The Honors Scholars program nurtures a sense of excellence, curiosity, and exploration across disciplinary boundaries within a committed community of student and faculty scholars.
Address compelling questions and be challenged to take risks, supported by a community marked by intellectual humility, curiosity, and wonder.
In your first and second year in the Honors Scholars program, you will explore connections between subject areas in interdisciplinary team-taught courses and honors designated courses that fulfill half of Calvin's core (general education) requirements. In these classes you and your classmates will be asked to think about:
- How the study of Literature might enhance our understanding of Calvin's committments to global regions and cultures, diversity and difference, and sustainability
- How the study of Rhetoric and the Social Sciences might help us explore challenging issues from various perspectives and communicate effectively across difference
- How the study of Theology might prompt us to interrogate what it means to be human and what it means to be loved and called by God
- How the study of Natural Sciences might lead us to think more carefully about evidence, ethics, and our role in promoting the flourishing of God's world
In your third and fourth year, you will participate in theme-based upper-level interdisciplinary Honors Colloquium courses and develop the skills of a scholar in your specific discipline while completing an Honors thesis or creative project alongside a faculty mentor.
As an Honors Scholar, you will have the opportunity to:
- Learn within a committed community of faculty and student scholars
- Take Honors Core classes, taught by two faculty, that cross disciplinary boundaries and fulfill Core requirements
- Participate in upper-level interdisciplinary Honors colloquium courses with other academically-talented students to augment your major coursework
- Conduct research in your discipline(s) with a faculty mentor during the preparation of an Honors thesis or project
- Receive Honors advising (in addition to major advising) to maximize your academic opportunities
- Apply for student research stipends and research-related travel funds through the Calvin Student Research Fellows program
- Receive advice and support during the preparation of competitive national scholarship applications (e.g. Fulbright, Goldwater, etc.)
- Earn graduation “with Honors” recognition at graduation and on your official transcript upon successful completion of the Honors Scholars Program requirements
Next steps
Applications for students starting at Calvin in fall 2023 were due on December 15, 2022. As space allows, cohort leaders may consider late applicants. Please email cohorts@calvin.edu if you are interested but missed the deadline. If you are starting Calvin after 2023, use the button below to let us know you are interested, and we'll invite you to apply when the application is open to you!
