed 3.19 million barrels (almost 134 million gallons) of oil across the Gulf of Mexico.