Scholar Development. The Perfect Mix: Scholars and Honors at OSU

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1 O K L A H O M A S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y The Perfect Mix: Scholars and Honors at OSU Two different programs with a common goal to provide tools and experiences to help you fulfill your potential. It s what you expect and deserve! Honors The & College Scholar Development

2 The Honors College at OSU provides additional choices and challenges for outstanding undergraduates. Special honors sections for general education, interdisciplinary courses, topical seminars and special projects enhance the learning experience. Smaller class sizes, special housing and priority enrollment are added benefits. Honors College Advantages Small class size Wide range of honors courses Top teaching faculty Sense of community Special honors advising Special honors events Computer lab and honors study lounge Priority enrollment Optional honors housing Extended library checkout Awards The Honors College offers three distinct awards: THE GENERAL HONORS AWARD, THE COLLEGE OR DEPARTMENTAL HONORS AWARD AND THE HONORS COLLEGE DEGREE. The Honors College Degree (requiring 39 honors credit hours and a 3.50 GPA) is the highest undergraduate academic distinction granted at OSU. All three awards usually fit within the courses required for a particular degree and normally do not add additional credit hour requirements beyond those needed for the degree. The Perfect Mix The OSU Honors College and Office of Scholar Development operate separately, but together offer significant enrichment opportunities for your academic success. The Office of Scholar Development refines top students academic skills through research opportunities, individual mentoring and special classes. The many human and financial resources available help students compete for prestigious national scholarships and reach their specific goals for study and employment, while providing unique collegiate experiences. Travel Scholars need to see the world, and OSU scholars do it well and often. Summer study in England is a tradition for Scholar Development, and most who participate become applicants for major awards. Sports, Literature and the British Academy at Magdalene College, Cambridge, is a recent course. Those attending received substantial financial support, thanks to generous alumni. Top Oklahoma State University students travel to the United Kingdom with OSU s Office of Scholar Development for a special summer course at Cambridge University.

3 Eligibility REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW FRESHMEN New freshmen are considered for Honors College admission on the basis of: High school grade-point average (usually 3.75 or higher) Standardized test scores (usually an ACT composite score of 27 or higher or an SAT score [critical reading and math only] of 1220 or higher) An optional short essay response (see our web page for essay questions) REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS (credit hours cumulative grade-point average) fewer than 60 hours 3.30 GPA hours 3.40 GPA 94 or more hours 3.50 GPA Opportunities SMALL CLASSES TAUGHT BY TOP FACULTY Honors students enjoy a wide range of small classes (typically students) that are taught by experienced members of the OSU faculty. This small group interaction with faculty and other Honors students provides a sense of community. VET SCHOOL AND OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL SCHOOL ADMISSION The OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences and the OSU Center for Health Sciences recognize that The Honors College provides rigorous academic preparation for a variety of careers. Attractive admissions options are available for Honors College students. HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY Honors College students have the opportunity to work with faculty members on a one-on-one basis to develop courses specifically designed to meet the students needs and interests, such as doing research in their major field of study. HONORS CONTRACTS In addition to special Honors sections of courses, students may earn Honors credit for some regular courses by working individually with the faculty member on a special assignment or project called an Honors contract. How Does It Happen? Great students and faculty first and foremost but also successful alumni are enthusiastically supporting these programs in ways that enrich all participants. Our Philosophy We promote competition and winning to be sure, but anyone who participates enjoys extra general educational benefits. More than 65 OSU students have recently won major awards in programs such as the following: TRUMAN scholarship, leadership, public service in the U.S. OSU became Oklahoma s first Truman Honor School in 2000 for its record of excellence in this program. RHODES post-undergraduate study in Oxford, England. MARSHALL post-undergraduate study anywhere in England. FULBRIGHT post-undergraduate study anywhere in the world. MITCHELL post-undergraduate study in Ireland. GATES post-undergraduate study in Cambridge, England. GOLDWATER for undergraduate excellence in science, engineering, mathematics. UDALL two programs for undergraduates: 1) Native Americans in medicine or tribal policy, and 2) any student in environmental studies. Qualities of Successful Scholars Good grades; at least 3.7 GPA is recommended Honors College enrollment is recommended, not required Impressive speaking and writing skills Leadership roles on campus and in the community Academic interests beyond the major, preferably a double major or multiple minors Interested in and conversant about the humanities, regardless of major Extensive personal reading habits beyond course work including reputable national newspapers, influential periodicals and classics of fiction and non-fiction Passion for public service and intellectual discourse Windows to the World This popular Honors seminar offers scholars a head start in preparing for future scholarship competitions, graduate school appointments and job options. The course hones students reading, writing and speaking skills, and uses current events for context as they share ideas and practice debating and interviewing valuable tools for anyone.

4 INTERNATIONAL STUDY EMPHASIS Students may earn the Honors College Degree with International Study Emphasis by completing one of several specified academic minors and an approved study-abroad experience. Lauren Foley Honors College degree in Zoology (Pre-Med) and Spanish. SPECIAL EXPERIENCES With advance approval, experience in study abroad, off-campus internships, cooperative education programs, research or leadership may be counted toward the General Honors Award requirements. Community service, extended international study experiences and AP/CLEP examination credit may also be incorporated into a portion of the Honors College Degree requirements. BACKGROUND SIMULATED Undergraduate Research No other experience leads to greater student success than mentor-guided research, and OSU leads the way with several top programs. Lew Wentz Research Projects award 50 $4,500 grants to OSU s most accomplished students. Another Wentz program recognizes leadership excellence with numerous $2,750 awards. The Freshman Research Program, financed by the Robberson Trust, grants 60 $1,000 scholarships to freshmen for an orientation class and specific research experiences. Other OSU research programs, such as the Niblack, cover selected subjects, departments and colleges. OSU graduates who conduct undergraduate research leverage their experiences into successful ventures far beyond the rate of the typical college graduate, and our programs are nationally recognized and imitated. The OSU Journal of Undergraduate Research (OSUJUR) welcomes the submission of primary research from all academic disciplines, conducted as an undergraduate under the direction of an OSU faculty member. Lin Koh in front of her Wentz Research Project. These projects are presented at a popular event held every year for OSU s top young scholars. Freshman Research Scholars

5 Admit it. You re ready to be challenged. OSU students and alumni who have won major awards appear often in supportive roles on and off campus. Pictured are OSU Rhodes Scholar Blaine Greteman, now teaching at OSU (center), and (from left) Cortney Timmons, Tom Jenkins, Matt Stiner, and Wren Hawthorne, four of OSU s fifteen Truman Scholars. A Closer Look HISTORY OSU was founded December 25, Today, it is a comprehensive research university with an international reputation in sensors and sensor technology, information technology and telecommunications, nanotechnology and biotechnology. LOCATION OSU is located in Stillwater, an hour from Tulsa and Oklahoma City. COLLEGES OSU has eight colleges: Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources; Arts and Sciences; the Spears School of Business; Education; Engineering, Architecture and Technology; Human Sciences; the Honors College; and the Graduate College. OSU s professional schools include the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences and the Center for Health Sciences. FACILITIES From stately Old Central to the state-of-the-art Advanced Technology Research Center, the OSU campus includes more than 200 permanent buildings on about 840 acres. OSU students enjoy the unique Colvin Center, one of the top collegiate recreational facilities in the nation, a Wellness Center for fitness and nutrition, the nation s largest Student Union and the Edmon Low Library, which contains more than three million volumes and is a member of the prestigious Association of Research Libraries. GREEK LIFE OSU is home to 40 fraternities and sororities. COMPUTER ACCESS OSU offers a networked campus with widespread wireless access. Computer enrollment, 24-hour computer labs, webbased library access and multi-media classrooms are also available. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE OSU provides financial assistance in the form of scholarships, grants, loans and Federal Work-Study each year. Approximately 80 percent of OSU students receive some type of financial aid. FACULTY More than 90 percent of OSU faculty members hold the highest degree in their fields. The faculty to student ratio is 1 to 19. RESIDENTIAL LIFE OSU makes on-campus living easy with options that include three distinct housing styles: apartments, suites, and communitystyle residence halls for both single students and families alike. These housing styles, including 18 Living Learning communities, allow residents to find that living and studying together results in better grades, graduating earlier and being more involved than students living off campus. Stout Hall is open to all active Honors College students, creating a community of scholars. Living in Stout is optional for Honors students. Currently many Honors students live in other halls on campus, yet are still active members of the Honors College. OSU Residential Life prides itself on the value that it offers students in convenient, safe, academiccentered, affordable housing. UNIVERSITY DINING SERVICES OSU boasts one of the most flexible meal plan programs in the country with more than 30 options to choose from. Meal options include vegetarian, international, burgers, gourmet coffee shops, convenience stores, pizza, pastas and national chains. The Choose Orange program in UDS highlights healthy eating options available for students. EXTRACURRICULAR More than 400 registered clubs and organizations, Big 12 athletics and intramural sports are just some of the activities students may choose at OSU. Rounding out the college experience are visits from entertainers, political figures and authors, movies, theatrical and musical performances, concerts featuring popular bands and many other cultural events. OKSTATE.EDU

6 Office of Undergraduate Admissions 219 Student Union Stillwater, OK Want to Know More? The Honors College 101 Old Central Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK PHONE FAX okstate.edu/honors ONLINE The Henry Bellmon Office of Scholar Development and Recognition 334 Student Union Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK PHONE FAX Omaha okstate.edu/scholars/ ONLINE Denver Kansas City St. Louis Wichita Albuquerque Amarillo Oklahoma City Dallas/Ft Worth Tulsa Shreveport Little Rock Location Located approximately 60 miles from both Tulsa and Oklahoma City, the campus is readily accessible by interstate highway and air. The 840 acre campus of Oklahoma State University, renowned for its modified Georgian architecture, is one of exceptional beauty. San Antonio Houston Oklahoma State University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services. Title IX of the Education Amendments and Oklahoma State University policy prohibit discrimination in the provision of services or benefits offered by the University based on gender. Any person (student, faculty or staff) who believes that discriminatory practices have been engaged in based upon gender may discuss their concerns and file informal or formal complaints of possible violations of Title IX with the OSU Title IX Coordinator, Mackenzie Wilfong, J.D., Director of Affirmative Action, 408 Whitehurst, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, (405) or (405) (fax). This publication, Job# 4010 issued by Oklahoma State University as authorized by The Honors College and The Office of Scholar Development and Recognition, was printed by University Marketing, University Printing Services at a cost of $1,638.00/6M/June 2012.