John Rowan, Dean
Heather Fielding, Associate Dean
Vanessa Quinn, Associate Dean
Brandon Rukes, Program Coordinator
Michael Kenny, Academic Advisor
Amy Libauskas, Academic Advisor
Jennifer Fraga, Secretary
www.pnw.edu/honors
Hammond Location: SUL Building Room 320; Phone: 219-989-3160
Westville Location: Library Student Faculty Building room 069; Phone 219-785-5366
Mission
The Honors College at Purdue University Northwest is dedicated to enhancing the learning experiences of highly motivated and academically exceptional students. Students in the Honors College engage in advanced coursework, community outreach, substantive research, study abroad, cultural and social activities, and regular interaction with the university’s most outstanding students and professors. Through these kinds of special learning opportunities, the Honors College fosters academic excellence, critical thinking, vital leadership skills, social and civic responsibility, and other virtues required of outstanding citizens and leaders.
Application
Available at www.pnw.edu/honors. The application to the Honors College is separate from the application to the university. Although there are no firm criteria for admission, students with a high school GPA under 3.4 or SAT scores (or ACT equivalent) of under 1100 (verbal+math) will have difficulty being admitted. Applications, which require essays and letters of recommendation, are reviewed on the basis of academic achievement and promise, leadership potential, extracurricular involvement, personal character, and other factors relevant to the student’s overall potential.
Students are encouraged to apply as incoming freshmen, though there are some slots available for upper class students (transfer students or current Purdue Northwest students) who have completed no more than 66 credit hours and have a minimum of four semesters in residence remaining until graduation.
Benefits
Scholarship ($2500/year, provided requirements are maintained);
Membership in a community of like-minded, similarly motivated students;
Experiential learning, especially in areas of leadership, service and research;
Specialized courses with fellow Honors College students;
One-on-one research opportunities with university faculty;
Study Abroad scholarships available
No extra credit hours required; Honors College coursework is built into the student’s plan of study. (Plans of study available on the Honors College website or in SUL 320.)
Student Leadership
Executive Board
President: Caitlyn Swan
Vice President for Campus Life: Matthew Kresich
Vice President for College Media: Emma Rose
Vice Presidents for Student Engagement: Brianna Buckner and Kasey Kulesa
Vice Presidents for Student Mentoring: Marines Chapa and Samantha Warren
Vice Presidents for Student Research: Jennifer Howard and Gina Marzilli
Committees: Academic and Cultural Events, Community Involvement, Newsletter, Social Events, Social Media, Yearbook
Curriculum
Curriculum (Incoming Freshman)
Semester 1
HONR 11100 Honors Cohort I
Semester 2
HONR 11200 Honors Cohort II
Semester 3
HONR 21100 Honors Cohort III
Semester 4 or 5
Choose One:
HONR 39000 Junior Level Topics
HONR 39100 Honors Humanities Topics
HONR 39200 Honors Social Science Topics
Semester 6
HONR 40000 Honors Capstone Project
Semester 7/8
Honors Thesis
Any of Semester 3-7
Honors Stacked Course
Honors Elective
Curriculum (Upper Class Admission)
HONR 21200 Upperclass Introduction to Honors
Semester 4 or 5
Choose One:
HONR 39000 Honors Special Topics
HONR 39100 Honors Humanities Topics
HONR 39200 Honors Social Science Topics
Semester 6
HONR 40000 Honors Junior Seminar
Semester 7/8
Honors Thesis
Any of Semester 4-7
Honors Stacked Course
Honors Elective
Additional Requirements: Volunteer work; regular participation in Honors College activities; two annual individual meetings with Honors College advisor
Honors Thesis Option: Students not in the Honors College may submit a proposal to write an Honors Thesis. Students whose proposals are accepted enjoy benefits but do not receive a scholarship. Proposals should be submitted by the end of the student’s sixth semester. Interested students should contact the Dean.
Vision: Learn, Think, Lead
Learn
Foundations: Students will acquire knowledge appropriate to their chosen programs of study;
Perspectives: Students will be exposed to new and diverse viewpoints about humanity and society;
Exploration: Students will develop a love of learning and the ability, going forward in life, to learn how to learn.
Think
Reflection: Students will consider carefully the foundational knowledge they acquire and the various perspectives to which they are introduced;
Analysis: Students will master the ability to scrutinize particular viewpoints and their underlying rationales in an effort to identify what is sound and what is invalid;
Synthesis: Students will learn how to assemble into a coherent whole the tenable components of the viewpoints analyzed.
Lead
Vision: Students will develop the comprehensive skills necessary to transform a coherent collection of tenable ideas into a tangible vision, complete with justification and prospects for feasible application.
Communication: Students will acquire the tools required to convey – verbally, in written form, graphically, technologically and in other ways – the substance of their visions to individuals, organizations and society at large.
Citizenship: Students will internalize the principle that individuals and institutions are part of a larger whole and will graduate with the understanding that outstanding leadership requires a strong sense of empathy and an ongoing awareness of how actions and practices can have local and global impacts.
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