Spirit of the Billiken Application Form

About the Award

In honor of the 1818 founding of Saint Louis University, the Office of Alumni Engagement created the Spirit of the Billiken Senior Recognition Program, which recognizes 18 students who are in their final year of study and are committed to being proud and dedicated alumni of Saint Louis University. These students represent what it means to be a Billiken, and excel in all of the following areas:

Academics
Leadership
Community Service
Commitment to Saint Louis University
Dedication to living SLU’s mission after graduation

Eligibility

Must be an undergraduate student enrolled at Saint Louis University
Must be planning to graduate in either Dec. 2026 or May 2027.
Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0; 3.5 or higher is preferred

Role of Recipient

Recipients will be invited to participate in various events sponsored by the Office of Alumni Engagement. We aim to create community among the cohort of recipients, help recipients network and connect with SLU alumni, and celebrate recipients throughout the year. It is expected that all recipients attend the Spirit of the Billiken Ceremony in Spring 2027. Recipients might also be asked to serve as ambassadors of the Office of Alumni Engagement, and give advice in terms of programming for the senior class.

The Billikens who receive this award will be expected to continue their engagement with the University after graduation and be active members of the alumni community. There are a variety of ways to stay engaged with the University after graduation, both locally and regionally. These opportunities include volunteering, participating in alumni clubs or organizations, attending alumni events, and more.

Application Instructions

The deadline to submit your application is Monday, April 13, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.
Access the application below and answer all of the listed questions. Once the application is completed hit the submit button.
All applicants will be invited for a networking event with BOLD (Billikens of the Last Decade), who helps make award selection and facilitate the SOTB interviews.
Applicants who have been selected for the next round in the selection process will be notified by the Office of Alumni Engagement at the beginning of the Fall 2026 semester, and will be asked to schedule an interview. Each interview will be approximately 25 minutes in length, with various days available to interview. If a candidate is unavailable during the scheduled interview days, the Office of Alumni Engagement will work with them to find an interview time.
Please follow the instructions on each question, and do not include any reference letters or resumes.

Personal and Academic Information

Banner ID

First Name

Preferred First Name (if different)

Last Name

Preferred Pronouns

Birthdate

SLU Email Address

Personal Email Address

Mobile

Mailing Address

Country

Street

City

Region

Postal Code

Hometown

School/College

Academic Major(s)

Academic Minor(s)

Cumulative GPA

Expected Graduation Date

Development Information

As a student, have you supported any SLU funds or made a gift to the University?

List the fund(s) you have supported

As a student, have you volunteered (non-paid) for the Office of Alumni Engagement?

List the events for which you have volunteered:

As a student, have you been involved with either Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow (STAT) or Future Alumni Board (FAB)?

Involvement Questions

Please list your answers in the form of bullet points. Please only include what you’ve done as an undergraduate student at SLU and list each involvement in one category.

1. CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT: Please list your SLU campus groups and involvements. Place each entry on a separate line, and include start and end dates and any leadership positions held in each group. Please note that if you are a member of the Honors College, that will be addressed in a separate question.

Write out any acronyms, and do not include descriptions.
(Ex: Club Foosball, Aug. 2022-present, Treasurer.)

2. SERVICE: Please list your community service involvement. This can include on and off-campus service, though service organizations listed in the previous section cannot be double-listed again in this section.

Place each entry on a separate line, including the name of the affiliated organization, start and end dates, average service hours per week, and a one-sentence description of your service.

Entries in this category cannot be a part of a class or something for which you were paid.
(Ex: STL Boys & Girls Club, Sept. 2023- May 2024, two hours/week, tutored students after school.)

3. WORK: Please list your work experience during your time as a student. These must be paid positions.

Place each entry on a separate line, including your employer's name, start and end dates, and your position title. Do not include descriptions.
(Ex: Kaldi’s Coffee, Dec. 2022- May 2023, Barista.)

4. AWARDS: Please list the honors and awards you received at SLU. If you are a member of the Honors College, list that here and not under question one.

Place each entry on a separate line, including the award/honor name, the organization that gave the award, and the year the award was received.
(Ex: Spirit of the Billiken Award, SLU Office of Alumni Engagement, 2025.)

Short Answer Questions

Please limit answers to one paragraph.

1. How have your academic pursuits led you to better understand the SLU mission?

2. The Billiken represents “things as they ought to be.” As a Billiken, how have you worked towards making things as they ought to be on campus?

3. How have your experiences off campus, within the city of St. Louis and the Midtown neighborhood, affected your understanding of the SLU mission?

4. The Office of Alumni Engagement offers many opportunities for alumni living locally and regionally to stay connected to the SLU community. How do you plan on continuing your engagement with the University after graduation and being an active member of the alumni community? Please be specific.

5. According to the University’s mission statement, we must seek “the pursuit of truth for the greater glory of God and for the service of humanity.” How do you plan on continuing to live this mission as a SLU graduate?

6. The Spirit of the Billiken Award not only recognizes students for their contributions but also recognizes their mentors. Who is one faculty member, staff member or alum who has shaped you into the student leader you are today and has helped you live the SLU mission? Family members cannot be selected as mentors.

Mentor Name

Please elaborate on why this person is your mentor:

Selection Information

Are you a permanent student in Madrid?

Are you a member of the Class of 2027, on track to graduate either December 2026 or May 2027?

Will you need any accommodations or mobility needs throughout the interview process?

As part of the selection process, the Office of Alumni Engagement verifies that each candidate is in good standing with the Office of Student Responsibility and Community Standards and also verifies candidate GPAs with the registrar. Please electronically sign the release below.

I hereby grant permission for the release of my official university records for the sole purpose of verifying my qualification as a member of the “Spirit of the Billiken” Class of 2027. I authorize the Saint Louis University Office of Alumni Engagement to publicly share and/or reproduce my responses. Furthermore, if selected as a recipient, I agree to continue my involvement with the Office of Alumni Engagement post-graduation.

Applicant’s Signature: