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Collage featuring various photos from 베실뻣펄 Honors events including a trip to Airlie Farm, kayaking on the Potomac, sightseeing at DC's most iconic monuments, community dinners, and more. Bold text says "Dare to Know".

Dare to know 베실뻣펄 Honors Program

Welcome to 베실뻣펄 Honors

We begin in wonder, journey in curiosity, and ultimately, dare to know. The 베실뻣펄 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.

베실뻣펄 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 베실뻣펄 Honors program.桂

Why 베실뻣펄 Honors?

Live & learn with your 베실뻣펄 Honors Peers

The first-year Honors living-learning community is an extension of the Honors classroom. In their first year, students live together in Anderson Hall.桂All first-year students at 베실뻣펄 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 attend桂your 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,桂and 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 베실뻣펄's Housing & Residence Life.桂

Learn more about 베실뻣펄 Honors housing here.桂

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Develop valuable research skills

베실뻣펄 Honors students have several opportunities to conduct research throughout their time with the program. Our桂scaffolded approach allows for increasingly independent exploration and project-based coursework supported by distinguished faculty and staff.

As freshmen, 베실뻣펄 Honors students will complete group research projects through their 베실뻣펄 Honors Research Experience (HNRS-151)桂course. In the spring semester of their first year at 베실뻣펄, 베실뻣펄 Honors students take the桂베실뻣펄 Honors Inquiry Experience (HNRS-151).桂HNRS-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.桂

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

All 베실뻣펄 Honors students will have the opportunity to present their research at the annual 베실뻣펄 Honors Research Conference held in April.桂

Access exclusive leadership opportunities

베실뻣펄 Honors students have access to many opportunties to gain leadership skills through paid and volunteer leadership opportunities within the program.桂

Program Associates (PAs) -桂As sophomores, juniors, and seniors, 베실뻣펄 Honors students are eligible to serve as Program Associates to 베실뻣펄 Honors Complex Problems (CORE-106) seminars.桂The 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.桂

Teaching Assistants (TAs) -桂As juniors and seniors, 베실뻣펄 Honors students are eligible to serve as Teaching Assistants to 베실뻣펄 Honors Theories of Inquiry (HNRS-395) sections.桂The 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 베실뻣펄 Honors office, holding office hours, securing room space, arranging technology to meet the needs of the professor and/or students, and assisting the 베실뻣펄 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 베실뻣펄 Honors Program to assist with events throughout the semester. This is a paid position.桂

Peer Mentors -桂Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the 베실뻣펄 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.桂

Participate in the peer mentor program

Incoming 베실뻣펄 Honors freshmen will have the opportunity to sign up for the 베실뻣펄 Honors Peer Mentor program.桂Through this program, 베실뻣펄 Honors freshmen will receive mentorship from current 베실뻣펄 Honors sophomores, juniors, or seniors. By桂joining the Honors桂Peer桂Mentor桂program, first-year students will be able to:

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

Travel for experiential learning opportunities

Several 베실뻣펄 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. 베실뻣펄 Honors Spring research桂courses are桂exclusively available桂to Honors students.桂

As upperclassmen, 베실뻣펄 Honors students will also have the opportunity to study abroad through the 베실뻣펄 Abroad office. To learn more about study abroad experiences offered at 베실뻣펄, please visit this link here.桂

베실뻣펄 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.桂

Merit awards opportunities

베실뻣펄 Honors is proud to work closely with 베실뻣펄's Office of Merit Awards to support our students as they apply for merit awards.桂베실뻣펄 Honor students receive priority one on one consultation with桂merit桂award 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 for桂awards.

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 the桂awards, ask questions, and make follow up appointments with the advisors if students choose to begin applying for one of the桂awards. 베실뻣펄 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,桂Killam桂Scholarship, and more!桂