Honors College Mission Statement

The mission of the Fort Hays State University Honors College is to foster students’ engagement with their academic fields, the campus, the community, and the world. Through a diverse and enriching educational environment on campus and online, the Honors College creates professional and personal opportunity, develops citizen-leaders, and advances FHSU’s core values.

Honors College Student Outcomes

The Honors College serves the FHSU community with a focus on enriched student engagement, service, and global vision. Undergraduate students from all colleges and academic programs participate through scholarly, creative, co-curricular, and community-based activities that enrich the focus of their academic programs, broaden the scope of their service, and advance their career preparation.

Honors College staff provide support through networking, supplementary advising, and guidance with graduate school applications, employment opportunities, external scholarships (including nationally competitive scholarships), community building, personal goals, and work-life balance.

Honors College Curriculum

Honors College students earn their undergraduate degree With Honors (designated on the transcript and diploma) by completing a range of Honors Experiences alongside strong performance in their academic program. These Honors Experiences advance students’ engagement through scholarly, creative, co-curricular, community-based, and/or globally engaged activities. For on-campus students who enter the Honors College as freshmen, the Honors Freshman Seminar and (in most cases) the Honors Critical Thinking course that covers the institutionally designated FHSU General Education requirement serve as two Honors Experiences during the freshman year.

After the freshman year (and in all cases for transfer and FHSU Online students) students work with Honors College staff to explore opportunities for Honors Experiences that systematically advance student academic, professional, and personal goals. Examples include (but are not limited to) research and creative activity, internships, study abroad or away, pre-professional work, service projects, Honors student staff or student peer mentor roles, state or national leadership roles or presentations, and Honors-designated courses (most of which fulfill General Education requirements). Before graduation, students also complete an Honors Capstone course project, which takes the form of independent study that connects students’ educational achievements with future professional, educational, or personal plans.

Honors College students who wish to complete an accelerated graduate program at FHSU in which undergraduate and graduate courses are taken concurrently receive their undergraduate degree with Honors, but should speak to Honors College staff about their plans as soon as possible.

Honors College Community

The Honors College student community is active across the university’s full academic and extra-curricular range. Students are encouraged to find their own path to meaningful engagement with the university, its academic units, student organizations, and the community. The degree designation With Honors recognizes this intentional engagement. Approximately 4% of on-campus students are Honors College members, as are a range of FHSU Online and non-traditional students. The Honors College provides space on campus for members to collaborate, communicate, meet with staff, and study. Honors College students also serve each other in Honors College student staff roles and as peer mentors.

Many Honors College students live in the Honors College residential community in Tiger Village. Honors College freshmen are generally expected to live in the Tiger Village community. Honors College students are welcome to continue to live in Tiger Village (pending capacity and contract priority) for the duration of their time on campus. It is not generally possible for on-campus freshmen to combine participation in the Honors College with participation in a freshman Living Learning Community (LLC), though prospective students may discuss options with Honors College staff.

Honors College Admissions and Scholarships

Students who wish to become Honors College members must complete a supplementary application after their admission to FHSU. Students may apply to the Honors College as incoming freshmen, as incoming transfer students, or as current FHSU students. FHSU Online students are welcome to apply. Applicants are generally expected to have achieved a 3.5 cumulative GPA in high school and/or previous college-level courses. Applicants should also include their best ACT (Superscore or Composite) or SAT score in their application materials. Students with excellent grades, test scores, and application materials may qualify for special Honors College scholarships that include financial support for both tuition and housing costs.

Honors College Staff

Director: Kevin S. Amidon, Ph.D.

Academic Program Specialist: Kathay Johnson, M.S.Ed.

For more information, please visit: https://www.fhsu.edu/honors/

Contact: fhsuhonorscollege@fhsu.edu