Honors is Inclusive
The University Honors Program's mission is to empower a diverse community of tomorrow’s leaders, and our goal is to recognize and develop the potential of all students to become true agents of change. Honors gives students the opportunity to practice respectful civil discourse in our discussion-oriented classes and reading groups, which focus on a variety of topics including those related to diversity, inclusion, equity, access, and other challenges of our time. Students put learning into practice by working one-on-one with faculty on research and creative projects, with alumni and internship supervisors on professional engagement, and with community mentors on local and global humanitarian projects. Honors emphasizes mindset over grades, and we look for students who clearly demonstrate resilience, open-mindedness, passionate curiosity, and community engagement. Honors has served 664 total students, with 591 enrolled in the past year. Of those students, 11% identify as first-generation and 6% as belonging to a marginalized group. To increase access and improve retention for all, the program has committed to establishing both mentoring support and dedicated scholarships, and our diversity among this year's incoming cohort is thus higher: 13% identify as first-generation and 8% as belonging to a marginalized group. We are also committed to creating a supportive and welcoming learning environment for underrepresented students and those from historically marginalized populations. The decision to recruit and admit students from across USU's statewide system also extends the Honors Aggie community across our great state of Utah. USU Honors is proud to welcome and support all past, present, and future Aggies who embrace the poet Horace's ancient challenge: "Sapere aude"– or “Dare to Know.”
Access and inclusion are key strategic goals of the University Honors Program.
2021-2024 USU Honors Strategic Plan