This year, a single Columbia junior will be selected as the Steamboat Summer Scholar and will have the unparalelled experience of interning at the Hospital of Special Surgery with Columbia alumnus and New York Mets team physician Dr. David Altchek. The Scholar will spend ten weeks in the summer of 2010 shadowing Dr. Altchek in clinical consultations and observing surgical procedures in the operating room, while contributing to a relevant independent clinical research project. The Steamboat Scholar will also receive a $12,000 financial award, participate in leadership-building events, and live and learn with the ten other Steamboat Scholars, all of whom hail from different universities and bring a range of perspectives and interests to the group.

The Summer Scholar Program underscores Steamboat Foundation’s aim: to build a lasting culture of leadership that emphasizes integrity, demands a rigorous work ethic, and encourages the kind of risk-taking that leaders must learn to assume. It is designed to be a rigorous and comprehensive experience, timed to impact young leaders at a formative moment in their professional and personal lives, preparing them to take on leadership roles at work and in their communities.

GRANT SPECIFICS: The Steamboat Foundation awards a $12,000 grant to the selected Steamboat Scholar recipient for the summer. The Scholar attends a two day orientation at the beginning of June with other Steamboat Scholars and attends Steamboat Scholar events such as, the opening reception at the Forbes Galleries, two to three Foundation Dinners with distinguished guests, five Leadership Evenings with facilitator Dr. Tom Inck and other social events in and around New York City. The Grant specifies that Scholars are housed together at the New School in Manhattan’s West Village during the internship period. Scholars submit a Final Essay and Evaluation at the close of the summer.

ELIGIBILITY: A candidate must be a third year undergraduate and have demonstrated financial need (Columbia financial aid recipient). If you are not receiving financial aid from Columbia but believe that you have other circumstances that would qualify you as financially needy, please submit a self-declaration of financial need. This statement will be required if the applicant is not receiving financial aid directly from Columbia. Only students from Columbia University will be considered for the Steamboat Scholar Placement at Hospital for Special Surgery.