First-year student Sabrina Rangel of has been selected to participate in the prestigious Kemper Scholars Program.

The scholarship-mentorship program is sponsored by the James S. Kemper Foundation in Chicago and is designed to prepare students at liberal arts colleges for leadership positions, especially in the fields of administration and business. Students are selected for the program from a group of 16 top liberal arts colleges around the country.

Kemper Scholars receive annual scholarships up to $10,000 based on need during their sophomore, junior and senior years of college. Kemper Scholars also receive stipends to cover the cost of an internship with a major nonprofit organization in Chicago during the summer following their sophomore year. Scholars are placed in full-time administrative positions where they can learn about topics such as financial management, organizational strategy, fundraising and nonprofit administration. During the Chicago summer, scholars live in the same apartment residence hall and participate in a weekly seminar while having opportunities to explore the cultural, historical and entertainment aspects of the city.

Each year all Kemper Scholars attend a national conference to discuss their summer projects, meet with former Kemper Scholars, and consider topics in administration, leadership and business. They periodically read and discuss major works on leadership, service, ethics or business and they have frequent contact with Kemper Foundation staff members to discuss their academic and professional goals.

Rangel said she is thinking about majoring in accounting or business.“ I want to help people and be a part of an organization that has a positive impact on others,” she said.