Incoming Freshmen

Incoming freshmen are eligible to apply to the Lourdes University Honors Program if they meet one of the following three criterion:

• ACT Composite of 24
• SAT of 1160
• High School GPA of 3.5

Current/Transfer Students

Current and transfer students are eligible to apply to the Lourdes University Honors Program if they meet all of the following criteria:

• Cumulative college GPA of at least 3.5
• The student has completed his/her first semester of Lourdes University coursework.
• The student has completed no more than 55 credit hours.
• The student plans to register at Lourdes for at least four more semesters before graduation in order to complete the Honors coursework.

• $2,000 scholarship renewable for up to four years for students in good standing in the program.
• Honors course sections have a rich, interactive environment designed and delivered specifically for honors students.
• Priority registration for next semester’s classes.
• Academic advising with the student’s faculty advisor and director of the Honors Program.
• Membership in an Honors-only housing community in Lourdes Commons.
• Opportunities to participate in leadership, service learning, career-building experiences, cultural events, and immersion experiences.
• Research-based Honors capstone paper or project to prepare for graduate school or career path.
• Upon completing the program requirements, honors recognition on the diploma and the Honors Program Medallion to wear at graduation.

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MISSION

Consistent with Franciscan values, the Mission of the Honors Program experience at Lourdes University is to enrich the community by providing motivated and talented students with a challenging, interdisciplinary, research-oriented environment designed to enhance creative thinking and critical inquiry. The Honors Program experience prepares students to become dynamic leaders and passionately engaged global citizens through vibrant scholarly and cultural opportunities.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

For the Lourdes Honors Community:

1. The Lourdes Honors Community will function as an interdisciplinary community of scholars, dedicated to high ethical standards of learning, reverence, service, and leadership.
2. The Honors Community will accept and engage students who are talented and motivated, providing a space and place for their development as leaders within their disciplines.
3. Honors students and faculty will embrace inquiry-based learning, promoting the “life of the mind” and a culture of inquiry, as evidenced by their involvement in research and scholarship projects and experiences.

For the Honors Academic Program:

1. The credit hour requirements for an Honors Program will be embedded within the student’s core curriculum and academic major requirements, resulting in the same number of credit hours and tuition requirements as a non-honors degree program.
2. Honors courses will provide a rich, interactive environment by being offered in honors-focused, small class environments, designed and delivered specifically for honors students.
3. Honors courses will place greater emphasis than traditional courses on learning how knowledge is created, discerned, examined, tested, revised, and applied.

For the Honors Experience:

1. The Honors Program will provide opportunities for scholarly experiences for both students and faculty.
2. The Honors experience will include requirements for experiences in leadership development and service learning, focusing on engagement within our regional community.
3. In the Honors courses and Honors experience, students are expected to take responsibility for learning, both within and outside the classroom.

Communication. Students will be able to express ideas and arguments clearly and effectively in multiple formats, including written and oral presentations of their work.

Connections among Disciplines. Students can identify key elements of multiple disciplines and apply interdisciplinary methods of inquiry into complex problems.

Research and Creative Skills. Students will perform independent research or produce creative projects at an exemplary level in their field.

Community Engagement. Students will demonstrate leadership and active membership in various communities, including the Honors Program, Lourdes University, and northwest Ohio.

Global Awareness. Students will understand the ethical and moral obligations of being an informed and engaged citizen in a diverse and global community.