Before graduation each Murphy Scholar must complete three cocurricular projects in literature and language. These may happen off-campus or on. Students may join an existing project or study-travel experience or design and propose their own. From tutoring to translation, dramaturgy to editing to literary research, creative writing to language immersion--the possibilities are legion.

Most literary and language cocurriculars that are already well established at Hendrix are preapproved for Murphy Scholar credit. For these, Murphy Scholars simply certify their participation in that cocurricular experience by submitting a Statement of Intent at the outset and a written reflection, described below, once the experience is finished. Only one Murphy Scholar credit will be given for a particular activity--for example, a Scholar cannot receive two program credits for two semesters of tutoring at the Writing Center.

For individually designed cocurricular projects, Murphy Scholars must submit a proposal to the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation. A review panel evaluates each request to ensure it meets program goals and to approve the funding, including any expenditures from that Scholar’s Study-Travel Allowance Fund.

A short reflection (3-4 pages, double-spaced) is required for all Murphy Scholar projects. These written works may be anywhere on the spectrum from straightforward and traditional to freeform and creative, but they must be polished, finished pieces, elegant in style, well-composed, and free of error. For traditional reflections, prompts are supplied on the Murphy Scholars Program Info Hub in Teams.