Taking the
Gallaudet Advantage to the Next Level Gallaudet’s Honors Program develops well-rounded leaders in and out of the classroom. Join your passion for learning with rigorous preparation, and you’ll be ready for a top-tier graduate program or successful career.
The Honors Academic Edge
Aim High—Aim Honors! Benefits of Honors Challenge Receive a rigorous academic challenge that is unparalleled in the University’s undergraduate courses. Community Connect with like-minded peers. These relationships will give you opportunities to succeed academically and socially. Preparation First- and second-year Honors courses prepare you for success in upper-level major courses. Upper-level Honors courses prepare you for graduate school and professional pursuits. Candidates for the Honors Program are driven to succeed academically and professionally and have a history of academic accomplishment. The program is ideal for students who want to maximize their competitiveness for top-tier graduate programs and successful employment. Alumni from the Honors Program have gone on to graduate study at some of the country’s top educational institutions, including Columbia University, Georgetown University, The George Washington University, University of California at San Diego, and Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London.
Recognition Students who graduate with University Honors receive special recognition during Commencement. You’ll have a special designation on your diploma and in the commencement booklet. You will also receive a special royal blue gown at graduation, participate in a special Honors commencement event with your family, and receive a plaque recognizing your academic achievement. Scholarships Students who are accepted to the Honors Program and meet the minimum requirements are eligible for merit-based scholarships offered by Gallaudet.
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Join the Honors Program Candidates for the Honors Program must first be admitted to Gallaudet University. Once you receive your letter of admission, follow these steps: For admission to the program, contact the Honors coordinator at honors@gallaudet.edu by April 15 to schedule a Google Chat interview. Participate in the summer discussion board. Each year, Honors faculty select books that incoming Honors students must read during the summer months before arriving at Gallaudet. You will participate in social and academic discussion forums. In the social forums, you’ll be able to connect with and get to know your classmates and faculty. In the academic forums, you’ll be expected to compose and respond to several prompts about the readings. You are expected to be thoughtful and diligent in your work and to submit work in a timely fashion with a professional appearance. The quality and quantity of your participation is measured using a rubric. The discussion board is a vital instrument for your success in the Honors program. Attend the Honors Retreat. An annual event, the Honors Retreat takes students, faculty, and staff off-campus for lectures, discussions, and team-building exercises. The retreat is a formative experience for incoming Honors students and is critical to the continuing development of the Honors community. All newly admitted students—both first-time and transfer students—are required to attend.
Scholarships To emphasize how much we value high-achieving students like you, Gallaudet offers merit-based scholarships to students accepted into the Honors Program. You must complete the Gallaudet University undergraduate application form, including transcripts and test scores, by February 15 prior to the fall semester you plan to enroll at Gallaudet to be considered for the President’s Honors Distinction or Provost’s Honors scholarships. Other merit-based scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis. For more information about the Honors Program, visit honors.gallaudet.edu.
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Meet an Honors Standout Corinna Hill, ’14, summa cum laude, epitomizes the Gallaudet Honors student – a well-rounded individual who shone not only in academics but also in the University community and beyond. A gifted writer, Corinna joined student newspaper The Buff and Blue as a freshman, became editorin-chief her senior year, and spearheaded the newspaper’s transition from print to primarily Web. As a junior, Corinna co-chaired Homecoming weekend and served as student representative on the search committee for the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. During her senior year, she presented at a TEDx event on campus and at an honors conference, while balancing these presentations with rigorous coursework, her Honors capstone research, part-time employment, Buff and Blue duties, service as a sorority officer, and an internship. Corinna interned with Helping Educate to Advance the Rights of the Deaf (HEARD), a Washington, D.C.based nonprofit organization with the mission of improving communication accessibility for deaf prisoners, fighting for those wrongfully convicted, and educating people about these injustices. As HEARD’s community engagement coordinator, Corinna used her writing and communications skills to encourage people to share HEARD’s message. In February 2014, Corinna testified before the Maryland House of Delegates, urging them to launch a Deaf Culture Digital Library (DCDL) that would allow members of the legal and judicial system to access essential information about the needs and accessibility provisions required to reduce communication barriers with deaf and hard of hearing people. This internship provided experience for one of her two possible career paths—the law. Her University Honors capstone inspired the second one in academia—as an historian. Corinna’s Honors Capstone thesis was “The Social Integration of Civil War Veterans with Hearing Loss: The Roles of Government and Media.”
“After the U.S. Civil War, government aid to numerous disabled—including deafened—veterans transformed the perception of disabled people as inferior citizens into disabled people as free-riders,” Corinna said. “Limited medical tests made deafness difficult to prove. The government and media played roles in shaping the experiences of veterans with hearing loss.” Engaging in professional-level collaboration with her committee, Corinna received guidance in her research and writing from Gallaudet history professors Jeffrey Brune, who recently published a book, “Disability and Passing,” and William Ennis III, who is researching the influence of eugenics on Deaf people’s marriage choices. Near the end of her senior year, Corinna presented her capstone during a poster session with her fellow University Honors graduates. This experience is only one of many during the capstone process that provides advanced professional growth and understanding usually reserved for graduate students. “Even before applying to grad or law school, my capstone has been so helpful for me,” Corinna said. “I was able to use it as a writing sample, and I had a wonderful final product that helped me sell myself to employers.” “Corinna pushed herself to achieve and succeed in every aspect of her life. She has a bright future,” Honors Program director Shirley Shultz Myers said. You, too, can be an Honors student. Aim high—aim Honors!
University Honors
The Summit of Undergraduate Education University Honors provides you with the unique opportunity to develop your skills and prepare to excel after graduation. In addition to upperlevel coursework, you will complete a capstone, a thesis or project that contributes to knowledge or understanding in some way. Once you’ve completed the capstone, you may submit your work for professional publication or develop your project further after graduation. This project will prepare students for graduate and professional level critical thinking and analytical writing. Completion of upper-level coursework and the capstone are requirements for students seeking to graduate with University Honors.
Tomorrow’s Leaders Today As an Honors Program participant, you will follow in the footsteps of some of the University’s most respected leaders. On campus, Honors participants represent a diverse group of student leaders who succeed in a range of extracurricular activities, including as editor-in-chief of The Buff and Blue, Gallaudet’s student newspaper; Student Body Government president; and student-athletes. Honors leadership doesn’t end with graduation. Many participants achieve professional success as
well. Honors students have the skills to enter and advance within their chosen professions. Picture yourself in these occupations: Journalist Lawyer Medical Doctor Museum Specialist Novelist
Peace Corps Volunteer Professor Small Business Owner Social Worker Teacher
Or choose another profession and build the career of your dreams!
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Honors Program
Jordan Student Academic Center Room 2237 202-251-2283 (videophone) 202-651-5550 (tty, voice) 202-651-5896 (fax) honors@gallaudet.edu facebook.com/gallaudet1864 twitter.com/gallaudetu youtube.com/gallaudetvideo Š 2013 Office of Communications and Public Relations