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Dare to know Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors Program

Welcome to Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors

We begin in wonder, journey in curiosity, and ultimately, dare to know. The Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors Program brings together a diverse group of students and faculty to engage in experiential and inquiry-driven learning. Propelled by curiosity and a desire to take risks, our students endeavor to push the bounds of the known and the knowable throughout their academic journeys. The program supports students as they dare to contribute to knowledge, creative expression, and meaningful change.

Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors fosters critical thinking, intellectual growth, and readiness for careers or graduate school. Beyond the carefully structured first year, each semester in Honors prepares students by building skills and knowledge for the next. This pathway to learning prepares students for increasingly independent exploration and project-based coursework anchored by ongoing support of Honors faculty and staff. Please review the below section to learn more about the benefits of the Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors program.Ìý

Why Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors?

The first-year Honors living-learning community is an extension of the Honors classroom. In their first year, students live together in Anderson Hall.ÌýAll first-year students at Â鶹Æƽâ°æ are housed on South Campus, so Honors students get the full first-year experience.

As a member of the Honors community, you'll be supported by Honors Program Associates (PA) who attendÌýyour Honors classes and lead the HNRS-150 lab, as well as Residential Assistants (RAs) who live on the floor. Your RAs and PAs provide the living-learning communities with special programming such as outdoor outings, study sessions,Ìýand game board nights. Participation in a living-learning community is a great way for Honors students to connect with ambitious and studious individuals dedicated to academics and a rich social life. Placement is through Â鶹Æƽâ°æ's Housing & Residence Life.Ìý

Learn more about Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors housing here.Ìý

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Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors students have several opportunities to conduct research throughout their time with the program. OurÌýscaffolded approach allows for increasingly independent exploration and project-based coursework supported by distinguished faculty and staff.

As freshmen, Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors students will complete group research projects through their Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors Research Experience (HNRS-151)Ìýcourse. In the spring semester of their first year at Â鶹Æƽâ°æ, Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors students take theÌýÂ鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors Inquiry Experience (HNRS-151).ÌýHNRS-151 is a 1-credit course, during which students work on faculty-led projects intended to engage in the process of knowledge-creation and knowledge presentation. HNRS-151 offers students the unique experience of conducting and presenting research as first-year undergraduate students.Ìý

As sophomores, Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors students complete the Honors Challenge Course (HNRS-398). Through this course, research teams will select the topic of their choice and receive directÌýmentorship from their selected faculty mentor. Challenge Course research groups may also be eligible for funding. As juniors and seniors, Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors students must complete their colloquia requirements and capstones.

All Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors students will have the opportunity to present their research at the annual Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors Research Conference held in April.Ìý

Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors students have access to many opportunties to gain leadership skills through paid and volunteer leadership opportunities within the program.Ìý

Program Associates (PAs) -ÌýAs sophomores, juniors, and seniors, Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors students are eligible to serve as Program Associates to Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors Complex Problems (CORE-106) seminars.ÌýThe primary function of the PA is to facilitate experiential learning and to design out of class experiences that complement the classroom learning for students in the Honors program, as well as to serve as an undergraduate TA to the faculty member. Additionally, the PA is responsible for facilitating interpersonal relationships and creating an academic living-learning community that maximizes the opportunities for exploration and personal growth. This is a paid position.Ìý

Teaching Assistants (TAs) -ÌýAs juniors and seniors, Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors students are eligible to serve as Teaching Assistants to Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors Theories of Inquiry (HNRS-395) sections.ÌýThe primary function of the TA is to work with both the Honors Theories of Inquiry faculty and students to facilitate integrated learning experiences in the classroom. Duties may include, but are not limited to: communicating information to students on behalf of the faculty and the Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors office, holding office hours, securing room space, arranging technology to meet the needs of the professor and/or students, and assisting the Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors Program staff with Admissions recruitment events. The TA is responsible for attending the class that they are the TA for every week. The TA may also work with staff in the Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors Program to assist with events throughout the semester. This is a paid position.Ìý

Peer Mentors -ÌýRising sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors program are encouraged to volunteer as peer mentors to the incoming freshmen. This rewarding experience provides peer mentors with valuable skills such as communication, problem solving, role-modeling, budget management, and event planning. Peer mentors provide a range of support to their mentees. Please refer to the above section to learn more.Ìý

Incoming Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors freshmen will have the opportunity to sign up for the Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors Peer Mentor program.ÌýThrough this program, Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors freshmen will receive mentorship from current Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors sophomores, juniors, or seniors. ByÌýjoining the HonorsÌýPeerÌýMentorÌýprogram, first-year students will be able to:

  • Learn to successfully navigate the transition from high school to life at Â鶹Æƽâ°æ in all of its facets (academic, social, emotional).
  • Develop a sense of belonging in Honors, Â鶹Æƽâ°æ, and greater DC community.
  • Demonstrate increased awareness of university and Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors program resources.
  • Develop aÌýmentorÌýrelationship with one or more Honors students.
  • Explore D.C. through various events and programs facilitated by peer mentors.Ìý

Several Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors Spring research courses include an international travel experience. Past classes have visited Northern Ireland, Cuba, Costa Rica, and Belgium. This year, Professor Middents' HNRS-151 section is going to London and Brighton. Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors Spring researchÌýcourses areÌýexclusively availableÌýto Honors students.Ìý

As upperclassmen, Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors students will also have the opportunity to study abroad through the Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Abroad office. To learn more about study abroad experiences offered at Â鶹Æƽâ°æ, please visit this link here.Ìý

Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors students are also encouraged to apply for funding through the Summer Scholars and Artists program and the Undergraduate Research fund. In past years, some students have elected to use their awards to conduct research abroad.Ìý

Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors is proud to work closely with Â鶹Æƽâ°æ's Office of Merit Awards to support our students as they apply for merit awards.ÌýÂ鶹Æƽâ°æ Honor students receive priority one on one consultation withÌýmeritÌýaward advisors who will guide you through the process of applying for national scholarships. Honors students with a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA are automatically included in the OMA early identification program that supports select first semester sophomores to meet with OMA advisors about applying forÌýawards.

The Honors Program also hosts a luncheon for first and second year Honors students to engage in a series of roundtable discussions with the advisors who work with the various scholarship organizations, This is a great opportunity to learn more about theÌýawards, ask questions, and make follow up appointments with the advisors if students choose to begin applying for one of theÌýawards. Â鶹Æƽâ°æ Honors students have been nominated or selected for various scholarships and awards, including but not limited to the Obama-Chesky Scholarship, Truman Scholarship, Boren Scholarship,ÌýKillamÌýScholarship, and more!Ìý

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