The Honors College at SAU
Those of us involved with the Honors College are delighted you want to learn more about us by visiting this website. We hope the information provided here will allow you to understand the scope and depth of SAU’s Honors College and our commitment to academic achievement.
Students in the Honors College take up to eighteen hours of General Education classes together. The Honors College General Education classes allow Honors College students to learn and achieve together in small classes designed to enhance their academic preparation for whatever career goals they may have. Some of the classes available in the General Education curriculum are world history, literature, art appreciation, film appreciation, psychology, U.S. history, philosophy, and Honors Seminar, the first class taken by all Honors College students. Honors College students must complete a minimum of 24 total hours of honors courses in order to receive an honors degree.
The Honors College student population is quite diverse. While most come from Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and other states, some come from around the world. Honors students have traveled from Canada, Bulgaria, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Yugoslavia, Nigeria, Vietnam, China,Venezuela, Cameroon, Malaysia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Korea, Tunisia, Togo, Bahamas, and India to participate in our program.
Students in the Honors College have an opportunity to take trips together. In the past students have visited historic and educational places, including Vicksburg and Natchez, Mississippi, and Arkansas’ own Eureka Springs. More recently, honors students visited three museums in Ft. Worth, the Clinton Presidential Library, and the Heifer buidling. Honors students also receive full financial support to attend professional meetings in order to present their academic work or research. In 2010, four students traveled by train to Greenville, SC in order to present papers at the Southern Regional Honors Council (SRHC). In 2011, eight students traveled to Little Rock to present papers at the SRHC meeting. Students have presented posters at the last three meetings of the National Collegiate Honors Council held in New Orleans, Denver, and Chicago. Six students will present posters in Seattle in 2016.
Students in the Honors College have an opportunity to live together in Honors Hall, a residence hall for Honors College students. This residence hall offers them a quiet environment in which to live and learn. Honors Hall also has a computer lab and a classroom, where some Honors College classes are taught.
Students who qualify and participate in the honors program will also receive a $600 a year stipend in addition to their academic scholarships.
Students who complete the course requirements of the Honors College will receive special recognition at graduation and will receive the distinction as “Southern Arkansas University Honors College Graduate” on their transcripts and diplomas.
Recent Blog Posts
- Pandemically Speaking: May 2020 Honors College Grads
The SAU Honors College congratulates its 26 Honors Graduates for May 2020. Obviously, these outstanding students did not receive the usual accolades of graduation due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, they completed their coursework and earned the distinction of "Honors College Graduate." Many also received the status of Summa Cum Laude* (9), Magna Cum Laude" (6), and Cum Laude# (8). Those […]
- Honors College Report
SAU Honors College Annual Report28 April 2020SAU Honors College· To date we have admitted 33 studentso We expect to have a class of near 60 total· In May, we will graduate 30 studentso Unfortunately, we will not be able to honors them with a reception as in the past or with a graduation […]
- Cuba, Suit, no Tie
Rector Ponciano (left) and Ed Kardas (right) at Universidad 2020 in HavanaSeems a lifetime ago that Jeffry Miller, Chinedu Okeke, and I were in Havana for the Universidad 2020 conference.I wore a suit but eschewed the tie I borrowed. It was just too hot and muggy that February day.Hope everyone is safe and hunkered down now. Don't know when anyone will travel again.
- SAU and NPC Sign MOU for Honors 2 + 2
The SAU Honors College welcomes its newest honors 2 + 2 partner, National Park College.With this addition the Honors College now has four two-year partners. These 2 + 2 memoranda enable students from those two-year colleges to earn honors credits during their time there and then transfer those credits towards SAU's 24 hour honors credit minimum.These 2 + 2 programs benefit students and their […]
