Honors Experience

"For my [Honors Capstone Project] I am creating an ecotourism minor for Seton Hill." 

- April Walker, a Seton Hill junior hospitality and tourism major, spring 2009

"I am traveling to Spain during M-term.  For my Honors Capstone project, I am going to write a travel narrative based on my experiences there ... I have chosen to focus on a specific time period: the Spanish Civil War/the dictatorship of Francisco Franco. I am also pursuing an education certification, so helping people learn is something that I value." - Lauren Miller, a Seton Hill sophomore Spanish major with a creative writing minor, spring 2009

"...my hope [is] to one day walk the whole 774 km of the Camino Frances... I knew I had to do this for my Capstone.  It isn't just that it is a life goal; I have been increasingly interested in the religious aspects of my life since beginning my education here at Seton Hill...I want to attempt something that I have always wanted to do but could never get the courage up for..." - Alexandra Christoff, a Seton Hill junior

Honors Program Objectives

Honors students show respect for learning when they do the following:

• Think logically, analyze objectively, and synthesize clearly.
• Set clear learning goals and assess their achievement.
• Transcend course boundaries through creative, self-directed learning.
• Work beyond majors to pursue interdisciplinary interests.
• Practice service learning and assess its value.
• Demonstrate strong and creative communication skills by presenting research results to diverse audiences in varied formats.
• Show initiative in research projects and plans of action.
• Demonstrate stewardship by respecting and fostering initiative and creativity in others.

Honors Program Guidelines

Student projects must consistently demonstrate the following:

Cognitive Flexibility

Creative and original perspectives: think in unusual directions, create options, and initiate speculative reflection.

Content Knowledge

Critical insight: analyze, synthesize, and evaluate based on accurate, complete, coherent, and consistent research procedures.

Application/Implication

Practical transcendence: transcend course and campus boundaries to address the world; integrate varied research disciplines and present results in diverse formats.

Organizational Responsibilities

Effective and efficient method: design an action plan based on realistic timelines, available research tools and guidance, academic goals, career intentions, and the stated responsibilities of all persons involved in a given project.