Students must meet these requirements to graduate as Paterno Fellows:

1. Maintain a minimum 3.4 GPA every semester.

• A student's GPA may NOT fall below 3.4 for two consecutive semesters. This will lead to automatic dismissal.

2. Complete a specified number of honors courses each year.

• Students must complete 21 honors credits in the first two years (normally four courses in the first year and three in the second, which includes the Rhetoric and Civic Life (RCL) honors sequence CAS/ENGL 137H/138T).
• At least 14 honors credits must be taken in the final two years.
• Honors courses include advanced 400-level courses taken in the first and second years, and graduate-level courses.

3. Complete a second major or an enhanced minor.

• Only one of the majors needs to be in the College of the Liberal Arts. An enhanced 24-credit minor will count as a second area of expertise, especially if the particular field does not offer a major. An 18-credit minor is enhanced by adding six credits from the approved course list for the minor.

4. Complete 3 credits of study in ethics.

• Students may choose from a variety of ethics courses in liberal arts. Students who wish to propose another course for consideration should contact the director of the Paterno Fellows Program.

5. Complete a study abroad experience or a 3-credit internship.

• Study abroad experiences must be at least five weeks in-country. Internships typically involve at least 150 hours of internship work. To document a non-credit internship experience, download the Non-Credit Internship Form; complete and submit it using the contact information on the form.

6. Complete a substantial leadership or service commitment.

• Fellows are expected to take on a leadership role or offer volunteer services to a community of their choice totaling at least 50 hours during their college career. Participants in the Presidential Leadership Academy automatically meet this requirement. To document a leadership or service experience, download the Leadership or Service Experience Form; complete and submit it using the contact information on the form.

7. Demonstrate global awareness through one of two options.

• Complete two additional courses beyond the 12th-credit-level proficiency in one foreign language, or meet 12th-credit-level proficiency in two foreign languages. (Students majoring or minoring in a foreign language, native speakers of a language other than English, and students studying abroad where the courses are taught in a language other than English will automatically meet this requirement.)

• Take 9 credits in International Cultures (IL) courses beyond the general education requirement.