Over the weekend, the Office of Admissions welcomed prospective students who are recipients of the university’s most prestigious scholarship, the Presidential Scholarship.

Each year the recipients of the Presidential Scholarship are invited to campus for a weekend in their honor with a unique visit day for the prospective students the following Monday.

The events of the Presidential Scholars Weekend 2016 included a celebration with Dr. Phil Schubert, President of the University and a special guest speaker, Dr. Richard Beck.

Tamara Long, Dean of Admissions, said the events of the weekend were “very successful.”

“There was live music and unique dining stations where prospective scholars and their guests enjoyed 8 different small plates and 4 different desserts,” she said. “It was a huge success with about 200 prospective scholars and their guests.”

Dr. Richard Beck, Associate Professor of Psychology, spoke to the prospective students about living a beautiful life, a talk he built around a conversation he had with a former student.

“I wanted to share this message with the Presidential Scholars because I think it gets at what ACU is all about,” he said. “Getting a degree at ACU isn’t just about being successful. An education at ACU is about how to live a beautiful life.”

Dr. Beck said that he noticed something special about the admitted Presidential Scholars. He said they were “a talented, accomplished, and intelligent group of students.” Yet, he saw something else in them.

“I mostly noticed their passion and enthusiasm in wanting to make a positive difference in the world,” he said. “That was very encouraging to see. They gave me hope for the future.”

The Presidential Scholarship is awarded to prospective students based on their application to ACU as well as high school transcripts and test scores. In order to be considered for the Presidential Scholarship, students must score a 27 or higher on the ACT or equivalent on the SAT. To keep the scholarship, students must maintain a 3.2 or higher GPA.

Long said the university admitted 214 Presidential Scholars to ACU Class of 2020 with the hopes of enrolling 100 for the 2016-2017 academic year.