The Honors Program

designed to challenge highly motivated students with an emphasis on research, leadership and community engagement

Enhance your educational experience

With an emphasis on research, leadership, and community engagement, motivated and intellectually curious students participate in classes and self-designed mentored projects that encourage intellectual risk-taking, personal growth, and transformation.

The Honors Program aims to graduate confident, compassionate, and globally-minded leaders that are able to offer creative solutions to the world’s challenges.

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2025 Honors Application

Honors Program Highlights

Honors Class 2023

Honors Designated Courses
Priority Registration
Community Service Projects
Discussion-Based Classes
Honors Housing
Mentored Thesis Project

The Bach Family Honors House

Interior Bach Family Honors House

Interior of Bach Family Honors House

The Bach Family Honors House opened in January 2006. The 6,000+ square-foot facility includes a conference room—with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment—for seminars and Honors core courses; a residence for eight Honors students per year; a 24-hour study space for all Honors students; and meeting, lecture and movie space.

“The Honors Program has allowed me to grow in my leadership skills and field by pursuing projects both in my major and outside of it through my thesis and directed readings.”

—Alex Kiepert, Honors Program Graduate '22 Finance & Business Analytics Double Major

What Courses Will I Take?

HNRS101
Introducing Honors: Leadership, Research, and Community Engagement (3 credits)

MUS310H
Music, Wellness, and Conscious Life Design (3 credits)

WRIT102H
Research Writing (3 credits)

RLST105H
Franciscan Goals for Today (3 credits)

HNRS250
Sophomore Leadership Seminar (2 credits)*

HNRS331
Directed Readings (2 credits)*

HNRS335
Thesis Prep (1 credit)*

HNRS444
Thesis Project

* Only five extra credits outside of the student’s major.
How Do I Apply?

The Honors Program seeks motivated and intellectually curious students.

Accepted seniors wishing to be part of the Honors Program are required to complete the honors program application

Please note, SAT or ACT are not required for entrance into the program. The Honors Program looks beyond test scores and seeks individuals with grit and character who have a drive to do more.
About the Honors Thesis

An honors thesis is required of all students within the Honors Program. It can be a traditional research-based project, creative endeavor, or community service project. Here are some examples of past thesis projects:

Kelsey Donoughe, Honors Program Graduate '21 Biology, attending West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine

Kelsey Donoughe
"The Synergistic Effect of Metformin and Dexamethasone on HeLa and SiHa Cells: A Comparison of Cervical Cancer Cell Lines from Different Races"

Madison Wright
"Genetic Frequency of the MDR1 gene in Dogs in Central Pennsylvania"

Alana Recktenwald
"Review of Treatment-Resistant Depression and How Neurometabolic Deficiencies May Be Involved"

Hayler Mesmer
"Body Composition and Resting Metabolic Rate: Comparing the Accuracy of Various Predictive Methods"

Nathan Moore
"Effects of Technology in the Classroom"

Trisha Keller
"Comparing Business Models of Western Boy Bands to Korean Idol Groups"

Megan Wood
"Human Health and the Climate Crisis"

Sarah Zakrzwski
"Beyond the Bonnet: Understanding the Appeal of Amish Fiction"

Featured Thesis

Honors Student Kei-shon Graham presents his thesis titled "Uniquely Generic"
Find Out More

Contact the Honors Program Director Irene M. Wolf, PhD at honors@francis.edu

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