The Lacy School of Business prides itself on creating moments where students can see their potential more clearly than ever before. Each year, the Lacy Business Scholars Program becomes one of those moments – a day when high‑achieving prospective students step onto campus and, often for the first time, begin to picture what their future could look like here.
There’s a noticeable shift in the air when Scholars arrive. Some walk in with quiet confidence; others carry the kind of nervous excitement that comes with being recognized for something big. But quickly, a sense of connection forms – students realizing they’re surrounded by peers who worked just as hard to earn this recognition, families recognizing that they’re entering a community that sees their student’s potential.
What begins as a campus visit soon becomes something far more meaningful.
Throughout the day, the high school seniors meet the people who make the Lacy School of Business what it is: the faculty who challenge students to think globally and lead ethically; the current students who talk candidly about their experiences; and the alumni who return to share how their time at LSB propelled them to where they are now.
The stories are different, but the themes are consistent. Hands-on learning that starts from day one. Opportunities to work with real companies on real challenges. Global programs that broaden perspectives and spark new ambitions. A community that encourages curiosity, resilience, and confidence.
Hearing about the First‑Year Business Experience or Real Business Experience is one thing. Seeing how those programs shape students – how they strengthen their voice, sharpen their judgment, and build their professional identity – is something else entirely.
And it’s often in those conversations that Scholars begin to lean in a little more. To imagine themselves presenting a business solution, managing an investment fund, or leading a project team. To recognize that this is a place where their ideas won’t just be heard – they’ll be expected.
Parents and families often find their own meaningful moments during the day. In conversations with alumni and school leadership, they hear honest reflections about what makes the LSB experience transformative: the mentorship, the rigor, the support, and the confidence that emerges when students are trusted with real responsibility.
These conversations provide something essential: reassurance. A sense that the opportunities talked about aren’t hypothetical; they’re happening every day for students who were once sitting exactly where these Scholars sit now.
As the day comes to a close, another important realization sets in: this is only the beginning. Many Scholars will soon take part in their virtual scholarship interviews, a meaningful next step in the process that allows them to showcase who they are and what they hope to contribute. It’s more than an interview – it’s an opportunity to articulate their goals, their curiosity, and the drive that brought them here in the first place. For many, preparing for these interviews becomes the moment they realize how much they already have to offer.
By the end of the day, something subtle but important happens. Students who arrived curious leave with clarity. They understand not just what the Lacy School of Business offers, but what it can help them become. The upcoming interviews feel less like an evaluation and more like a conversation they’re ready for – an extension of the confidence and direction they’ve gained throughout the day.
Above all, they leave with a feeling LSB hope’s every student finds here: the sense that they are capable, supported, and ready for whatever comes next.
At the Lacy School of Business, that’s what the Scholars Program is all about. Not just showcasing programs and opportunities, but welcoming students into a community that believes deeply in their potential – and is invested in seeing them thrive.
