UK Honors Program Collaborates With Colleges, Sees Significant Participation Increase

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 30, 2014) — Since 2008, the University of Kentucky Honors Program has seen a significant increase in participants among colleges at UK. The increase is a result of the creation of strong partnerships between Honors and various programs within these colleges.

In fall 2008, the Gatton College of Business and Economics made up only 5.65 percent of the Honors Program cohort — this fall, it makes up 12.2 percent. Honors has seen similar results with the College of Engineering, which increased from 14.11 percent in 2008 to 25.7 percent this fall.

More than 1,300 Honors students are on campus today, a number that has nearly doubled since 2010. Just this year, the program set a goal to bring in 480 new students from the incoming freshman class, and instead brought in 533. The quality of students has improved as well, with average composite ACT scores increasing from 30 to 32.  Ben Withers, associate provost for Undergraduate Education, says these college partnerships have supported the increase.

"There's no more important role for a university’s Honors Program than to create a challenging academic environment that attracts excellent students and calls attention to the diversity of academic majors UK offers," said Withers. "Our partnerships do just that and in ways that supplement the requirements for the majors. Honors interdisciplinary seminars provide breadth that complements the in-depth work in the student's home disciplines, helping create more well-rounded alumni."

One of the most successful partnerships has been with the Global Scholars Program, based in the Gatton college. 

"Our merger with Honors has been a great success, a boon for everyone involved, particularly our students," said Brendan O'Farrell, international director for the college. "The Global Scholars Program offers a specialized curriculum within the field of international business and pairs that with a semester-length education abroad experience.  Meanwhile, the Honors curriculum inspires students to think broadly in the tradition of a great liberal arts education.  Students are encouraged to think critically, write eloquently, and take intimate honors seminars in disciplines that extend beyond business.  Combining these academic pursuits creates a synergistic effect in which the students’ horizons are broadened in and out of the classroom, both here in Lexington and, quite literally, around all corners of the globe.  There’s also an outstanding sense of community that has only been strengthened due to the collaboration."

Honors has experienced similar success with other programs, such as Scholars in Engineering and Management (SEAM) and the Social Enterprise Program.

Chelsea Brislin, an admissions counselor with Honors, says students who have a variety of interests, and seek a breadth of knowledge, should be given every opportunity and resource to help them succeed.

"Honors aims to assist students in achieving all of their academic goals," Brislin said. "For many students in the past, it was difficult to balance participation in Honors, as well as these various programs within the colleges. Through our collaborative efforts, we were able to identify where there is overlap in curriculum, so these students don't have to pass up an opportunity they're interested in in order to maintain their four-year graduation plan. These customized pathways through Honors are our way of being as flexible as possible for these high achieving students and really allowing them to fully customize their UK experience."

Given the success of these partnerships, the Honors Program hopes to collaborate with even more programs across campus to reach more high-performing students who have multiple goals.

"We are excited to work with UK's great faculty to create even more opportunities like these for students," Withers said.

The Honors Program is part of the Academy of Undergraduate Excellence within the Division of Undergraduate Education at UK.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jenny Wells, 859-257-5343; jenny.wells@uky.edu