The Honors and Scholars Program is an excellent way to enrich one’s college experience and have some fun along the way. What is required of the student? One can choose to graduate as either a Wesleyan or a Presidential Scholar. Each level has separate requirements.
All students in the Honors & Scholars Program must:
- Regularly check your VWC e-mail account, since all communications will be by e-mail.
- Report to Dr. Easter in the fall of each year a list of all honors courses taken, and your plans for honors courses during the current year.
- Perform community service. Check on what activities will count as community service with Mrs. Diane Hotaling, Director of Community Service, 455-3216. Students should go to the community service web page, (VWC Homepage, Campus Life, Community Service) and click on the Document your service link. There they can indicate that they are part of H&S and record what service they've performed. Students are required to register to record their activities online. Upon registering with the Community Service Office online, you will receive updates about upcoming opportunities and activities. At least half of your community service hours should be completed with VWC sponsored events as a contribution to our campus community service efforts. For questions about what counts as community service and suggestions about what students might enjoy doing, contact Diane Hotaling or Dr. Easter.
All students in the Program are designated as either Wesleyan or Presidential Scholars for which the requirements differ as noted below
Students intending to graduate as Wesleyan Scholars must:
- Successfully* complete 6 honors courses (or honors sections of courses) with no more than 3 of these courses may be from a single academic division.*
- Maintain a 3.50 GPA.
- Perform 40 hours of community service over the span of their time as undergraduates at VWC and record those hours in the community service online volunteer log.
Students intending to graduate as Presidential Scholars must:
- Successfully* complete 3 honors courses (or sections of honors courses) from at least two different academic divisions.**
- Maintain a 3.40 GPA.
- Perform 20 hours of community service over the span of their time as undergraduates at VWC and record those hours in the community service online volunteer log.
* The intention of Honors courses is for the scholar to go beyond what is expected of the students in the regular course in both the level of engagement and performance. In order for an Honors course to count toward the total number of Honors courses required to graduate with Presidential or Wesleyan Honors, a student must earn a B or higher in the Honors course..
** The departments represented in each of the three Academic Divisions are:
Humanities - Art, Art History, Classics, Communications, English, French, German, Journalism, Music, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Spanish, and Theatre
Natural Sciences and Mathematics - Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Environmental Studies, Mathematics, Physical Science, and Physics
Social Sciences - Criminal Justice, Education, Geography, Health and Human Services, History, Management, Business, and Economics, Political Science, Psychology, Recreation and Leisure Studies, Sociology, and Special Education.