Purdue Fort Wayne’s Honors Program assists qualified students in maximizing their college education. The program helps students expand their academic horizons.
“We are here to support those students that want to get extra out of their education that they’re doing here,” Assistant Director Michele Shawver said.
Any courses that students are taking in a semester can be elevated to Honors classes. There are no restrictions on the members’ classes that can be boosted.
While their approach is different in terms of who they accept into the program, Farah Combs, Honors director, says that a high GPA is a must have to qualify.
“They need to maintain a minimum of a 3.3 GPA in order for them to be eligible,” Combs said.
Once eligible students become members of the program, their membership becomes tentative on a semester-by-semester basis. Their membership length depends on their ability to consistently satisfy the program’s requirements.
Combs said that maintaining their required GPA each semester keeps members eligible. However, they must also successfully complete a 300 level or higher class towards their major.
For any semester, students who are not able to meet those requirements become temporarily ineligible.
Combs said these unqualified members are put on Honors probation. While on probation, students cannot continue to take Honors classes.
Members who meet these requirements for the initial semester can start applying for Honors scholarships. Multiple scholarships of up to $1,000 are available for Honors members to apply, including study abroad and internship scholarships.
Members can only apply for one scholarship per semester.
Members will get certificates and medals with their names on them once they graduate. Both will be given out if they have met all the qualifications throughout their membership.
“They have to complete 18 hours of honors credits by the time they graduate,” Combs said.
The number of program members in a semester varies. Its size is dependent on members’ eligibility status. Combs said there are approximately 300 members in the program each semester.
Program members meet daily in the Honors Center, located on the second floor of Helmke Library.