Honors Academy

Academy Mission

The mission of the Honors Academy at Park University is to empower qualified students to apply critical thought in an exploration of academic excellence, service, and leadership, with a goal of employing those three essential elements as tools to help shape their local and global communities.

Program Description

The Honors Academy is a special program for which formal application is required. The Academy is open to undergraduate students from all disciplines. Incoming freshmen, current students, and transfer students with a cumulative GPA of 3.75 and an ACT score of at least 28 can apply for admission . The Honors Academy seeks students who desire to learn not only for self-satisfaction, but also as a means through which they may contribute to their campus, city, national, and global communities in support of the University and Academy mission statements.  The program is designed to challenge academically well prepared students while introducing and reinforcing the experiential learning outcomes Park University’s Literacies.

The three foci of the Academy, Service, Leadership, and Scholarship are explored through the curriculum:

  • Freshmen Year: Class Service Project
  • Sophomore Year:  HN250, HN299
  • Junior Year: HN303, HN304
  • Senior Year: HN410

Academy students enjoy enriched scholastic experiences, growth through service, and becoming leaders in their discipline.

A special notation is made on the transcript and diploma upon graduation and completion of the Honors Academy to inform graduate schools and employers of the student’s superior performance.

Program Goals

The honors curriculum is designed to challenge academically well-prepared students while introducing and reinforcing the experiential learning outcomes of the Honors Academy, which are:

  1. Evidence of Academic Excellence
  2. Demonstration of in-depth exploration in a chosen field
  3. Public presentation experience
  4. Leadership experience and exploration of leadership styles
  5. Service to the University and/or community

Benefits of Honors Academy

  • A marked improvement in analytical, writing, and critical thinking skills
  • Courses stress interdisciplinary approaches and study
  • Vibrant community of students with a wide variety of academic interests
  • Special residential opportunities – Honors housing
  • Honors diploma designations
  • Preparation for admission to professional and graduate schools
  • More opportunities for one-on-one interaction with Honors faculty and peers.
  • An intellectual and social support system to reach a student’s full potential – professionally and
    personally.

For more information contact:

Patty Ryberg

Dr. Patricia Ryberg

Associate Professor of Biology
patricia.ryberg@park.edu

Park University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Park University is a private, non-profit, institution of higher learning since 1875.