Two students from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Honors College earned national recognition at the 2025 National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) annual conference, including a Portz Scholar selection for the second consecutive year.

Youngstown State University’s Sokolov Honors College marked a record year of participation at the 2025 National Collegiate Honors Council Conference, sending its largest-ever delegation of student presenters. Sixteen students shared original research, leadership initiatives and creative projects at the annual conference, held Nov. 6–9 in San Diego, California.

The Honors College at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has been selected as one of only three recipients nationwide for the highly competitive 2025 National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) Portz Grant.

Current Honors students Treasure Affia, Milanno Jones, and Trinity Perkins along with Honors alum Louise-Missome Engohang all received awards and grants from the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) for their academic pursuits in the past several months.

Elizabethtown College is transforming history education with its Public Heritage Studies program, led by director Jean-Paul Benowitz. This immersive, community-driven approach, influenced by the National Collegiate Honors Council's City as Text^® program, takes students beyond the classroom into Pennsylvania’s rich cultural landscape, preparing them for careers in archives, museums, and historic sites through hands-on experiences and real-world internships.

Cañada Honors Transfer Program (HTP) participants presented at national and state conferences. HTP students Rolando Barriga-Rojas and Blake Mathews shared their research, "Can You Scrub Away Sin? The Psychological Underpinnings of the Macbeth Effect," and HTP student Haolin Pang presented, "Using Calculus to Study the Population Dynamics of Sea Turtles in the Gulf of Mexico" at the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) conference last Saturday.

The Brinson Honors College awarded WWCU-FM with the Peace and Dignity Prize in September 2025 because of the work done by students and faculty during Hurricane Helene. The award was given by a new program called Partners in Peace, created by the Brinson Honors College. The program is a collaboration between the National Collegiate Honors Council and the Nobel Peace Center.

Discover how U.S. Honors Colleges blend liberal arts excellence with public university value, offering small classes, research, housing, and high-impact learning.

University of South Alabama Honors College students Mary Helene Marmande and Dev Mehta, both of Mobile, were recently selected as recipients of the 2025 John and Edythe Portz Interdisciplinary Fellowship. Mehta and Marmande will each receive an award to support their research projects.

Ella Stott, a student in the Utah State University Honors Program, has been selected as a National Editor for UReCA: The NCHC Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity^® for the 2025–2026 academic year.

An [Elmhurst University] Honors Program event was held in the Founders Lounge on Thursday, April 24, to commemorate the program’s selection to be a member of the inaugural cohort of “Partners in Peace,” a new partnership between the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) and the Nobel Peace Prize Commission.

An aspiring forensic anthropologist at Southern Illinois University Carbondale has been chosen to serve on the National Collegiate Honors Council Board of Directors, a spot reserved for only five students in the country.

Elmhurst University Honors Program students will lead a discussion about the Nobel Peace Prize and the current Nobel Peace Laureate, as well as their own efforts to work toward peace on a local level, during a campuswide event on Thursday, April 24.

The event culminates a multi-part “Path to Peace” initiative, led by professors Mary Kay Mulvaney and Erika McCombs, that the Honors Program undertook during the spring semester as a participant in a new global collaboration called Partners in Peace.

The Wood Honors College at Shippensburg University has been named to the inaugural Partners in Peace cohort, joining institutions from around the world in the initiative developed by the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) in collaboration with the Nobel Peace Center.

California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) has been chosen to join the prestigious Partners in Peace initiative, a collaboration between the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) and the Nobel Peace Center. The announcement was made this past fall during the 59th Annual NCHC Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.

Mykyta “Nick” Nechaiev, student council president of the Tampa Judy Genshaft Honors College, attended the NCHC 2024 conference last fall in Kansas City, Missouri. As part of the relatively new initiative to involve students, Nechaiev was thrilled to engage with other nationally recognized students and share insights from his experiences at the University of South Florida. During the conference, he was encouraged to apply for a Student Member position on the NCHC Board of Directors.

Oregon Tech honors program executive director Christopher J. Syrnyk, Ph.D., has been elected vice president of the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC), an association that supports and enhances a community of educational institutions, professionals, and students who participate in collegiate honors education around the world.

This article from the American Psychological Association shares a listing of members who recently received awards. Included in this article is Kate Bruce, PhD, a professor in the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) Department of Psychology, who received the National Collegiate Honors Council 2024 Sam Schuman Award for Excellence in Honors Education at a Four-Year Institution.

The HSI-Honors Consortium is a cooperative community of honors colleges and programs at HSIs designed to develop a community that engages collectively in supporting the diversity of Hispanic and Latin American student success. At the beginning of November, Franke Honors leaders Drs Nadia Alvarez Mexia and Karna Walter, along with Dr. Andrew Fleck from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, presented the inaugural HSI-Honors group as an extension of this consortium and its recent successes at the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) Conference in Kansas City, MO.

Stockton University is set to join an exclusive international club.

It will be part of a new initiative between the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway, and the National Collegiate Honors Council. The Partners in Peace initiative recognizes institutions for creating curricula that highlight the work of Alfred Nobel and recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize.

For a geology major, hiking a small portion of the Appalachian Trail can be an educational and rewarding experience.

In late May, Honors College rising senior Jennah DiMaggio got a chance to do just that, participating in the Partners in the Parks program coordinated by the National Collegiate Honors Council and the National Park Service. As part of the program, DiMaggio hiked several miles on the trail along with fellow honors students from various colleges and universities from around the United States, learning about the geology, ecology and sociology of the Appalachian Trail.

Dr. Lisa Sutherland, the newly appointed Executive Director, is leading the transition, which is informed by over two years of research and benchmarking against more than 80 honors colleges. The recommendations from the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) played a crucial role in shaping the blueprint for the Cost Honors College. The NCHC's best practice guidelines have been documented and integrated into the transition plan.

McIntyre, director of professional development and national and international scholarships at the Honors College, has been a member of the organization (NCHC) since 2007. In 2022, she served as its president. McIntyre considers her greatest professional achievement to be her involvement in Partners in the Parks, NCHC’s signature place-based learning program.

Susan Dinan, PhD, has taken on the role of President of the Board for the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC), which oversees honors programs at over 700 institutions worldwide. In her role, Dr. Dinan aims to shift the focus of honors education from elitism to inclusion and diversification, moving away from standardized test scores as a primary criterion for admission.

In response to a blog post questioning whether public universities can scale honors-like experiences for more students, two honors college leaders highlight how honors education has already evolved to be more inclusive and accessible. They reference efforts led by the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC), particularly a task force that challenged honors programs to be more inclusive, culminating in the position paper "Honors Enrollment Management: Toward a Theory and Practice of Inclusion."

At Kirkpatrick Middle School in Fort Worth, students and college volunteers, including those from the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC), collaborated on a mural project celebrating diversity. The mural, which features countries like Iraq, El Salvador, Rwanda, and the United States, aims to reflect the diverse student body of the school. NCHC members, including Indiana University of Pennsylvania pre-law student Milady Lagunas and Augusta University pre-med student Karen Aikhionbare, participated in the project to help convey the message of inclusivity and belonging. The project is part of a broader effort to engage with the community and inspire students to aspire to higher education.

To mark 100 years of honors education in the U.S., the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) emphasized the importance of service learning, a key element of honors pedagogy. Service learning connects campuses with communities, addressing real-world needs while educating students to become future change agents. The NCHC has compiled service-learning concepts from institutions nationwide to inspire others to engage with their local communities. The organization also expressed gratitude to its members for sharing their experiences.

The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) survey found that 17% of honors colleges at four-year institutions charge separate fees, with the trend likely to continue as universities seek new revenue streams. Some institutions, like Portland State University, charge lower fees to maintain accessibility, balancing this with fewer resources. The debate continues on whether such fees enhance educational quality or create barriers.

PITP is a program designed for honors students from various colleges to explore national parks and broaden their perspectives on different landscapes. The students stayed at the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station (VIERS), an eco-camp that collaborates with the national park and the University of the Virgin Islands.

The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) content is highlighted through the comments of Hallie Savage, the executive director of the NCHC, who criticizes American Honors for oversimplifying the complexities of transferring from community colleges to four-year institutions. Additionally, Stacy Rice, an honors coordinator at Northern Virginia Community College and an NCHC board member, shared concerns about the financial and contractual obligations of partnering with American Honors, which led her college to opt out of the program.

This article highlights the origins of the Partners in the Parks program at Cedar Breaks National Monument and Southern Utah University’s Honors Program, and the subsequent partnership with the National Collegiate Honors Council to give the program national reach.

The article discusses the development and challenges of honors colleges at public universities, with a focus on Western Carolina University's success. The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC), represented by Hallie Savage, notes that many universities aspire to elevate honors programs to full-fledged colleges but face difficulties in securing necessary resources. NCHC provides best practices for establishing honors colleges, emphasizing their need for equal standing with other academic units, strong financial and staffing support, and autonomy. Honors colleges can improve a university's reputation, but success depends on committed leadership and sufficient funding.

The article highlights the growing appeal of honors colleges at public universities as a cost-effective alternative to expensive private institutions. It follows the story of Annie Brackemyre, a high-achieving student who chose Indiana University’s Hutton Honors College over more prestigious East Coast schools due to a full academic scholarship. Hallie Savage, the executive director of the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC), adds that successful honors students typically have a strong desire for knowledge and are looking for an extra challenge. Brackemyre, now a senior, feels confident that her honors college experience has prepared her for success, comparable to that of graduates from elite private universities.

Rep. Steve Russell (R-Okla.) introduced a resolution (H.Res. 360) on July 10 to recognize the 50th anniversary of the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC). The resolution is co-sponsored by four other representatives: Dan Benishek (R-Mich.), Rob Bishop (R-Utah), Charles W. Boustany Jr. (R-La.), and Tom Cole (R-Okla.). The resolution has been referred to the House Education and the Workforce Committee for further consideration.

The University of South Carolina’s Honors College offers students a unique blend of small liberal arts college experiences within a large public research university. This approach is mirrored by over 70 other university-affiliated honors colleges that have emerged since the mid-1990s, many of which use a similar “best of both worlds” recruitment pitch, as noted by a 2004 survey by the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC). The NCHC survey highlighted that these honors colleges aim to blend the rigorous, personalized education of a liberal arts college with the resources of a larger public university, thereby expanding access to a broad liberal education.

The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) reported that last year, 167 community colleges were members, indicating a growing trend in honors programs at two-year institutions. The NCHC defines typical honors programs as including seminar courses, capstone projects, and providing honors designation on transcripts.

The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) was mentioned in connection with John Zubizarreta’s (past NCHC president) work, as he encouraged students to present at NCHC conferences.

The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) recognizes the increasing focus on honors education at community colleges, as reflected in Montgomery College's expanding honors programs. The NCHC's membership includes about 20% community colleges, underscoring this trend and highlighting the growing significance of honors offerings at these institutions.

Since 1994, honors programs at community colleges have become a rapidly growing segment, with Kansas City Kansas Community College being a notable example. These programs address the need for high-achieving students to have challenging academic opportunities close to home. This shift challenges the traditional view of community colleges as merely remedial institutions. The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) supports this trend, recognizing the increased focus on honors education at community colleges, which now make up about 20% of its membership. Kansas City Kansas Community College, for instance, offers free tuition and smaller classes, leading to a high transfer rate of honors students to four-year institutions, and illustrating how community colleges are adapting to serve academically capable students.

The NCHC, representing over 800 honors programs, views Golden Key's approach as problematic. The society's aggressive commercial tactics and controversial practices, such as inflating membership numbers and poor governance, have drawn criticism from traditional honor societies and members of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS). The ACHS, known for its rigorous standards, has consistently rejected Golden Key's membership applications, citing issues with governance and adherence to academic standards.

Joan Digby highlights the National Collegiate Honors Council's role in promoting high-quality education through small classes, experiential learning, and other innovative teaching methods. The NCHC's efforts include publishing resources and providing support for institutions to develop and enhance honors programs.

• Article 1: Federal Education Man to Speak Sunday at KU
• Article 2: Teachers the Key for Honors Plan, Rosenhaupt Says
• Article 3: (Part Two) Teachers the Key for Honors Plan, Rosenhaupt Says