History
Introduced in 1948, Honors Day is the occasion when students who have achieved academic excellence are honored by administrative officials, academic deans and members of the faculty. It serves as an important prelude to Commencement. The Honors Day Convocation includes ceremonial elements such as an academic procession, orange and white honors cords worn by students, heraldic banners, inspirational messages and celebratory music.
Faculty guests join student honorees in the procession and are seated next to them at the convocation. In a special presentation, students recognized as Distinguished College Scholars are invited to the stage to receive commemorative medallions from academic deans.
Criteria for Honors
On Honors Day each spring, the university designates outstanding students as College Scholars and Distinguished College Scholars on the basis of registration and grade-point average requirements for courses taken in residence at the university, as specified below. Students who are eligible for recognition receive invitations to the Honors Day convocation. *
To be designated a College Scholar, a student must meet all of the following requirements:
- The student must be registered as an undergraduate in the current semester. Students who hold an undergraduate degree or are registered in-absentia are not eligible.
- The student must have completed at least 30 semester hours of coursework in residence at the university and at least 60 semester hours of college coursework, including transferred work and credit by examination.
- The student must rank in the top 20% of their class in each college or school in which he or she is pursuing a major, based on in-residence cumulative grade-point average.
- The student must have an in-residence university grade-point average of at least 3.50.
To be designated a Distinguished College Scholar, a student must meet all of the following requirements:
- The student must meet the first, second and fourth College Scholar requirements stated above.
- The student also must rank in the top 4% of his or her class in each college or school in which he or she is pursuing a major, based on in-residence cumulative grad- point average.
Source: General Information Catalog
*Please note that designation as a College Scholar or a Distinguished College Scholar will be based on eligibility calculations by the Office of the Registrar as of 5 p.m. on the 20th class day of the semester in which the Honors Day Ceremony is held. For 2016, that date is February 15, 2016. No changes will be made to eligibility beyond the 20th class day.