Market Process Scholars

Market Process Scholars is a transformative mentoring program at the College of Charleston, nurturing exceptional undergraduates through exposure to diverse academic and business leaders, fostering professional, research, and leadership skills while emphasizing integrity and responsibility.

About MPS

Market Process Scholars is a multi-year mentoring program for exceptional College of Charleston undergraduate students. The Market Process Scholars program develops professional, research, and leadership skills through exposure to a broad range of successful academic scholars and business executives representing diverse fields of study, organizational cultures, leadership styles, and measures of personal and organizational success. The Market Process Scholars strive to be ambassadors by developing strategic relationships for the Scholars, the Center for Public Choice & Market Process, the School of Business, and the College of Charleston. We are committed individually and collectively to high responsible, professional and ethical standards.
  • Activities

    Market Process Scholars are encouraged to attend as many of the required events as their academic schedule allows. We realize that Scholars have busy schedules. However, here are the minimum requirements of events that we expect Scholars to attend during the academic year:

    Required Events:

    1. Tour of Regional Organizations (Field Trip) – In the fall semester, Market Process Scholars will visit an organization and meet with the organization's leaders.
      • Expectations - Research the company and the bios of the people we are meeting. Share the information with fellow Market Process Scholars.
    2. International Students for Liberty Conference (ISFLC) – Every February Market Process Scholars will attend the ISFLC held in Washington, D.C.
    3. Academic Mentoring Program – Each semester Market Scholars will be paired with faculty members who will serve as a mentor. Market Scholars will work with their faculty mentors on various aspects of research. Market Scholars can request to be mentored by a specific faculty member. Scholars can also request to be mentored by a different faculty member in subsequent semesters.
      • Expectations - number of hours per week of Scholar’s time - 5 hours
    4. Market Process Scholars Bi-Weekly Workshops - Throughout the year, Market Scholars will host several academic, think tank, or business community leaders for an in depth conversation or to help develop skills. These events will allow students to closely interact with these leaders and to learn from their personal experiences.
      • Expectations - Prepare for workshop in advance. This expectation varies based on the topic/speaker of each workshop
    5. Economics Book Colloquium - Scholars will engage in discussions regarding domestic and international economic and policy issues. The goal of these discussions is two-fold. First, the discussions will be geared towards getting students to think critically about topics in economics. Second, the readings will help student focus attention and create awareness about various sources of information. 
      • Expectations - Read, actively participate and take leadership role in the set-up and email reminders
    6. Regional Reading Group – This is a 2-day event held once a year during a weekend. These seminars are typically a few days long and involve in-depth discussions in a Socratic style from readings done ahead of time on classical works on free society. 
      • Expectations - Attend, take notes, actively participate in the Q&A and write up synopses of the event. Provide introductions for Friday speaker.
    7. Business Etiquette Training- These meetings focus on appropriate business practices, including lessons in providing effective feedback to others, dinner etiquette, professional attire, exceptional interview performance, and job search techniques.
    8. Adam Smith Week Events – Every spring semester the Center hosts a week-long Adam Smith Week with a variety of daily events which include lunches, public talks, research presentations, and workshops.
      • Expectations - Attend as many events as academic schedule allows. Introduce speakers, attend lunches/dinners with speakers, actively participate in Q&A, and write up synopses of the events.
    9. Free Market Speaker Series – Each semester the Center invites speakers from the academic, business, and non-profit communities for a research and/or public presentation to address the principles of a free society.
      • Expectations - Attend events, introduce speakers, attend lunches and dinners with speakers, actively participate in the Q&A sessions, and provide a written synopsis of the events.
      • Scholars will also be responsible for contacting speakers to introduce themselves and Market Process Scholars program.
      • Read short article on speakers topic prior to the event.
  • Additional Events

    1. Bastiat Society Events – Market Process Scholars will be provided membership to the Bastiat Society chapter in Charleston. The Bastiat Society understands that the world is getting better because a peaceful and profitable business creates wealth for everyone.  They promote this fact by engaging the business community in a positive, non-political, and academic society - a society of principled wealth creators.  Our mission is to give those who create wealth and jobs the tools they need to defend them. The Bastiat Society meets the first Wednesday of the month.

    1. Young Americans for Liberty Events – Young Americans for Liberty is a student-run pro-liberty organization on US's college campuses. The College of Charleston Chapter meets every other week.

    1. Economics Research Workshop – The College of Charleston Department of Economics hosts a research workshop every other Friday afternoon to present working papers by members of the department and outside speakers.

    2. Experiential immersions - During each summer Market Process Scholars are encouraged to engage in opportunities such as complete a summer internship, attend a summer seminar or weekend conference, or present research at a conference.

    If a Market Process Scholar must miss a mandatory meeting they are required to email the director and the other Market Process Scholars to offer the reason. The other Scholars and directors must approve the reason for missing the event.

  • Program Requirements

    Market Process Scholas have to meet certain requirements:

    • Have a minimum of 30 credit hours completed by the beginning of the program.

    • Submit a letter of intent, one faculty recommendation, and an unofficial transcript.

    • Interview with the Center Director and Faculty Fellow(s)

  • Continued Participation

    This is a multi-year program and Scholars are encouraged to participate multiple years. Continuation in the program will ultimately be decided by the director of the Center for Public Choice and Market Process in consultation with Market Process Scholars Mentors. To help ensure continuation in the program, a Scholar must:

    • Maintain good academic standing

    • Have been an active and responsive participant in the previous academic year.

    • Submit a letter of interest prior to the deadline in the Spring semester which includes:

      • A statement of the Scholar's desire to continue in the program

      • Goals for the coming year which include ways in which the scholar will take on leadership roles as veterans in the program.

      • A short narrative of ways in which their participation has influenced their academic life.