Is the Sharpe Community Scholars Program for me?

<p>I am considering applying to the Sharpe Community Scholars Program (deadline May 15th). I am planning to major in international relations (maybe government). I know the major the W&M major for IR is hefty, and it will require a lot of my time. I am worried that the Sharpe program will take up some of the time that I would otherwise spend focusing directly on my major. Also, I genuinely enjoy community work, but for me school comes first. Do a lot of IR majors do this program? I am interested in working abroad (as in I would like to work for the State Department or a nonprofit group), but I'm not yet sure that this is for me. Can anyone who has been in the program weigh in on this? I just don't want to make a mistake by going into this program and discovering that I would rather focus on something else.</p>

<p>I can’t speak to the program specifically, but I can tell you that lots of students at W&M are involved in lots of activities. I’m sure you would be able to handle it fine, but if you aren’t sure if you want to, there are many other volunteer opportunities on campus. W&M students do over 320,000 hours of community service each year. Don’t feel like you have to be in the Sharpe program do to community service.</p>

<p>Here’s a list of some of the service groups on campus: [William</a> & Mary -*Community Service Organizations](<a href=“http://www.wm.edu/offices/studentactivities/clubsandorganizations/directory/communityservice/index.php]William”>http://www.wm.edu/offices/studentactivities/clubsandorganizations/directory/communityservice/index.php)</p>