Frequently Asked Questions | Center for Student Involvement

Are all students eligible for the Scarlet Seals of Excellence program?

The ability to earn a seal is not be limited to any certain major, classification, or method of involvement. Any student that is enrolled at the University of Houston can apply.

How do students apply to get a Seal of Excellence?

Using Get Involved, a student can submit their cover letter or personal statement and resume for the seal for which they are ready to demonstrate competency. The cover letter or personal statement should reflect the seal in which they are applying. Visit the website for links to the forms.

What are good examples that can be included in the cover letter?

Examples can include experiences you have had on campus such as workshops, training, organization events, and leadership speakers. You can pull from any of your experiences to support the learning you gained in each of the seal areas.

Is there a way that a student could do more than one seal or all at the same time?

For this program, competency areas are independent of each other. Students are encouraged to apply for one or multiple competency areas where they have experiences that demonstrate significant development in the area.

When, during a student’s time at UH, would they be able to apply for a Scarlet Seal of Excellence?

It would depend on you, but the seals are designed to capture substantial student experiences. Experiences that demonstrate significant development in the area of the seal desired may require more than a semester or two on the competency area.

Who makes up panels that review submissions?

Panelists come from both faculty and administrative leadership across campus whose expertise is in the competency area.

Do you have to demonstrate mastery of all categories within a seal are to qualify to be approved?

In order to receive a seal, a student must obtain a 75% or higher in their review score from panelists. More information on review categories can be found in the Guide to Excellence on the resource page.

Is the feedback based on the way you present to the panel?

Feedback will be provided to the student for both the cover letter or personal statement and resume and the interview with the panel based on both content and style.

For the application process, do students work on their own without an advisor?

It’s up to the student. Students are encouraged to reach out to trusted members of the community to assist in the self-reflection in order to know if they are prepared to apply for the desired seal.

If a student has experience prior to their time at the University of Houston or from opportunities off-campus, does that apply?

During the pilot program, it is not necessarily limited to one’s UH experience. All experiences are valid. After the pilot program is finished, this may change.

If a student wanted to ask for help, should they go to an advisor?

Students are encouraged to reach out to their staff/faculty leadership. The Center for Student Involvement and University Career Services are also available for consultation and coaching.

Approximately how long would take to get the seal approved from application through the interview process? Is that achievable for a graduating senior?

You should receive feedback within three weeks of submission.

Does each category require a unique experience or can the same experience be used multiple times?

The same experience may apply to multiple categories but must be written from the perspective of the category and respond to the skills/knowledge of that area. Narratives should be unique to the category and not copied from others.

What happens if a student does not pass on to the next step? Can they re-apply?

Resources