As of fall 2020, Delavan-Darien High School students in the top 10% of their class will be able to enter into the Porter Scholar Program and take free classes at Beloit College during their senior year. Seventeen Delavan-Darien juniors have been invited to participate. Porter Scholars have the opportunity to study in areas not available in school, such as labor economics, journalism, vector calculus, dance, and Chinese. Registered DDHS students will receive a Beloit College ID and have access to the library, athletic facilities, and student discounts, along with the privilege of becoming a college student while in high school. Our DDHS students who decide to take this opportunity and who also earn a “B” or better in their course(s), are eligible for the Porter Scholarship of $20,000 over four years if they enroll at Beloit College upon graduation. Academically qualified DDHS students can also receive the Stateline Scholarship for $36,000/year, added to the Porter Scholarship, resulting in a renewable $41,000 scholarship. At graduation, these Delavan-Darien students may be awarded a $160,000 scholarship from Beloit College to continue their studies on campus.
Beloit College, located about 25 minutes from DDHS, is one of Wisconsin’s prestigious private colleges and the most diverse college in Wisconsin. Beloit offers over 50 majors and state-of-the-art facilities. Beloit College students have a spa-like gym, indoor track, Olympic-size pool, game and hang-out spaces, café, deck overlooking the Rock River, and more. Student housing includes traditional dorms, townhouses, special-interest houses, greek houses, and apartments. Beloit College is listed as the best liberal arts college according to Washington Monthly (2019). It boasts a 10:1 student to faculty ratio and 40% of the student body participates in study abroad. Admitted Beloit College students come in with an average 27 ACT and a 3.4 GPA.
Delavan-Darien entered into the Beloit Scholars partnership with Beloit College in January and this will continue for future students. Applications for the Porter Scholar program have a deadline of April 15 each year. Mrs. Salamone, DDHS high school counselor, met with eligible juniors early in March to invite students to become Porter Scholars. We would like to congratulate students who have been awarded this opportunity.