The Honors Program

Director: Linda Tredennick
Associate Director: Karen Petruska

The Honors Program at Gonzaga is an energetic community of students and scholars dedicated to flourishing in our new and changing world. The program provides students with innovative and immersive educational experiences designed to empower them to lead lives of meaning, service, and leadership into the future.

Academics

The Honors educational experience begins with a three-day immersion experience, in which students meet each other and begin to bond as a cohort, as well as learn to orient themselves in Spokane, at Gonzaga, and as Honors students. Students then take the Honors First Year Block, a rich, integrated, and interdisciplinary learning experience shared by all students entering the Honors program. Students are introduced to the complex structure and problems of contemporary society while also honing the foundational academic skills of critical reasoning, analysis, and communication. Ideas and experiences are shared across collaboratively-taught, student-centered, and interdisciplinary courses.

Throughout their time at Gonzaga, Honors students have reserved seats in Honors Designated courses: innovative and exciting courses taught by award-winning faculty. In addition, Honors Colloquia are designed for Honors students; these courses are collaboratively taught and interdisciplinary examinations of complex, timely, and urgent topics facing our global society. Examples of topics covered in Honors Colloquia are: identity formation and identity politics, race and representation, climate change, educational policy and advocacy, poverty, and homelessness.

Finally, Honors students complete their undergraduate career with the Honors capstone experience. Students imagine and then design a personalized project that both integrates their undergraduate learning and allows them experience which will meaningfully contribute to their future goals. These projects may take the form of researched, academic writing, an internship, creative inquiry – whatever is best suited to the individual students interests and goals.

Student Development

One of the most important elements of the Honors program is the community, friendship, and mentorship it provides. Dillon Hall is the home of the Honors Living-Learning Community, providing a quiet, library-style study lounge, a lounge for socializing and relaxing, a kitchen, recreational equipment, academic space, and access to Honors Faculty. Throughout the year, the program hosts many events, including socials for the Bigs/Littles (student mentorship) program, open mic nights, lectures, open houses for families and the Gonzaga community, and the annual Haunted House. The two all-program retreats, Christmas party, and Senior brunch are always highlights of the academic year.

Admission

Students can apply for the Honors program as they apply for admission to Gonzaga. A few students are also accepted at the end of their first year at Gonzaga. Acceptance is based not only on evidence of previous academic achievement, but also on promise of future success. The application process values extra-curricular interests, intellectual curiosity and engagement, and ability to bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the program. For more information, one can contact the Honors Program office at 509-313-6547.

University Core Requirements

Honors students are responsible for completing the following University Core Requirements either through an Honors course or through the general catalogue: Literature, Christian and Catholic Traditions, World/Comparative Religion, Fine Arts, Scientific Inquiry, History, Math, Human Nature, Ethics. The completion of these course requirements with an HONS course subject will fulfill both the Honors program requirement and the University core requirement towards the completion of a students degree.

Honors Program Requirements

In order to remain an Honors student in good standing, a student must:

1. Complete the Honors First Year Block (HONS 193, HONS 100, and PHIL 101H) or the transfer equivalent within one academic year of joining the program.
2. Must either complete 6 credit hours of HONS courses (or courses with the Honors Designation) per academic year, or be within 12 credit hours of completing the Honors requirements. Exceptions will be made for students studying abroad during the academic year.
3. Must achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.3 at the time of graduation and good academic standing throughout their tenure at Gonzaga (as defined by the undergraduate catalogue). Students who drop below a 3.0 for two consecutive semesters will be removed from the program (subject to Director review).

Students who fail to meet these requirements will be removed from the program and will no longer qualify for the Honors scholarship.