What makes a TIP Scholar?

TIP Scholars are exceptionally motivated students who have demonstrated academic excellence, desire to challenge themselves, and a commitment to their own learning.

TIP builds an academic community of these motivated students representing a diverse array of intellectual interests and career goals within the College of Liberal Arts, College of Natural Sciences, and Kinesiology majors in the College of Education. TIP Scholars hone their skills at intellectual engagement and enterprise by participating in a wide variety of experiences at UT that gain individual recognition. They continue this tradition of excellence as they successfully compete for positions in noted graduate schools, professional programs, and employment opportunties.

Here are just some of the distinctions earned by TIP Scholars:

Scholarships and Awards

JAMP (Joint Admission Medical Program) is a competitive program that gives students a chance to prepare for medical school and guarantees admission to a Texas medical school. TIP Scholars have always earned a significant number of seats in this competitive and prestigious program.

TIP Scholars apply and are awarded competitive, merit-based scholarships such as:

many Rapoport service scholarships for Liberal Arts students,

Study Abroad scholarships,

Robert D. King Dean’s Distinguished Graduates Presidential Scholarship,

McNair scholarships,

Dean Endowed Scholarships,

Presidential Endowed Scholarships,

Bill and Melinda Gates Scholarship,

Hutchison International Scholarships,

Merck Scholarships

and scholarships to attend graduate and professional school,

…just to name a few.

Research, Internships, and Study Abroad

Over half of our Natural Science TIP Scholars participate in research experiences during their first year at UT with various faculty right here on the UT campus. Many seek out and participate in experiences that enrich their personal, intellectual, and professional development, such as:

• Summer research experiences at MD Anderson, MIT, University of California, University of Massachusetts, and other top-notch universities
• Internships with Merck, Google, Cisco, and IBM
• Internships with the World Health Organization in Geneva
• Completing their organic chemistry course in Spain
• Internships with Human Rights in Action in Denmark
• Summer Medical and Dental Education Program internships (SMDEP) at Duke, Columbia, and other institutions
• Volunteer experiences in the community with organizations such as the Austin State Hospital, Dell Children’s Hospital, and Brackenridge Hospital
• and Study Abroad experiences around the globe such as Great Britain, India, South Africa, Ghana, Mexico, Spain, Brazil, Korea, Denmark, and Turkey.

Leadership and Service

Leadership and giving back through mentoring are important to our TIP Scholars. Many have gone on to be instrumental in student leadership on campus and beyond. Many of our students become leaders on campus with positions:

• in Student Government
• in Natural Sciences Council and Liberal Arts Council
• as Orientation Advisors
• as TIP Mentors
• as Peer Research Mentors
• as Undergraduate Teaching Assistants in college-level classes
• as Resident Hall Assistants
• as Tutors
• in Leadership Positions in a wide variety of student organizations such as TIP Community Outreach (TIPCO), SURGe (Science Undergraduate Research Group), LEI (Leadership and Ethics Institute), Health Professions Organizations, Service Organizations, and Cultural Organizations.

Every year, nearly half of our TIP Academic Peer Mentors are former TIP Scholars. Students like valued the insight and advice provided by their own mentors their first year at UT that they felt compelled to give back to subsequent cohorts of TIP Scholars. They earned this highly competitive position through demonstration of leadership, communication skill, and college success.

Graduate and Professional Programs

TIP Scholars have also gone on to realize their dreams of becoming physicians, dentists, optometrists, pharmacists and other health professionals with their admission to top medical programs around the nation such as:

• UT Southwestern
• University of Texas Medical Branch
• University of North Texas
• Baylor School of Medicine
• University of Texas School of Pharmacy
• Texas Tech School of Pharmacy
• University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Many other Scholars have also successfully entered graduate programs in Public Health, Law, Business Administration, Psychology and Counseling, and nearly every discipline in the Sciences, Social Sciences, and Humanities out there. Just some of the institutions that will be befitting from our Scholars’ contribution to their intellectual community:

• William and Mary School of Law
• University of Texas Law School
• University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
• Georgetown University
• University of Texas at Austin
• Washburn University School of Law
• University of California, San Francisco
• Cornell University