The following program requirements must be met by all Meinig Scholars, on an annual basis, in order to remain a member in good standing and to continue to receive the financial benefits associated with the special designation of MFCNS:

• maintain a minimum 2.7 cumulative GPA while enrolled full time as a Cornell undergraduate in good academic standing.
• actively participate (make an impact) in MFCNS and/or in other organizations/activities on campus or in the local community for at least 150 hours minimum per year.
• participate in the designated number of Meinig-sponsored events, established at the beginning of each year.
• submit a re-application, including a reflective essay each year, describing your leadership learning.
• participate in all Freshman Forum events (freshmen only).

These expectations are viewed as a way of ensuring that members take full advantage of the opportunities for growth and connection. They also are designed to continue to foster the principles on which Meinig Scholars were originally selected - academic achievement and commitment to leadership in service to community. Any difficulties individuals may have in meeting any of the expectations will be examined on a case by case basis by the Director.

Proper completion of the Meinig Re-application materials, which includes activity verification and the reflective essay must be submitted each year by the deadline (established each year; typically mid-May for returning students and March or April for seniors.). The re-application process is how you demonstrate your compliance with the program requirements.

Failure to meet these requirements can result in a students' removal from the Meinig Scholars program.

For more details about compliance materials, see MFCNS Application Information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do academic or research activities count as leadership?
Activities completed for academic credit, for a course requirement, or for wages or other compensation do not meet the leadership expectation.

Do other paid experiences count toward leadership hours?
NO, with one exception.  The position of Residential Advisor (RA) is considered different than typical hourly paid positions and acknowledging the leadership aspects associated with this role, your leadership hours are reduced by 50 hrs.  100 hours needed in that year.  No more than 50 hours in total will be deducted from your annual requirement based on this activity.

How is my participation in Meinig-sponsored activities counted toward my leadership hours?
IF you fulfill all the requirements of Executive Mentoring, your leadership hours requirement is reduced by 25 hrs.  125 hours needed in that year.  No more than 25 hours in total will be deducted from your annual requirement based on these activities.

IF you serve on the executive board, serve as a liaison or executive mentoring coordinator as a result of tasks associated with serving on the board, your leadership hours are reduced by 50 hrs.  100 hours needed in that year.  No more than 50 hours in total will be deducted from your annual requirement based on these activities.

What is considered a Meinig-sponsored social or professional development activity?
Social events include such things as ice cream socials, coffee tabs, game nights, etc.

Professional development activities include fully participating in MFCNS Executive Mentoring or MFCNS Peer Advising, as well as alumni presentations, networking events, lectures, etc.

May I count time spent in training, practices and rehearsals as active engagement in leadership activities?
Time spent in these areas can be counted toward the MFCNS requirements ONLY IF no academic credit for the activity is earned. Travel time does not count toward your required hours.

Are the requirements different if I am off-campus for a semester or an entire year?
Semester off-campus: The requirement for scholars who are off-campus for one semester is 75 hours of active leadership for the academic year, the reflective essay on leadership (see above), and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7. Demonstration of compliance is done by submitting the Meinig re-application materials.

Entire year off-campus: For students who are away from campus for the entire academic year, all “hours” requirements are waived; however students are expected to meet the minimum cumulative GPA requirement and write a reflective essay on how their experience abroad is tied to their program values. Upon return to Ithaca, students will be accepted back into the program and must meet one half of program requirement by the last day of finals the fall semester back on campus.

Do hours done over the summer count toward my annual leadership hours?
No. Activities in which you participate during the academic year only-typically August through May-are those that can be considered for leadership hours. Fall, winter, and spring breaks are included, as they occur within the academic year. Summer activities do not count.