A LEGACY OF ACHIEVEMENT: REFLECTING ON THE Provost’s Scholars Program

BY AMNA WAJAHAT, PROVOST’S SCHOLAR, BUSINESS ANALYTICS, CLASS OF ‘24

THE PROVOST’S SCHOLARS PROGRAM (PSP) is a professional and personal development program designed for highly motivated, high achieving students with clear career goals who are driven to graduate from the University of South Florida within three years. In addition to their coursework, scholars are also expected to develop their professional portfolio through study abroad, research or professional development, and service or leadership.

My two years as a Provost’s Scholar have been nothing short of remarkable. During the Fall 2021 Welcome Back Dinner, I connected with university leadership, including President Rhea Law, Provost Emeritus Ralph Wilcox, and Dr. Charles Adams, Dean of the Judy Genshaft Honors College. Earlier this year, I participated in a global technology internship with a focus on web development to gain professional exposure, and volunteered with Feeding Tampa Bay, learning about food insecurity challenges and solutions. This May, I will fulfill the program requirements by studying abroad in South Korea with my classmates in the Judy Genshaft Honors College.

The Provost’s Scholars Program was created and supported by Provost Ralph Wilcox to offer unique opportunities and guidance to a select group of students committed to a comprehensive educational experience during a condensed time at USF. Earlier this year, we celebrated Dr. Wilcox’s return to faculty after a highly accomplished tenure that has resulted in USF’s academic enterprise earning widespread recognition across the state, nation, and globe. His leadership, commitment, and tireless contributions to the Provost’s Scholars Program and the University of South Florida will always be treasured. I was delighted to interview him for this article and hear his reflections on the program that has meant so much to me.

You have guided the academic planning, implementation, and accountability initiatives that have perennially positioned USF among Florida’s highest performing institutions. What purpose, aspirations, and past experiences inspired you to establish the Provost’s Scholars Program 11 years ago?

The Provost’s Scholars Program (PSP) was first introduced in Fall 2011 in response to student demand. With more and more diverse and talented students selecting USF as their chosen destination, many arrived on campus having already completed college credits with a clear vision and desire to earn their baccalaureate degree in three rather than four years.

Of course, this was not a program for all students even though it promised considerable savings and an accelerated path to graduate school, professional programs, or early entry to the workforce. Ever cognizant that a university education should represent much more than the successful completion of prescribed credits leading to the acquisition of knowledge and technical skills, emphasis was placed on the nurturing of core skills essential to future success including critical thinking, adaptability, self-awareness and emotional intelligence, active listening and effective communication, leadership and interdisciplinary teamwork, creativity and problem solving.

What inspired you to pursue a career in academia? When/how did you discover academia was the career path for you?

As the first in my family to attend and graduate from college, I was fortunate to have been encouraged by my teachers to continue my education beyond high school. Raised in a family that valued both education and public service, I was always curious and passionate in the pursuit of truth and in seeking answers to the betterment of society. The opportunity provided by higher education to think both critically and creatively, to develop and present novel solutions to complex problems, as well as to both mentor and learn from students, staff, faculty colleagues, alumni, and community leaders, cemented my path in academia.

How did being a first generation college student impact your experience? How did this perspective inform your work as a professor and administrator?

As an undergraduate student I entered a British higher education system characterized by long held traditions and an innate resistance to institutional change. At the time, access to British universities was limited mostly to the children of university graduates, perpetuating class stratification, and I found myself in a noticeable minority. Nevertheless, I was encouraged to bring my background experience and perspective to the classroom, to community engagement, and even to challenge long held assumptions through my research.

This experience allowed me to develop an awareness and career-long sensitivity to what student success demands. Regardless of one’s intellectual capacity and appetite to excel academically, it became clear to me that without parents or siblings who had previously navigated the collegiate path, progress to graduation was far from guaranteed.

You have driven unparalleled gains in student retention and completion rates, eliminating achievement gaps on the basis of race and socioeconomic status. As Provost, what steps were taken to foster diversity and inclusivity on campus?

Arguably USF’s greatest accomplishment in student success over the past two decades extends far beyond the remarkable gains in student retention, graduation and placement rates, accompanied by significant declines in student loan indebtedness, as we realized broader representation and notable achievements on the basis of race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geographical and cultural background. A central hallmark of USF’s student success movement has been the opportunity provided to students who demonstrated the scholarly aptitude to succeed with equitable support structures afforded to all. Not only did this integrated approach model my lived experience by putting prior assumptions aside, but it supported the calls we heard from employers and graduate schools to provide a steady and diverse pipeline of talented graduates who were well-prepared to succeed in the workforce and postgraduate programs.

Your impact on USF is undeniable. What hopes do you have for the continued success of our academic institution?

There is no doubt in my mind that USF’s future is bright. That we have been celebrated as the nation’s fastest rising univer- sity, public or private, over the past decade is a testimony to the creativity, dedication and hard work of so many talented faculty, staff, and students who were both intentional and tireless in their efforts. USF’s strategic plan provides a rightfully ambitious and exciting blueprint for the university’s continued upward trajectory. Grounded in the core values of inquiry, innovation, integrity, and inclusion, the plan prioritizes “access, success, and social mobility for a diverse and talented student body… excellence in research… a mutually beneficial partnership with our communities… [and] a destination of choice and a collaborative community of diverse and talented faculty, staff, and students.” I very much look forward to witnessing USF’s continuing progress in my next professional chapter as a proud and contributing affiliate faculty member in the Judy Genshaft Honors College.

To close, what important life lessons have you learned that you would like to pass on to future Bulls?

Your arrival to USF represents a new and exciting chapter in the journey to personal and intellectual growth and development. It is much more than a continuation of your years in high school or state college as you satisfy your appetite for learning and search for the truth in a top tier public research university. Rigorous debate of divergent ideas, opinions, and philosophies, old and new, is essential to your education. While challenging the viewpoints of others (fellow students and professors) it is important to respect opinions, grounded in evidence, and to engage, listen, and learn from them. As such, knowledge alone is insufficient to prepare students for future success and you must continue to immerse yourself in sometimes unfamiliar, and even uncomfortable, settings as preparation for the next milestone in life.

Finally, I urge all our students to take pride in your university and, as I have sought to do throughout life, remember and support future generations of students by “paying it forward” though time, talent, and treasure.