Mission & Values

Our Mission

To give students a place where intellectual curiosity, hands-on knowledge, interdisciplinary collaboration, service, and compassion for one another are central to their experience. We are committed to advancing a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community where all members have the opportunity, understanding, and support to thrive and to pursue a life and career with purpose. Curiosity. Knowledge. Purpose.

Curiosity.

For the Honors College, curiosity drives scholarly inquiry—and much more. Curiosity means a true openness to the world. It means a commitment to respecting others’ experiences and perspectives, to questioning our own assumptions, and to listening to and learning from those around us. Our curiosity brings us the joy of discovering new knowledge and the obligation to consider its impact on the world.

Knowledge.

Knowledge is not just expertise in a subject, but a dynamic pursuit and approach to the world. It requires active participation and the acknowledgement of contributions from diverse people and disciplines over time. Knowledge of any subject is dependent on our understanding and respect for each other, so we must always ask, which narratives dominate and shape our pursuit of knowledge?

Purpose.

At the Honors College purpose means having goals and values that are larger than the individual self. The Honors College emphasizes the importance of an equitable and inclusive community made up of diverse individuals. We recognize that our health, well-being, and success are dependent on others, and we actively work to create a community and a world where all have access to the opportunities and resources necessary to thrive.

From this, our motto, we derive the chief goals we strive for all our students to achieve.

Our Values

◊ Interdisciplinary Learning

Interdisciplinary learning is built upon understanding that one area of study or school is not better than another, but that knowledge derives from many people coming from different backgrounds and domains of knowledge. Students participate in interdisciplinary learning by pursuing double majors and minors, advanced classes in multiple subjects, and cross-field research projects.

◊ Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Every Honors College student is expected to commit to the promises and the challenges of creating a community that includes humanity in all of its diverse identities. This means understanding and appreciating how human diversities—race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, personal and collective histories, social experiences—have been structured by differential access to opportunities and resources.

◊ Wellness

Effective participation in community can only come with self-care. Honors College students should live and work in an environment that will allow them to thrive. Members of the HC will be provided the tools to engage in self-knowledge and growth, and the Honors College will support students as they learn how to balance physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

◊ Service

Service is thinking and acting beyond oneself through meaningful partnerships built on a spirit of accompaniment, and mutual respect and learning. Through community-led initiatives and community organizations, HC students practice service with the knowledge that the ability to listen is equally as important as the ability to lead and create. Members of the Honors College contribute to tangible change through community service, philanthropy, and social responsibility.

◊ Experiential Learning

At the Honors College, we believe the most valuable learning experience is when students actively participate in the pursuit of knowledge. Wherever they go, HC students engage in hands-on, project-based learning organized around student reflections, iterations, and creation of original work.

◊ Professional Development

Professional development comprises a suite of skills and attitudes that allow students to succeed in a multitude of jobs and potential careers. At the HC, professional development emphasizes collaboration, communication, reliability, and cultural competence to ensure students pursue a career with purpose.

Our Pledge