The Big H

Amanda Vu

UHP provides essential academic, personal growth

Among several programs and organizations offered at the University of Idaho, the University Honors Program proves its significance beyond the others. By being part of this program, students have a chance to learn more about their areas of study, interact with different people who have the same interest and engage in enriching extracurricular activities.

Amanda Vu

Amanda Vu

There are a variety of honors courses in which students from any major can choose from. The course curriculum covers more topics with in-depth knowledge compared to regular courses. Whereas regular courses teach students the concepts and ideas, honors courses go deeper into subjects with lively class discussions.

Honors teachers have higher expectations, assigning more challenging homework and grading papers on a more rigorous rubric. Students are driven to work harder — do more research and think more critically — to accomplish the desired grade. Sometimes students are asked to work in groups, so they are taught the value of teamwork and are exposed to real-life scenarios where their employers will assign them group tasks.

The program allows students to meet and interact with people who have different backgrounds but similar interests. There are fireside chats, in which guest speakers share stories of their path to success. Honors students get to hear from people of different experiences with various obstacles they have overcome. Each guest speaker’s knowledge gives students a new outlook and broadens their perspectives on a subject.

McCoy Hall — the top two floors of the Tower — are exclusively reserved for first-year honors students. By being connected to their classmates, motivated students can help each other excel. They also create a strong community bond by studying together for the same exam or dreading writing the same paper.

Even if they do not live in the same housing, honors students can still meet in honors classes or at program events. Underclassmen benefit by talking to the more experienced upperclassmen, who are always enthusiastic to share their tips for success. These tips help freshmen gain the greatest amount of experience out of their next four years in college.

The Honors Program holds many extracurricular activities for students to learn something new while having fun with their peers. There is at least one social event every week so students can relax after the long days of lectures, homework and exam stress. All events — “Casablanca” Movie Night, for instance — are considered cultural, giving students a chance to see something from an unfamiliar custom or do something out of their comfort zones.

There are also subprograms within the program for students to participate in. The Things That Matter sessions gather students weekly to express their thoughts on an issue that is rarely mentioned in daily conversations. The Book Club unites students with a passion for reading, whereas the Bridge Club gathers students with strategic minds for card games. The Looking Glass Committee teaches students the roles in journalism through the publication of the bi-annual magazine.

Many students refuse to be a part of the program because it appears to be too time consuming, especially when it comes to exam preparation. However, Honors students can always seek help from the Honors Program Adviser — Alton Campbell — and other program participants for matters of understanding a subject, creating a manageable timetable or reducing stress over papers and exams.

Amanda Vu can be reached at [email protected]

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