The USI Honors Program Presentation for Southern Hospitality Day Dane M. Partridge, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Management Director, 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 SAT (CR/M) or 27+ ACT eligible for priority consideration (w/3.0+ hs gpa) Others may also apply (GPA, class rank, etc.) , 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 21 st 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) Liberal Arts (English and Psychology) Business (Accounting and Business Administration) Nursing and Health Professions (Nursing) Education and Human Services (Elem Ed) Undecided Total

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

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