Four Institutions Awarded Spring 2025 Portz Grants for Classroom Innovation

Lincoln, Neb. – The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) is proud to announce the recipients of the Spring 2025 Portz Grants for Classroom Innovation. These competitive grants support transformative honors programming that expands experiential learning, community engagement, and interdisciplinary teaching across U.S. institutions.

This spring’s awardees are pioneering initiatives that exemplify the power of honors education to drive civic-minded, student-centered learning. From pro bono grant writing to culturally immersive study abroad, these programs are designed to deepen student learning while fostering social and ecological impact.

Spring 2025 Portz Grant Recipients:

California State University, San Bernardino

Project: Funding Local Change: Startup Funds for a Pro Bono Honors Grant Writing Service
Now in its second year, CSUSB’s Honors Grant Writing Program equips students with professional training in grant writing and pairs them with nonprofit partners across the Inland Empire. The initiative offers pro bono services to organizations while allowing students to gain real-world experience in skills-based volunteering that benefits their communities.

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University of Maryland, College Park

Project: Expanding Global Perspectives through Experiential Learning in Puerto Rico
This new study abroad experience for students in the Integrated Life Sciences (ILS) Honors Program integrates scientific inquiry with cultural immersion. The program encourages students to examine environmental and health challenges through historical and social lenses, cultivating a more holistic and ethical approach to global scientific engagement.

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University of New Mexico

Project: Healing Human and Ecological Communities through Reciprocal Restoration
This advanced seminar, offered through UNM’s Honors College, emphasizes the interconnected healing of people and landscapes through service-learning. Portz Grant funding will enable students to design and implement ecological restoration projects at sites such as Valle del Oro National Wildlife Refuge, deepening their understanding of climate adaptation and community resilience.

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William Paterson University of New Jersey

Project: Creating Transformative Experiences through Cultural Immersion for Underrepresented University Students
This interdisciplinary initiative begins with faculty training in honors pedagogy and culminates in experiential learning for first-year students. Through site visits to culturally rich urban areas such as Paterson and Newark, the program highlights immigrant contributions while fostering ethical inquiry and cross-disciplinary learning among students from historically underrepresented backgrounds.

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These awarded projects embody the spirit of honors education: combining academic rigor with community relevance, personal growth, and collaborative learning. NCHC looks forward to sharing the outcomes and insights from these innovative programs as they develop over the coming year.