George F. Whitworth Honors Program

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Q & A with Director of Honors Bert Emerson

What is the honors program?

Honors programs and colleges were largely started at big research universities in order to provide students with all the advantages of a small liberal arts college experience: students get to know their professors in smaller classes; they are guided through an enriching general education curriculum that connects dots across their learning; they learn from one another in more intimate and more dynamic ways. Whitworth is a small liberal arts university, and we are already providing these opportunities to all of our students. So what should a small liberal arts university like Whitworth do with an Honors Program? In my mind, we should provide the culture, the resources, and the opportunities that are available at prestigious research universities. We want to have a culture of excellence in which students expect to achieve at the highest levels in school and after. That means offering the resources that allow students to go deeper in the areas of studies, the promote more general education courses that integrate learning across disciplines, that integrate high-impact practices into all that we do. We want to push students into the exciting life of research opportunities and to guide them through the publication of their findings in conferences, poster presentations, and peer-reviewed publications. We want students to develop competitive applications for prestigious fellowships and awards like Rhodes Scholarship, Goldwater Scholarships, NSF and Lilly Foundation grants, and Fulbright Fellowships. We want students to win dynamic internships and off-campus program experiences. We might not have every resource that a big research university can offer, but the Honors Program endeavors to offer as many we can.

Why should students join the honors program?

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. I like to ask students if they could imagine winning a Nobel Prize in Economics or a Pulitzer Prize in journalism, becoming the Secretary of Education or an entrepreneurial physician who starts something like Doctors Without Borders. We have great students, and we want to offer a program built on both aspiration and perspiration. The value comes in the process by which we pursue world-changing achievements.
 
What are the requirements to complete the program?
To complete the program, students must satisfy 18 credits in a few different areas. 
  • First, we have three required courses that make up 6 credits: HN-200H (Vocation and Excellence) and HN-300H (Community Practice), which are 1-credit courses designed for students to focus on their own academic and professional development and to look outward to serve their community. Students also take one of the three Core classes (4 credits) with an Honors discussion section. 
  • Second, students should probably take two or three courses with an H-designation. They can also take some courses that don’t have an H-designation but can still be taken for Honors credit. We distribute a list of such courses before registration time each semester. (For more details, see answer to the next question.)
  • Finally, students make up the last 3-6 credits with work on two of the following three areas: off-campus programs, internships, research/creative projects. 
The program is extremely flexible, and students should tailor their experience with the help of an Honors advisor.
 
How do I know which courses are Honors courses?
Many of the courses are clearly marked as Honors, whether they are offered by the Honors Program directly—HN-200H – Vocation and Excellence, HN-300H – Community Practice—or have an “H” appearing after the number—CS 378H – How to Make Darn Near Anything and EL 350H – American Literary Journals. We have Honors discussion sections for each of the Core courses, so students can see options like Core 150H and Core 250H. Finally, we have  some courses that aren’t listed with the “H,” but students can still get Honors credit. Each semester, I send out a list of such courses to students a couple weeks before registration; either before or after enrolling in the course during regular registration—but before the course begins—students should simply let the professor know that they are interested in taking the course for Honors credit, and the professor will let you know what to do next.
 
How do I get honors credit for a study abroad program, an internship, or doing research?

To get credit in these areas, you’ll need to contact the Honors Director or Honors Assistant Director, who can point you to the paperwork and the requirements to earn this credit. There will be a little more work involved, but this work is designed to enrich your experiences. 

How do I enroll in the Honors program?

Students have a couple options. The most common route involves being admitted with Honors (which requires a 3.75 cumulative GPA and a 1320SAT / 28 ACT / 88 CLT). If students aren’t admitted with Honors but demonstrate their ability to perform well in classes—that is, earn a 3.75 GPA in their coursework at Whitworth—then they can apply to be in the Program at that point. All they need to do is contact the Director. 

Who should I contact with questions about Honors?

Feel free to contact me. You can also talk to other faculty members in Honors: Jason Wollschleger (Assistant Director), Erica Salkin (Faculty Fellow), and Aaron Putzke (Faculty Fellow). You can also talk to any of our student leaders.    

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