Honors Scholar Program

A Note from the Program Director

What is college for?

That you’re on this page means you have some interesting answers to this question. For you, college promises thought-provoking interactions, academic challenges, and life-changing experiences. It means opportunities to push yourself in uncharted directions, to take bold intellectual risks, to try out new ways of thinking and acting in the world. That you want to be an Honors student means you want an education that engages your mind and body, one that confronts you with difficult problems and empowers you to build your own solutions.

The HPU Honors Scholar Program offers an education you can embody, one that responds to your interests and passions. We believe students should apply their course work to real-world issues. They should have the time and space to tinker with ideas and materials, to figure out what works and what doesn’t. They should practice reflecting on their experiences and presenting their ideas in public.

So we are committed to delivering a liberal arts education that will teach you the knowledge and habits of mind to enrich your inner life and strengthen your problem-solving and communication skills. Our curriculum will introduce you to a broad array of inquiry strategies and put you in touch with gifted teacher-scholars. These professors will engage you in critical thinking, analytical writing, reflective practice, and collaborative project building. And outside of class, you will encounter cultural, scholarly, and social events designed to prompt introspection and inspire creativity.

Joining the HPU Honors Scholar Program is a bold statement about the purpose of college. I invite you to make that statement and to connect with a dynamic, supportive group of students and faculty. You will learn what it takes to ask tough questions and to pursue important answers. Yes, your grit will be tested, your ideas debated. You will be challenged in ways that will be both scary and exciting. But all of that is what you come to college for!

Continue reading for more information, and remember that if you have questions, you can contact me at nhedman@highpoint.edu. I’m looking forward to working with you!

Sincerely,

Dr. Nathan Hedman, Interim Director

How to Apply

To be considered for membership into the Honors Scholar Program as a new student, you must first submit your High Point University undergraduate admissions application.

Then, please complete the Honors Scholar application through your PantherPage. Priority is given to applications received by February 1. The final application deadline is March 1. Admission to the Honors Scholar Program is limited to 100 students.

Students who are accepted and join the Honors Scholar Program for the class of 2024 will receive a $3,000 per year scholarship, which can be added to any other scholarships awarded.

For students looking to join the program as sophomores, look here for more information.

Laila Jones
Wake Forest, NC
Neuroscience

“I remember the first time I had a major assignment due the next day. That night, the main lobby in Finch was full of honors students working on the same assignment, and I realized that the honors program is like a family.”

Ashley Cruz
Waxhaw, NC
Psychology, Statistics and Sociology/Anthropology

“There is something about taking such unique classes with a cohort of lifelong friends that makes the college experience so extraordinary. We all get to challenge and grow off of each other while having a lot of fun along the way!”

Emmie D’Amico
Pittsburgh, PA
Theatre and English Literature

“In my immersive theatre class, everyone came fully prepared for each other’s presentations. Their grade wouldn’t be affected if they hadn’t, but we were interested in each other’s experiments because they were good theatre. And because we had become real friends over the semester and wanted to see each other do well.”

Josh Noel
Easton, PA
Sport Media major, Data Analytics Minor

“Joining the Honors Scholar Program is absolutely the best choice I made when enrolling at HPU. Living and learning alongside my Honors peers adds an extra sense of warmth at my home away from home.”

Isabelle Lindblade
Naperville, IL
Exercise Science (Pre-Athletic Training)

“The Honors program has put me in an incredible position to grow and connect with like-minded scholars. I have learned so much about the world we live in, through classes and the Honors community.”

Ryan Mijumbi
Gastonia, NC
B.S. Psychology

“Even though I joined the Honors program in the middle of my first year, I appreciate all the honors students that welcomed me in. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from any of my Honors classes, it’s that there is always a method to the madness.”

Amy Foss
Stillwater, MN
Exercise Science and Psychology

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Getting opportunities such as traveling for research, writing a newsletter in the process of being published, and working with faculty who are leaders in their field. Living, learning, and having fun together has given me lifelong friends I otherwise may not have met!”

Mikhala Frankunas
Philadelphia, PA

“I am so grateful to be in HPU’s Honors Program. My honors classes have challenged me academically to push past my limits and inspired me to see the world as a bigger and brighter place. I love my professors who share so much wisdom and are always available to help me with whatever I may need. Living in Finch Hall and attending classes with my like-minded peers has also given me the opportunity to make lifelong friends!”

Noah Stillman
West Bloomfield, MI
Strategic Communication/Biology

“From game night to colloquium, the honors program has ensured that my college experience is one to remember for the rest of my life! Because we do everything together, the honors program really feels like a family (also story time with milk & cookies is a plus).”

Abigail Meaney
Charlotte, NC
English Major, Economics & Global Commerce Minors

“My first honors class, Math of Democracy, was also my first B. An 89.3, so close! I begged for extra credit, but my honors professor quickly reminded me what is important:  “Abigail, you have learned so much and come so far, you don’t need a perfect A for that to be true.” That is what the Honors Program is about: expanding  your knowledge, diving deep into topics, and not steering away from a challenge because it might result in less than an A.”

Allison Berg
Gainesville, VA
Interior Design

“Living in Finch has fostered a lifelong community in my personal and academic life. I’m so blessed to be a part of the supportive family that is the Honors Program!”

Amanda Moss
Yonkers, New York
Strategic Communications

“Living in Finch has allowed me to get to know my peers both inside and outside of the classroom setting. Through common room movie nights, lobby taco parties, and class discussions, I have made memories with so many incredible people!”