Alpha Scholars
Study universe (videos, text) that Miguel wants to build — previously called, by mistake, “Off Scholars”.
- Mission: MGALPHA — a group of people + measurable goal.
- Goal: gold medal (Aug 11, 2026) → SMART goals.
- Destination of the 22h/week (see 11 Jun).
Do not confuse with the scholars from the MS&E research, who live in Professors (MSE).
Tasks · MGALPHA-
Unique code for the Alpha Scholars mission: prefix MGALPHA- (= MG + slug, by missions). The program onboarding goes here as tasks, with the same done distribution as the official checklist:
| # | Task | Status |
|---|---|---|
MGALPHA-1 | Read all emails sent about Alpha Scholars | ✅ done |
MGALPHA-2 | Read the Student Handbook | ✅ done |
MGALPHA-3 | Download and set up Slack (phone + computer) — see Slack Instructions | to do |
MGALPHA-4 | Begin exploring the UN Sustainable Development Goals (intro video, videos per SDG of interest, and conclusion) | to do |
MGALPHA-5 | Explore the Alpha Scholars Google Drive | to do |
MGALPHA-6 | Attend the Alpha Scholars program Orientation (Fri, Jun 12, 7–9 PM EDT) | ✅ done |
Done: 3/6. Tasks on the universe’s general board (surface construction) use
MG-in Board; those specific to this mission useMGALPHA-.
Goal epics · MGALPHA-
Each item is an epic (user story); the DoD (Definition of Done) is written in Given / When / Then. Derived from the SMART goals in Universe Objectives (gold medal · paper 70%).
| # | Epic | Status |
|---|---|---|
MGALPHA-7 | Impeccable paper | to do |
MGALPHA-8 | All deliverables | to do |
MGALPHA-9 | Active participation | to do |
MGALPHA-10 | Final presentation | to do |
MGALPHA-7· Impeccable paperStory: As an Alpha Scholars student, I want to deliver an impeccable Social Science paper, so that I secure the 70% of the grade and aim for the gold medal. DoD
- Given the article within the word limit, When finalized, Then it uses 10–15 credible academic sources.
- Given the draft, When it goes through 3 rounds (self · mentor/advisor · peer review), Then each round is recorded and incorporated.
- Given the agreed deadline, When the date arrives, Then the final version is submitted.
MGALPHA-8· All deliverablesStory: As a program student, I want to submit all deliverables on time, so that I secure the 10% deliverables without risk. DoD
- Given the schedule, When a deliverable is due, Then it is submitted ≥24h before the deadline.
- Given the full set of deliverables, When the program ends, Then compliance is 100% and delays are zero.
MGALPHA-9· Active participationStory: As a program student, I want to actively participate in sessions and 1:1s, so that I build a relationship with the evaluators and secure the 10% participation. DoD
- Given a group session, When it takes place, Then I make ≥1 question or contribution.
- Given the individual feedback slots, When available, Then I attend 100% of them.
MGALPHA-10· Final presentationStory: As a program student, I want an impeccable final defense, so that I secure the 10% presentation and close with high impact. DoD
- Given the final paper, When I prepare the defense, Then the slides follow academic standards.
- Given the rehearsal, When at least 48h before (Aug 06), Then I have completed ≥4 timed simulations (2 recorded + 2 live).