The Honors Program

Dr. William Irwin, Director
williamirwin@kings.edu

The Honors Program at King’s College provides the serious undergraduate scholar with unique opportunities to develop his or her intellectual and creative powers to their fullest extent. Students admitted to the Honors Program enjoy challenging coursework and individual attention from dedicated professors. The Academic Component of the Honors Program, outlined below, is designed to both guarantee each student a thorough grounding in the fundamentals of a liberal education and provide the flexibility each student needs to best pursue his or her own scholarly interests.

Honors students are kept abreast of opportunities for the publication of their work, the availability of stipends, internships, and study abroad programs. Students in the Honors Program are also especially encouraged to apply for prestigious fellowships and scholarships, including Fulbright and Rhodes Scholarships.

The center of student life in the Honors Program is the Honors Lounge (Hafey-Marian 504). Here students congregate for study groups, informal discussions, and formal presentations. Equipped with computers, a refrigerator, a microwave, and a coffee maker, the Honors Lounge is a great place to study and spend time between classes. Once a month students host a “Lounge and Learn” event in which a faculty member visits the Honors Lounge to discuss his or her current area of research over pizza and soda. Recent presentations include: “How Likely is Extraterrestrial Life?”; “Your Mind, Your Brain, What’s the Difference?”; “Putin: This, That, or the Other Thing?”; and “Borat and the Problem of Eastern Europe.” The Honors Program also sponsors the annual Rev. Donald J. Grimes, C.S.C., Divine Wisdom Lecture, for which the Honors Student Advisory Council invites a major scholar. Last year the Council selected the eminent Shakespeare scholar Paul A. Cantor from the University of Virginia. Professor Cantor’s lecture, “Shakespeare and Popular Culture” was one of the highlights of the year. The Honors Council also coordinates service projects, movie nights, and cultural excursions.

Students who complete the Honors Program with a minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 3.40 at graduation are awarded an Honors Certificate and Medal. The intellectual initiative and personal maturity demonstrated by Honors Program graduates gives them a substantial edge in finding employment and in applying to law school, medical school, and graduate school.