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Calvin University

Honors at Calvin

Ask difficult questions with humility, explore with wonder, and pursue advanced academic opportunities with courage. 

Applications for the Fall 2025 Honors Scholars Program are now open!

Find Your Fit

Honors at Calvin offers two distinct programs: Honors Scholars and Collegiate Scholars. Both are built around advanced academic excellence, but take distinct approaches.

Honors Scholars

You desire to learn in community and seek interdisciplinary academic experiences. Honors Scholars develop skills of scholars in their field alongside faculty mentors.

Collegiate Scholars

You want to grow as a leader while pursuing your academic goals. You seek out extra-curricular activities and opportunities to engage with your community.

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A professor places a medal around an honors graduate's neck at honors convocation.

Honors Convocation

We recognize and honors graduates and celebrate their achievements each year with Honors Convocation and a reception.

Visit us

Are you planning a visit to Calvin? Ask your admissions counselor to schedule a meeting with an Honors and Collegiate Scholars Program representative during your visit.

Explore Programs

Collegiate Scholars

Delivery Mode
On Campus
Degree Options
Cohort

Honors Scholars

Delivery Mode
On Campus
Degree Options
Cohort

Honors at Calvin Faculty

Craig Hanson

Craig Hanson

Professor of Art History | Associate Director, Honors Program
526-7544
David Urban

David Urban

Professor of English, Collegiate Scholars program advisor
526-8646
Amy Wilstermann

Amy Wilstermann

Professor, Department Co-Chair of BiologyDirector, Honors ProgramPre-PA faculty advisor for biology majors
526-7620

Faculty Resources

Teach an Honors Colloquium (HNRS 380)
We are currently seeking proposals for HNRS 380 courses to be taught:

  • on the main campus
  • on the Handlon campus

HNRS 380 courses provide opportunities for advanced exploration of a topic, practice, or theme that is interdisciplinary in nature. Students from various disciplines engage ideas employing knowledge, methodologies, and insights from diverse areas of study. This course fulfills an upper-level interdisciplinary course requirement for Honors and Collegiate Scholars (and may fulfill major or minor requirements). Students that are not participating in the honors program may register for the course with instructor permission.

Examples of HNRS 380 course topics include:

  • Ruins: The Aesthetics of Decay
  • Rare Diseases: Communicating Science and Stories
  • Environmental Literature
  • Water Policy in the American West
  • Gerontology: Aging in Prison


HNRS 380 course proposals can be found in the box at the right.

Apply to Teach in the Scholars Program
Scholars Program Team Member Application

Propose an Honors Colloquium Course
HNRS 380 Proposal Form