Holland native selected as Kemper Scholar

BELOIT, WI (04/30/2012)(readMedia)-- The James S. Kemper Foundation of Chicago announced this week it has selected Beloit College freshman Hope Ducet of Holland, Mich., for the incoming class of the prestigious Kemper Scholars Program.

The mission of the Kemper Scholars Program is to prepare students for leadership and service, especially in the fields of organizational administration and business. Aiming to promote education in the liberal arts, the program provides students opportunities for career exploration and practical experience.

"Beloit College is thrilled to be a part of the Kemper Scholars Program, as we share a commitment to helping future leaders put their liberal arts education into practice," says Charles Westerberg, associate dean of the college and director of the Liberal Arts in Practice Center. "Hope Ducet is an outstanding representative of this shared commitment."

Ducet, who majors in English and political science, was selected to be a Kemper Scholar due to her excellent academic record, demonstrated skill in writing, and broad commitment to service, according to a Kemper Foundation press release.

Kemper Scholars represent the best undergraduates from a group of 16 exemplary liberal arts colleges around the country, according to Dr. Ryan LaHurd, the president and executive director of the James S. Kemper Foundation.

"They are selected because they are committed to their studies and service in their communities and because they have exhibited leadership and well-rounded, ethical character," said LaHurd in the release. "Throughout the over six decades of the program, scholars have gone on to make outstanding contributions as leaders in organizations around the country."

Kemper Scholars receive annual scholarships up to $10,000 based on need during their sophomore, junior and senior years of college, and they receive stipends to cover the costs of their work as interns in major non-profit organizations in Chicago during the summer following their sophomore year. Scholars are placed in full-time administrative positions where they can learn about such things as financial management, organizational strategy, fund-raising, and non-profit administration.

During the summer following their junior year, scholars are eligible for summer stipends to cover the costs of a learning opportunity in an internship in a for-profit corporation. Each year all Kemper Scholars attend a national conference to discuss summer projects, meet with former Kemper Scholars, and consider topics in administration, leadership and business.

For more information on the Kemper Foundation, visit www.jskemper.org.

Beloit College is a residential, liberal arts college offering 40 majors to its 1,250 students. Located 90 miles northwest of Chicago, Beloit is one of the nation's most international colleges, drawing students from 41 nations as well as 49 states.