It is safe to say that even among overachievers, the 2005 Notre Dame class valedictorian, Enrique Schaerer, is exceptional.

For most class valedictorians, finishing top of the class-never mind doing it with a 4.0 GPA as Schaerer did-would be an extraordinary accomplishment; but doing it and writing the equivalent of a master's thesis in political science puts him in a whole new league.

"I nearly fell out of my chair," said TONY MESSINA, associate professor of political science, KI Faculty Fellow and Schaerer's advisor on the project. "And that was when he turned in his first 55 pages.

"I doubt the Department of Political Science has ever had a thesis from an undergraduate of this size and quality in its history."

How Schaerer managed to complete his project can be traced in part to an innovative new Kellogg program designed to nurture promising young undergraduates: the International Scholars Program. Through this program, undergraduate scholars are paired with Kellogg Faculty Fellows who guide their research, and they receive a stipend to support their research projects. Messina nominated Schaerer for the International Scholars Program and acted as his faculty advisor.