George F. Whitworth Honors Program

Thriving in the world as it is.

Developing the world as it should be.

The Whitworth Honors Program challenges talented and motivated scholars to pursue excellence of mind and heart, to cultivate leadership qualities and skills, and to commit to lives of service. The honors program does more than guide scholars to navigate the world as it is; it equips them to solve problems and to develop the world as it should be.

Featured News:

Jaylee Graham

Gen Z is arguably the most politically outspoken generation in history. From social media activism to grassroots organizing, we aren’t afraid to use our voices to demand change. Yet, there’s a frustrating paradox at the heart of our democracy: despite being the most vocal, 18–24-year-olds consistently remain in the demographic with the lowest voter turnout. This project is driven by one central question: What do we actually need to do to increase young voter turnout?
I believe that education is at the root of many of the systemic problems we see in the world today. If we want to change the trajectory of our society, we have to look at where our civic identity is formed. For the vast majority of Americans, high school is the last time they will be part of a formal, universal educational environment. This makes the high school classroom our final and most critical opportunity to reach every future citizen. If we aren’t using that time to effectively teach the voting process and the importance of civic agency, we are leaving the health of our democracy to chance.

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April 28, 2026

Evan Galle

Many college students arrive on campus without a clear picture of their semester-to-semester education actually costs or how to manage it. Watching Whitworth University peers navigate financial stress often without adequate tools or guidance, inspired me to complete this project. A personalized budgeting spreadsheet built exclusively for Whitworth students

The central question driving this project was: how can a practical, student-financial tool be designed to make budgeting accessible, accurate, and actionable for Whitworth students specifically? I found that generic budgeting advice and one-size-fits-all templates fail to account for the unique situations Whitworth students face. Students are having to juggle the various fees associated with attending, the different room and board types, and the realities of student jobs that help the budget, this project addresses the gap directly.

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April 28, 2026

Mariia Yazepova

AI is changing more quickly than ethical norms can keep up, especially in the profession of journalism (Simon, 2024). Although AI tools increase productivity, professional journalism’s survival and credibility are at risk due to their unchecked use. The human-centered principles that support press integrity are being undermined by automated news writing, copyright violations, and algorithmic disinformation (Simon, 2024). This project will compare human-reported stories to AI-generated failures, look at the ethical consequences of generative AI in journalism, and offer solutions for responsible innovation. Raising awareness of these dangers and promoting AI integration that complements human journalists rather than replaces them are the main goals. I decided to focus on this topic because I want to work in journalism, where these developments will have a direct impact on my future writing. As someone just starting out in the industry, I’m worried about how a reliance on AI might change my field of communications, possibly decreasing chances for original writing and eroding accountability standards. However, I am aware of the advantages these tools provide when used appropriately. In order to make sure that future industry professionals like myself can have credibility and ethical storytelling in an increasingly automated media landscape, this project reflects my interest in helping find a balance where innovation supports integrity.

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April 28, 2026
The Honors Program is designed for talented and motivated students to get even more out of their academic experience. We want them to be part of a culture that dreams big and does the hard work to get there. We have great students, and we strive to offer a program built on both aspiration and perspiration. The value comes in the process by which we pursue world-changing achievements.