NORBERT O. SCHEDLER HONORS COLLEGE
OUR HISTORY
On a hot August day in 1981, Dr. Jeff Farris Jr., President of the University of Central Arkansas, sat with Dr. Norbert Schedler under an oak tree. Schedler proposed offering a comprehensive program for the “severely gifted” to attract high achievers and elevate the university’s reputation. President Farris responded, “I want one of those next year.” Schedler’s influence attracted bright, community-minded students and fostered a discussion-based academic environment. By 2018, competition for admission to the Schedler Honors College was fierce, leading Dr. Patricia Smith, the dean, to collaborate with faculty to create the Schedler Honors Program to provide more opportunities for high-achieving students.
Dr. Norbert Schedler Founder, UCA Honors College
OUR MISSION
The Norbert O. Schedler Honors College identifies highly motivated students, immerses them in a learning community where they can examine who they are and practice who they want to become, and challenges them with opportunities for growth. The Honors College equips students from across disciplines with the tools and skills to lead flourishing lives and develops them as conscientious citizen-scholars prepared to make a difference.
To achieve this mission, the Honors College provides the following opportunities for students in our programs:
• Scholarship incentives to make education more affordable
• Private, suite-style bedroom for students to have a quiet study space
• A skills-based curriculum designed to empower students
• Individual attention from dedicated faculty
• Funding support for experiential learning opportunities
• Enrichment opportunities, not extra work!
BRENNA METTS
Schedler Honors College
Hometown: Flippin, AR
Major: Mathematics
Capstone: “Mathematical Muses”
WHAT’S NEXT?
Masters in Architecture at Washington University
425 82 90% HONORS STUDENTS DIFFERENT MAJORS AND FIELDS OF STUDY AMONG OUR CURRENT STUDENTS OF STUDENTS GRADUATE WITH A JOB OFFER OR GRAD SCHOOL ACCEPTANCE
THE NORBERT O. SCHEDLER HONORS COLLEGE
With over four decades of experience, the NOSHC is a national leader in empowering exceptional students to transform themselves and their world. Students in Honors at UCA say that it has helped make their transition to college easier: connecting them with peers and faculty who care about their success, improving their grades by enhancing writing and critical thinking skills, and giving them a deeply rewarding educational experience.
ONE COMMUNITY TWO PATHWAYS
At UCA, students in the Schedler Honors College and Schedler Honors Program gain access to exclusive opportunities and are part of one vibrant community. While both paths offer strong support and enrichment, each one features a distinct curriculum designed to match a student’s individual goals and academic interests.
SCHEDLER HONORS COLLEGE
OR PARTICIPANTS
Students are curious, passionate, and community-minded
Interdisciplinary curriculum complements any major
Encourages exploration of complex ideas from multiple perspectives
Helps students examine and shape their own values and commitments
SCHEDLER HONORS PROGRAM
Students aim to become socially responsible experts in their field
Flexible curriculum complements any major
Encourages deep focus in chosen discipline
Emphasizes using knowledge to create positive change
CURRICULUM
Honors Core: The Human Search (12 hours)
Interdisciplinary Studies Minor (15 hours)
The Search for Meaning gateway course plus 3 honors sections of elective core classes (12 hours)
Capstone Project (6 hours)
GOALS
Self-Authorship
Scholarship
Citizenship
Disciplinary Expertise
Social Responsibility
SCHOLARSHIPS & INCENTIVES
SCHOLARSHIP LEVEL
MINIMUM CUMULATIVE H.S. GPA
TUITION & FEE AWARD ANNUAL STIPEND
PRIVATE ROOM UPGRADE HOUSING AWARD ANNUAL TOTAL AWARD
SCHEDLER HONORS COLLEGE
SCHEDLER HONORS PROGRAM
$2,000* $1,500 $10,500 3.75 $5,000 $1,000 $2,000* $1,500 $9,500
*The dollar amount for the Honors Private Room Upgrade is determined by the difference between Tier 1 and Tier 3 housing each year. The listed amount is an estimate, but the full cost of the upgrade will be covered.
JAYLEN BELL
Schedler Honors Program
Hometown: Benton, AR
Major: Health Promotion
Capstone: “Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Parent Engagement in Pediatric Therapy”
WHAT’S NEXT?
Doctorate of Physical Therapy at UCA
HONORS @ FARRIS
Just as athletes need workout facilities and musicians need rehearsal spaces, scholars need quiet retreats. Honors@Farris Hall exclusively houses students enrolled in the Schedler Honors College and Schedler Honors Program. As an entering student, you will be housed with other new Honors students so that you can quickly make new friends and develop as a part of our community. Students in the Schedler Honors College and Schedler Honors Program receive private room upgrade scholarships so that the cost of staying in Honors housing is no more than a traditional residence hall. As you move throughout the program, additional private-bedroom Honors housing is available to students in New Hall and Bear Village apartments.
NYUNGWE RAINFOREST, RWANDA
COOPER HORTON
Schedler Honors College
Hometown: Conway, AR
Majors: International Studies and Linguistics
Study Abroad Locations: Costa Rica, Kazakhstan, Rwanda, Kyrgyzstan and Latvia
Capstone: “Mending Rwanda’s Wounds”
Recipient: Critical Language Scholarship
WHAT’S NEXT?
Dual enrollment in Clinton School of Public Service and Bowen School of Law
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
At the Norbert O. Schedler Honors College, we believe that learning goes beyond the classroom. Through study abroad programs, undergraduate research, and internships, our students take part in transformative experiences that shape their academic and professional journeys. With specialized grants, the Honors College helps students take part in these life-changing opportunities. The Honors College awards more than $200,000 annually to empower students to pursue their dreams through these high-impact practices.
STUDY ABROAD
Through Travel Abroad Grants (TAG), the Norbert O. Schedler Honors College supports a student’s desire to study throughout the world. Since 2001, we have awarded grants that have enabled thousands of trips expanding across all sevencontinents! Students can join a trip led by UCA faculty, spend a semester abroad at one of our many partner schools, or design their own global adventure.
HONEY NORFOLK
Schedler Honors College
Hometown: Little Rock, AR
Major: Engineering Physics
Capstone: “AI can’t write like that!”
WHAT’S NEXT?
Ph.D. in Robotics Engineering
RESEARCH & INTERNSHIPS
URGE
Undergraduate Research Grants for Education (URGE) empower Honors students to design, fund, and present original research, putting classroom knowledge into real-world practice. URGE enables students to graduate with the research skills and experiences that make them stand out when applying to graduate and professional schools. With an URGE, Honors students chart their own path to making new discoveries and shaping their own academic future.
ELF
Experiential Learning Funds (ELF) provide financial support to enable a student to take part in an internship or other active learning experience. With ELF grants, students can work towards polishing what they have learned as they prepare for life after graduation. Direct experience in their field sets students apart after graduation and allows students to try out future career prospects first-hand.
HOW TO APPLY
The Norbert O. Schedler Honors College uses a holistic admission process that factors in academic performance, motivation, quality of writing, and service and leadership potential that looks beyond just grades to understand the whole student. Applicants must submit:
An Official 6 Semester Transcript
Reading Response Essay
Personal Essay
Email Address of Academic Reference
Email Address of Leadership/Service Reference
The admissions team evaluates all applicants on academic strength, writing ability, leadership or service experience, and genuine intellectual curiosity. Selected students are then invited to the “Inform & Interview” (I²) Day, where they participate in collaborative discussions and a writing activity. This interactive day helps assess communication, engagement, and potential fit for the program. Final decisions are based on a comprehensive review of all application materials and I² Day performance.
For a detailed description of the application process and evaluative criteria visit uca.edu/honors/apply.
JOIN US!
SEPTEMBER 1
Honors application opens
LATE FEBRUARY TO EARLY MARCH
l2 days held on UCA’s campus
POST-INTERVIEW
Students express preference between Schedler Honors Program and Schedler Honors College pathway
LATE JANUARY
Honors application due
LATE MAY Honors Summer Orientation and Academic Registration
MID-FEBRUARY
Inform and Interview Day (l2) invitations sent out
MID-MARCH Honors offers announced
APRIL 1
Deadline to accept initial offer
DAVID ADAMS
Schedler Honors Program
Hometown: Vilonia, AR
Major: Environmental Science
Capstone: Intraspecific Interactions and Thermal Refuge Availability
Recipient: Goldwater Fellowship
WHAT’S NEXT?
Ph.D. in Biology, UNC-Chapel Hill
NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP ADVISING
The Honors College assists UCA students who are applying for competitive national fellowships and scholarships. It publicizes opportunities, oversees the selection of candidates for awards that require university nomination and, with the assistance of fellowship advisers, guides students through the frequently complicated application procedures. Students who are interested in applying for awards and faculty members working with motivated, well-qualified students are encouraged to contact the Honors College. Students do not need to be enrolled in a program of the Honors College to be competitive for these awards. UCA students have successfully applied for and received national recognition for awards such as Truman, Rhodes, Goldwater, Fulbright, Rotary Ambassador Scholars and Cooke Fellowships, as well as the Critical Language Scholarship.
ROOTED AS
SCHO LARS
GROWING AS CITIZENS
THRIVING AS LEADERS
ANGELICA THOMAS
Schedler Honors Program
Hometown: Grady, AR
Major: Environmental Science Policy and Administration
Capstone: Invisible Determiner: Modeling Spatial Incidence of Environmental Hazards
Recipient: Americorps BearsServe Fellowship and Newman Civic Fellowship
WHAT’S NEXT?
Juris Doctorate in Environmental Law