Applying to the Gordon Center

The application period is now closed. Acceptance decisions will be made by June 01, 2009.

The Gordon Center selects approximately 30 students each year to become Gordon Scholars and participate in the Center's undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.

All Gordon Scholars are expected to be enrolled at UC San Diego in an engineering major and be in good academic standing.

All applicants to the Gordon Center will prepare an application package consisting of:

• A Cover Letter
• C.V. with a list of publications
• An essay on their perspective on engineering leadership and their prior leadership experiences
• A slide presentation (in PPT or PDF) of no more than ten slides summarizing a project in which the student has engaged in the past, and where they have shown leadership potential
• Three letters of recommendations that highlight the student's academic progress and engineering leadership potential

Applications are due at the dates published to the website. The selection process will include review of the submitted applications by the Gordon Center Advisory Board, an optional interview of prospective candidates by the Advisory Board, and a subsequent suggestion by the Advisory Board to the Gordon Center Director, who will make the final admissions decisions.

In addition to students applying individually, we also welcome applicant nominations through the Chairs of the Jacobs School of Engineering Departments and its affiliated research units; each Department/research unit may nominate up to two candidates.

Undergraduate Program Admissions

The Gordon Center will select promising students to become Undergraduate Gordon Scholars based, in particular, on demonstrated engineering leadership potential at the High School, or early undergraduate career levels.

Graduate Program Admissions

The Gordon Center will select promising students to become Graduate Gordon Scholars based, in particular, on demonstrated engineering leadership. To demonstrate such leadership, students can show participation in the Undergraduate Gordon Scholars program, or point to successfully executed engineering projects within industry, academia, or equivalent (including leadership in student organizations). Students' engineering leadership qualities have to be documented and highlighted by their project/internship mentors/supervisors, and this documentation must be part of each student’s application package.

Professional Program Admissions

The Gordon Center will select promising students to become Professional Gordon Scholars based, in particular, on demonstrated engineering leadership. Students' engineering leadership qualities have to be documented and highlighted by their project/company mentors/supervisors, and this documentation must be part of each student’s application package. Admission into the Architecture-based Enterprise Systems Engineering (AESE) is a prerequisite for professional student applicants. Past AESE students are also eligible to apply.