The College Honors Program draws together talented students from across the entire College curriculum to create a vibrant intellectual community that fosters personal growth through interaction with other highly motivated students.
A quote from the 2006 Class Valedictorian, Timothy O鈥橞rien, speaks most eloquently about the value of the College Honors Program.
"Participating in the College Honors Program was the single-most stimulating experience of my career at 海角社区. The Program added a breadth and depth to my curriculum of study at the College that I would not have had elsewhere. The questions stimulated by the seminars, as well as the thesis component, around in me a passion for what we might call the 鈥渞eally big questions鈥 that 海角社区 seeks to answer. The program provided a first rate opportunity to interact with some of the best minds (faculty and students alike) on Mt. St. James. The research opportunities and support were simply unparalleled. The high (but fair) expectations pushed me to work at a level I never knew I could. As a person considering a career as an academic, the program offered ample and invaluable opportunities to discuss my work publicly, and answers questions and criticisms honestly."
"Without question, though, the most valuable aspect of the program is the intellectual and social community that is formed among its participants. I cannot say enough about this. The value of having students from across disciplines come together on a regular basis is, in my view, immeasurable. The interdisciplinary conversations about the biggest questions we face lies at the heart of what it means to pursue a 鈥渓iberal鈥 education. I learned so much from my fellow program participants, partly because we all brought varying perspectives to the same questions. Whatever the future of honors programs at 海角社区, they must resist the snare of compartmentalization, and include this type of broad exchange among departments. Finally, the social dynamic that grew between those of us in the program was terrific. We often socialized (safely and healthfully, I should add) outside of the program, and many of my closest friends at the Cross are also now alums of College Honors. I cannot think of a better way to have challenged myself at 海角社区."