Guidelines for the 2026-2027 Our Time Has Come Program Application

Applications DUE 11:59PM ET on March 15, 2026.

Eligibility:

To be eligible for the 2026-27 Our Time Has Come program:

• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA; average GPA of past participants is 3.4
• Must be on campus (in person) for the first year in the program
• Open to full-time and part-time students, undergraduate and graduate students

Application Requirements:

• Biographical information
• Resume
• Responses to 2 essay questions
• Video Response to questions
• 2 references

You can view a PDF of the complete application here.

Once you begin completing the online application, you CANNOT save your progress and return at a later time; you must complete the application at one time. Therefore, you should prepare your application responses in a separate document and input them into your application when you are ready to submit.

You are responsible for providing your recommenders with this link to the recommendation form. You can read more about the recommendation process below.

As part of the application process, the Our Time Has Come Program review committee will access your Syracuse University transcripts and academic record, as well as your record with the Academic Integrity Office and Community Standards.

For assistance with the application or to speak with a current OTHC Student, please email ourtimehascome@syr.edu

 

Guidelines for Selecting Recommenders:

This application requires two (2) recommendations evaluating your qualifications for the Our Time Has Come Program

Prospective/Transfer Students: At least one recommendation must come from someone who has supported you in an academic capacity. This may include high school counselors, teachers, or anyone who has taught, advised, mentored, or supervised you academically. You may also submit recommendations from individuals who have supervised your leadership experiences.

Current Syracuse University Students: At least one recommendation must come from a faculty or staff member at Syracuse. You may also include recommendations from individuals who have supervised your leadership experiences.

In each case, choose recommenders who know you well and who can comment thoughtfully on your abilities and personal attributes, particularly The Our Time Has Come criteria.

Instructions for Recommendations:

The application will direct you to input the names of your two recommenders.

It is your responsibility as an applicant to direct your recommenders to the appropriate recommendation form by sending them to this link.
The application will NOT automatically send your recommenders a prompt to complete the recommendation form; you must contact them and provide the link.

Only applications with complete recommendations will be eligible for consideration.

Be sure to approach your recommenders early to give them adequate time to compose their responses to the recommendation form’s questions.
It is your responsibility to provide your recommenders with any materials that would be helpful to them in completing the recommendation form. Resumes or CVs, transcripts, writing samples, and draft application essays are common resources that recommenders find helpful.

When your recommenders submit recommendations, we will attach the recommendations to your application.

The deadline for your recommenders to submit is 11:59PM ET on March 15, 2026.