College should be a transformative experience—a journey of discovery undertaken among friends and mentors you’ll remember forever. The Mount Union Honors Program is dedicated to serving students with the curiosity and commitment to get the most out of this journey.
Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds and bring an equally wide range of talents and interests. All are welcomed into our community-within-a-community, a collaboration between students and faculty for creating opportunities in the areas of social life, service work, and scholarship.
There are two different ways to participate in Honors at Mount Union, University Honors and Honors in the Major. You can even do both, if you wish.
There are also many perks that Honors students enjoy during their time on campus. And yet the greatest benefits may be those that come after graduation. The distinction of having Honors on a resume or graduate school application definitely matters—everybody knows that it signifies exceptional promise—but the habits of mind that an Honors student brings to those next stages will pay off for a lifetime. So will the inspiration that comes from working with fellow Honors students, and the support of Honors mentors who are here to help you along the way.
This webpage is designed to provide helpful information for prospective students, current students, and the Mount Union community at large. More than this, we hope that it will also give you a feel for the Honors Program here at Mount Union. If there is anything you can’t find here, please do not hesitate to contact us!
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Sara Severns '22 - Art major | "I value the discourse I've had with other honors students more than anything else in my educational experience."
See Sara's Spotlight
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Joshua Palmer '22 - NSFIA, German major | "More than anything, Mount Union feels like a second home because of the people and the relationships I have formed over the course of my college experience."
See Joshua's Spotlight
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Alexis Smith '23 - English, writing major | "They say if you are doing what you love you will never work a day in your life, and that is exactly how it feels for me being an English and writing major."
See Alexis' Spotlight
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Kaylyn Bennett '21 - Biochemistry, biology, and French major | "I love that every single professor that I've had knows me well by the end of the semester, and that I am never just another face in the crowd."
See Kaylyn's Spotlight
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Samuel Darrin '24 - Music education major | "Mount Union is definitely setting me up for success. Not only am I provided the necessary resources, including a beautiful music facility, a very knowledgeable and talented music faculty, and a wide variety of music classes, but the degree track is also specifically designed to get me hands on experience!"
See Samuel's Spotlight
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Molly Mcginnis '21 - Math major | "The small school environment creates a family feel no matter where you are involved on campus, from academic programs to clubs and beyond. These connections have allowed me to succeed and reach my goals during my time at Mount."
See Molly's Spotlight
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Austin Hindley '21 - Mechanical engineering major | "Having the opportunity to do research and work closely with a professor is an amazing opportunity to learn how being an engineer in the real-world works."
See Austin's Spotlight
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Ryleigh Jones '23 - Nursing and French major | "I was hearing remarkable stories about the nursing program, so I decided to attend a visit on a night designated for potential nursing majors. From my first visit, I was sold."
See Ryleigh's Spotlight
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Michaela Velichka '21 - Early childhood education major | "Mount Union is helping to prepare me for my career by giving me all kinds of background knowledge and experiences that will prepare me to take on the challenges that come with being an educator.
See Michaela's Spotlight
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University Honors
The University Honors track is a learning community for students that provides academic and social support to engage in a different kind of learning, encouraging open inquiry, empathetic engagement with diverse perspectives, and safe spaces for intellectual risk-taking. The curriculum parallels the Integrative Core with specially designed honors sections and exciting co-curricular opportunities. Professors in the Honors Program are innovative teachers and dedicated scholars who come from a variety of disciplines. Honors courses emphasize intellectual contexts, student autonomy, and connections among fields of study.
Curriculum
First Year Seminar (FYS) (first year): FYS focuses on a specific topic and develops skills in writing, oral communication and critical thinking.
Honors Foundations (first and second years): These courses focus on four major areas of human knowledge – humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and arts, building on the skills students learned in FYS. Students are required to take Honors Foundations in three of the areas and may fulfill the fourth area with an appropriate elective.
Theme and Theme Project (third year): Students take an honors course related to the theme of Engaging Diversity, in which they develop a proposal for a diversity project to be completed in conjunction with a course of their choosing the following semester.
Capstone (fourth year): Students engage in collaborative work around a complex issue with real-world application. They draw upon knowledge, skills and thought processes acquired throughout their educational experience.
Honors in the Major
The Honors in the Major track offers the opportunity for intensive, individual study in a major. Although the nature of honors work will vary, it should involve intellectual creativity and may take such forms as research, investigation, or artistic effort. The student initiates and plans the honors project and works closely with one or more faculty members in carrying it out. At the conclusion of the study, superior accomplishment should be demonstrated in some appropriate way. Depending on the department’s specifications, students will complete either an honors thesis or honors projects in three courses in the major.
Curriculum
494 Honors Thesis/Project: A research/project course designed to meet the needs of the individual student seeking honors in the major at graduation. Prerequisites: junior or senior standing, and approval of the instructor, the department chair and the Honors Review Board. Credit variable, 4-8 Semester Hours.
The Honors Council hosts several social events this year to connect and form friendships with other Honors students. Past events have included a Halloween party at the Nature Center, “Sundae Sunday” socials, and its end-of-the-year barbecue.
A group of Honors students show off their 80’s inspired Halloween costumes before the annual Honors Halloween Party.
Service
Each year, the Honors Council organizes at least one student-led service project. In the past, it has collected supplies to donate to Raider’s Cove, made capes for children in the local hospital, participated in Mount Union’s Relay for Life event, and starting a team on Free Rice- a trivia game that donates to the UN World Food Programme for answering trivia questions.
Scholarship
The program provides many opportunities to enhance your scholarly experience at Mount Union. Many professors take their students on trips to museums and historical spots. Also, the program provides means to attend conferences such as the Mideast Honors Association Conference (MEHA) and the National Collegiate Honors Council Conference. These conferences allow students to present, engage with discussion panels, and become better leaders and better Honors students.
Two executive honors council members attend the National Collegiate Honors Council Conference in New Orleans.
