History of Our Design Process Chapter 5
ELITE ARCHITECTURAL firms typically em- ploy three iterative phases of design: SD, DD, and CD. Schematic Design is the early visionary process, involving rough, imag- inative sketches; Design Development delves deep into each project aspect, rigor- ously questioning feasibility and function- ality; and, finally, Construction Drawing materialises as the culmination, a compre- hensive compilation of thousands of pages of detailed drawings and specifications, serving as the blueprint for contractors to bring the envisioned building to life. From the very outset, the best architects assemble an integrated team of designers, engineers, cost estimators, and an array of specialty consultants to deal with everything from lighting to sound. Prototyping is critical— with many versions disregarded for better ones. So it has been with the design of Baret Scholars. For 2 years, the thoughts and ef- forts of over 100 individuals have gone into building this exceptional 1 year experience, from the day of acceptance to graduation. The Early Draft IN THE summer of 2022, working with Benno Schmidt, Yale’s former President, Chris Whittle penned a 5,000-word initial draft of the Baret program, code-named GlobalGap. He was inspired and informed by his own experiences: working and studying abroad, funding 180 full schol- arships for his alma mater (which included a year abroad), and his own gap-like-year. Throughout the fall of 2022, the ear- ly draft of GlobalGap 1.0 was shared with 40 “readers.” These included students who have taken or wanted to take gap years, graduates of Rhodes, Fulbright, and Schwarzman Scholarships, fellow entrepre- neurs, college advisors, and educators. Their feedback was encapsulated in a sentiment many shared: “I wish Baret had existed when I did my gap year!” Readers resound- ingly endorsed and expanded on Baret’s ho- listic mix of structured, curated elements, and highly independent experiences. Refinement BASED ON this early phase of input, Global- Gap 2.0 was produced, with a long list of
came the equivalent of a design workshop, a goldmine of fresh perspectives—all in- corporated in the Global-Gap design. By the summer of 2023, the design was largely complete. It culminated in an August 4-day retreat of the 15 Baret team members in Istanbul. There, every ele- ment of the program was meticulously ex- amined and refined. And, just as fashion designers sew on the label last, the Baret Scholars name was chosen. The Contributions of our Traveling Team SINCE THE summer of 2023, Baret’s global team has continued to grow, expanding its programming team and handpicking a Traveling Team of 17 accomplished, global professionals and educators, in- cluding two Deans, ten Fellows, and se- curity, logistics, and medical officers. In July of 2024, the entire global team had the chance to meet for the first time in New England to finalize plans for our inaugural year, and to begin iterating on ideas for the future.
On-Going Design
improvements. Capital was raised to con- tinue development and to start bringing on full-time team members and planning consultants. Monthly design sessions, par- ticularly on the balance between the cura- tion and freedom of the program, were held with a range of experts and consultants. We designed early versions of the Morning Program and Fellowships. Simultaneously, BAU Advisors was brought in to provide fi- nancial advice, develop the financial model, and engage the investment community. We reviewed related graduate pro- grams from Rhodes, Fulbright, and Schwarzman to current gap year offer- ings. We attended conferences, such as the US Gap Year Association in Montana in May 2023, and studied academic es-
says, travel books, and podcasts on the nature of transition experiences.
THIS BOOK is the culmination of thousands of hours of work over the past 24 months. However, unlike an inanimate building which is very difficult to change, Baret Scholars is a living, flexible institution that will evolve year to year based on the input of its students, Fellows and families. While this book endeavors to provide students with an accurate vision and de- piction of the Baret program, the program may be subject to variations in dates or des- tinations based upon particular safety con- cerns, visa restrictions and other factors that may arise from time to time. Admitted students will refer to our enrollment doc- umentation and our student handbook for further details.
Inputs from the Expanded Founding Team SPRING 2023 marked the onset of team ex- pansion, facilitated by two leading global recruitment agencies. Hundreds of appli- cants were considered for the 15 original posts. The interviewing process itself be-
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BARET SCHOLARS
THE BARET PROGRAM
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