One of the strongest missions at Holy Cross is to help students flourish both academically and in their character. One opportunity that the Academy offers is the Madeleva Scholars program, which enriches a LOTA throughout her high school years as she grows into a courageous, compassionate, and scholarly young woman.
Students apply to the Madeleva Scholars program in the second semester of freshman year. The program is open to students who maintain good performance in academically rigorous classes, fulfill a greater service hours requirement, remain active in extracurriculars, and complete enrichment projects during summer breaks.
“Sister Madeleva was passionate about women’s education and promoted women gaining a higher education, which is what we seek to embody in the program,” the coordinator of the Madeleva Scholars program Megan Minogue emphasized. “The Madeleva Scholars program is a great opportunity for students to pursue interests outside of the classroom, for students to give back to others through the extra service hours, and for students to become more well-rounded people.”
Among the experiences that Madeleva provides, one of the most prominent aspects of the program is the Madeleva research paper. A Madeleva scholar devotes time to this paper from the spring of her junior year to the fall of her senior year. With the guidance of a mentor, she will choose a thesis-driven topic based on her interests, conduct thorough research, and write a ten-page paper presenting her knowledge.
“A good research paper includes elements such as a research driven argument, organized thoughts, and is focused on a topic that the student enjoys,” Minogue explained. “This is why mentors are involved to help with research and guide each individual student through her chosen field in order to achieve a well written and well researched paper.”
This process is challenging, including crafting a unique question for a thesis, finding a structure of writing that best compliments the content, and remaining in communication with mentors. Students learn the importance of revising drafts, conducting thorough research, and efficiently planning out their time during this process, which is essential college preparation.
“In college, you will likely be doing these exact activities, as college classes are either based on tests or papers,” science teacher and five-year Madeleva mentor Allison Simon described. “As you study certain fields in college, you will have to put together papers. The research paper helps you prepare for them by practicing skills you’ll need.”
Kaylee Ruleman is currently a senior in the Madeleva program and chose to write her paper on the different forms of assisted reproductive technologies. While conducting and writing such an extensive paper is a large task for students, Ruleman found the support of the program to be extremely beneficial and helped her complete her paper successfully.
“Having a mentor to guide you through the process helps motivate you to meet the deadlines and make the essay flow well,” Ruleman reflected. “Writing this paper allowed me to learn more about a topic that I am passionate about.”
The research paper empowers students to explore areas of interest and helps them develop skills that they will need in the future, thus contributing greatly to the goal of the Madeleva Scholars Program.
“The research paper puts together aspects of women’s education and the mission of Sister Madeleva,” Minogue summarized. “Each student is given the opportunity to enact scholarship on her own, dive deep into research, and prove that she can research into and write about a topic of her interest.”