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Mention photos&story
Victoria Hendricks
Explore the Honors Program and find out what students can gain from it
154
Students Interested in Honors Courses
288 said yes
said no
442 students surveyed
As cool blues and warm crimson greet college freshman into the room where future potential honors students gather, a question of who joins the Honors Program dangles in the air. A recurring theme amongst honors students on that “it” factor the program delivers is evident. “I joined the Honors Program because I wanted an opportunity to take advanced classes,” Trischia Ruckert, Hutchinson, said. “I had always wanted a challenge in high school and few classes could do that for me.”
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She got her wish, for the Honors Program offers honors shells in most general education classes and electives. The Honors Program is also working on making classes more flexible, hoping to have a plan within five years. “The Honors Subcommittee has discussed looking into online, evening, and other campus classes,” Ryan Diehl, instructor of English and Honors Program Coordinator, said. One of the many things the Honors Program offers is preparation to a four year institution. “The Honors Program helps the student create a strong work ethic that will assist students when they transfer to a four year institution,” Diehl said. “The classes should also strengthen writing, study, and research skills.” It’s not all work and no play, though. The program also has an array of social and community projects to participate in as well. The Honors Student Council also has many different activities for the students. “We have partnered with The Volunteer Center of Reno County for the United Way Day of Service and sponsor the annual Food Bank of Reno County food drive. In addition to this, we also go to Third Thursday, have movie nights, explore The Kansas State Fair, and pretty much anything that honors students are interested in,” Diehl said. The atmosphere and
financial perks are another benefit with being in the Honors Program. “You get more discussion out of honors classes, which I think is really important as far as expanding your intellectual basis,” Daniel Eckhoff, Hutchinson, said. “As far as financially, we have the Honors Merit Scholar, and elsewhere at other universities there are scholarships you can get.” To be eligible, someone must either have an ACT score of 26 or higher, be an HCC Presidential Scholar, or having taken at least 12 hours of college credit with a GPA of 3.25. However, Diehl said, students who do not meet these criteria but are still interested in taking honors courses may meet with the coordinator and apply for provisional status. The Honors Program could also be called “The Caring Honors Program”, desiring constant feedback. “We have the Honors Student Council made up of executives that you can go to, and of course, there’s Ryan Diehl, the coordinator,” Eckhoff said. In a nutshell, the honors program aims to improve the overall lives of its students. “One goal the Honors Program has for its participants is to make them active participants in life,” Diehl said. “This then will assist them in both the workplace and out in the community. They will have strong critical thinking skills that will help them in every part of their lives.” With all that the Honors Program has to offer students, it is the hope that the dangling question of who will join will soon be answered.
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