The USI Honors Program

Presentation for Southern Hospitality DayDane M. Partridge, Ph.D.Associate Professor of ManagementDirector, Honors Program

Mission

“The Honors Program will support our continuing effort to improve educational opportunities for all university students and will encourage more highly motivated students to reach their full potential in the classroom, the larger campus, and the wider community.”

Distinguish Yourself!

Background

Program admitted first students Fall 1998

First University Honors Scholars graduated May 2001 58 University Honors

Scholars have graduated to this point

Presently, ~ 270 students currently enrolled at USI are in Program

Admission

1200+ SAT (CR/M) or 27+ ACT eligible for priority consideration (w/3.0+ hs gpa)

Others may also apply (GPA, class rank, etc.)

1998-2006, number of “priority consideration” students enrolling at USI increased 105% USI is increasingly a

“school of choice” for top students in IN, as well as IL and KY!

Program

Enhanced opportunities

Smaller classes Priority registration Honors housing

Living Learning Communities and Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs)

Designation on Diploma

Requirements

21 hours Honors credit coursework (~3 hrs/semester), “A” or “B”, 3.25 overall GPA Hons 101: Issues for

the 21st Century University core/major

Honors sections, Honors contracts

Senior synthesis “Broader in

scope/greater in depth”

Distribution of Continuing Students, by College (and most common majors)Fall

2002Fall

2003Fall

2004Fall

2005Fall

2006

Science and Engineering (Biology)

29 39 59 61 58

Liberal Arts (English and Psychology)

52 61 54 49 45

Business (Accounting and Business Administration)

33 31 36 33 32

Nursing and Health Professions (Nursing)

18 23 23 25 27

Education and Human Services (Elem Ed)

23 22 18 24 23

Undecided 24 9 14 6 3Total 179 185 204 198 188

Outcomes

“The Honors Program truly enriched my collegiate experience. I was able to be a part of several very impressive and worthwhile projects through my coursework in the Program.... One of the most impressive components of the Honors Program is the dedication of the faculty. There are not many undergraduate students who have the opportunity to work with faculty on such a personal level as those students who are involved in the Honors Program.”

Cori Smith, Interpersonal-Organizational Communication, University Honors Scholar, 2001

When Art Meets Geology: Jennifer Stilwell