The mission of the Scholar Leader Community at Miami University is to establish a proactive, supportive community dedicated to enhancing leadership and scholarship among its members and the broader university community.
Scholar Leaders is an upper-class residential living-learning community (available to rising sophomores and above) involving a one-year residence in Elliott or Stoddard Halls– two of the most historic residence halls in the nation and right in the center of campus!
Endowments for each room provide a partial scholarship to those students selected to live in the community.
Each year, approximately 75 students are invited to join the Scholar Leader Community after a multi-stage application and selection process. Advised by staff in Miami's Wilks Leadership Institute and Office of Residence Life, the Scholar Leader Community encourages resident-guided programming, academic involvement, service learning projects, and the opportunity to explore leadership through intensive group engagement.
Applications for the 2026-27 year open Nov. 2, 2025 and will be due Feb. 8, 2026.
What is a Scholar Leader?
As a Scholar Leader, you live in the heart of campus in historic residence halls, Stoddard and Elliott. Through programming, biweekly meetings, semester retreats, and EDL 290W (our educational leadership course), you will build connections with peers, faculty, and staff from around campus.
During the year, you will build lifelong friendships and make a lasting community impact on your community. Scholar Leaders also complete a minimum of five community service experiences each semester through events hosted by fellow Scholar Leaders or in the Oxford community. These hours are easy to complete, help you create meaningful memories, and make a positive impact on the Miami community and beyond.
In addition, Scholar Leaders gain access to resources and opportunities on campus and in Oxford. As a Scholar Leader, you will have the ability to make the program your own through small group work in your clusters: small groups that every Scholar Leader is in to do programming alongside your community members.
You can see some of what we have been up to this year and start engaging with us now through our Instagram, @MU_ScholarLeaders.
How can I become a Scholar Leader?
We’re excited you're interested in joining the Scholar Leader Living Learning Community (LLC). Being a Scholar Leader is an incredible way to get involved in community, leadership, and service work on Miami’s campus and in the local community.
The application for the Scholar Leader LLC for the 2025-2026 academic year opens on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025 and will be open through Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.
Want to Learn More Before Applying?
The Wilks Institute for Leadership and Service along with the Office of Residence Life will hold a series of information and tabling sessions ahead of the next recruitment cycle. Stay tuned and feel free to follow us on Instagram @MU_ScholarLeaders.
Harry T. Wilks Institute for Leadership and Service
