Iowa State University Honors Program: Cultivating Academic Excellence and Enrichment

Iowa State University's Honors Program offers a vibrant and challenging academic environment for high-achieving undergraduate students across all majors. The program aims to enrich their academic experience through a variety of educational and intellectual opportunities, fostering personal growth, leadership skills, and career satisfaction. With a strong emphasis on individualized study, research involvement, and community engagement, the Honors Program prepares students to become informed citizens and successful professionals.

A History of Excellence

The University Honors Program has a rich history of nurturing academic talent at Iowa State. Beginning with the leadership of Don Charles and later Edwin Lewis from the Department of Psychology, the program has evolved significantly over the decades. Key milestones include the introduction of credit-bearing honors seminars to promote intellectual breadth, the establishment of the Freshman Honors Program in 1973 to foster a shared honors experience, and the creation of a dedicated home for the program at Osborn Cottage in 1975. Elizabeth Beck's pivotal role in shaping the program's future during her time as Coordinator of Special Programs further solidified its commitment to student enrichment.

The 1980s saw the development of honors curricula in the Colleges of Business and Design, the introduction of the Freshman Mentor Program for research experience, and the integration of honors components into courses. The program's growth continued in the 1990s, with enrollment more than doubling and increased participation in research programs. Iowa State University's 1996 accreditation report recognized the Honors Program as a notable strength of the institution.

In Fall 2002, the program found a new home in the Jischke Honors Building, a state-of-the-art facility overlooking central campus. This building provides a comfortable and well-equipped environment for honors students and staff, featuring classrooms, a lounge space, a computer lab, and office space.

Program Structure and Goals

The University Honors Program is housed in the Division of Academic Affairs, reporting to the Associate Provost for Academic Programs. It aims to provide an enriched academic environment for students of high ability, regardless of their major. The program encourages students to pursue an expansive education, create an individualized program of study, take appropriate graduate-level courses, and become involved in research.

Honors graduates receive a special notation on their diplomas and transcripts, signifying their commitment to academic excellence. The program focuses on challenging motivated students through exposure to the best courses and faculty that Iowa State offers.

Opportunities for Honors Students

The Honors Program offers a wide array of opportunities for students to enhance their academic experience and develop their skills:

Research Grants

Several grants are available to support honors students in their research endeavors:

First-Year Honors Mentor Program Grant: Grants up to \$250 (individual) or \$500 (group) are available to support research expenses incurred by students participating in the First-Year Honors Mentor Program. Each spring Professor Sakaguchi welcomes into his lab a new group of undergraduate students participating in the First-Year Honors Mentored Research Program.
Stewart Research Award: Grants of up to \$750 are available to help cover project expenses for Honors capstone and other research projects.
Elizabeth C. Beck Honors Student Enrichment Grant: Grants of up to \$300 are available to help cover travel and/or registration expenses to present research at a national conference or expenses related to the preparation of a manuscript for publication. Student Enrichment Grants help ensure all Honors students have access to these high-impact opportunities. More than 60 Iowa State undergraduate students were accepted to participate in this year's National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), including 26 Honors students. The following students received financial support through the Iowa State University Foundation for their participation in the annual event. They are recipients of Honors Student Enrichment Grants, which help fund conference registration, travel, and publication fees.
Dr. Robert M. Melampy Grant: A grant of up to \$500 is available to students in Animal Science to help cover project expenses related to the research they are doing within their field of study. Dr. Joe Ford ('66 animal science, Ph.D. '72) attributed his long and successful career in part to his experience doing undergraduate research as an Honors student at Iowa State. His legacy includes the establishment of the Robert M. Melampy Fund with the Iowa State University Foundation. The fund supports Honors students doing faculty-mentored research in animal science. It was named in honor of his research mentor and a longtime faculty member in the department, Robert Melampy.

Honors Student Enrichment

The Iowa State University® Women’s Club supports the Student Award Fund, an endowment entirely funded by members’ giving through tax-deductible annual contributions, gifts, or planned giving. The fund recognizes and honors outstanding Iowa State University® women students with annual monetary awards.

First-Year Honors Program

The Freshman Honors Program provides a shared honors experience and encourages group identity among first-year students. Paiton McDonald, a junior in agricultural biochemistry and international agriculture, served as one of three First-Year Honors Program undergraduate assistants in the fall. Paiton's success as an undergraduate researcher and student leader exemplifies what it means to be an Honors student. Paiton has a great impact on everything she does.

Read also: Requirements for UF Honors

Pre-Health Conference

Iowa State students organize and host the Pre-Health Conference, featuring sessions for professional tracks in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physical and occupational therapy, and more. Mala Sharma ('17 biology), a first-year medical student at the University of Iowa, and Ben Dralle ('19 nutritional science, genetics), a second-year medical student at Ohio State University, participated in Iowa State's first Pre-Health Conference held virtually on February 20, 2021.

Honors Ambassadors

Honors Ambassadors, upper-division Honors student leaders, play a crucial role in recruiting future Cyclones, networking at Honors alumni events, and assisting with programs for First-Year and University Honors Program students. This blog is written primarily by Honors Ambassadors, upper-division Honors student leaders who help the program recruit future Cyclones, network at Honors alumni event, and help us pull off large programs for First-Year and University Honors Program students.

Research Opportunities

Ben assisted with the electrospinning of the newly separated fibers. The funding allowed Ben to work on the first phase of the research, helping the team evaluate the concentration of a chemical solvent used to separate cotton from polyester and nylon in blended fabrics. He also assisted with the electrospinning of the newly separated fibers. He also assisted with the electrospinning of the newly separated fibers. It was awesome to work on a project outside of my major so that I could combine what I've learned from my course of study with the new things I researched and learned in the textiles department.

Community and Engagement

The Iowa State University® Women’s Club is a social and service organization providing opportunities for friendship, personal growth, and enrichment. Members have an opportunity to participate in various activities to expand their intellectual and social horizons. The club year begins in September with an “opener” to welcome new and returning members and concludes with a luncheon in April. All-member assemblies offer programs reflecting the theme of the year.

Alumni Support

Graduates of the Honors Program receive support from the Honors Program Alumni Board, which solicits support for the unique opportunities the program offers students. The board is soliciting support for the many unique opportunities Honors offers students to dig deeper and go further.

Read also: UMD Honors Programs

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