Honors stories
Our community does some amazing things. On this page, you'll find news and features that take a close look at the developments and accomplishments of our program and the people tied to it.
Featured stories
Seeing the whole elephant: Mary Klayder and a career centered on students
Mary Klayder's decades-long career, which concludes this May, has touched thousands of lives, most notably through her student-centered approach that has redefined what mentorship can mean in a university setting.
2025 cohort of University Scholars announced
The 22 selected students to be part of the program's 44th cohort receive a scholarship, are assigned a faculty mentor to support their academic endeavors and engage with a topic of contemporary interest as part of an interdisciplinary seminar course.
First mentors, friendly faces
Seminar assistant and honors ambassador roles give honors students a chance to represent the program and lead among their peers.
Two Blessings boost honors emergency fund
With their generous contribution to the University Honors Program Emergency Aid Fund, Anne and Bill Blessing are calling on other donors to make matching gifts to support honors students facing significant challenges.
Honors Alumni Voices
Annette Becker
"The welcoming environment, smaller class size, and mix of underclassmen and upperclassmen set me at ease, and in that ease I started finding my voice as a scholar."
Kit Leffler
"My practice spans drawing, printmaking, and performance — all grounded in a deep curiosity about the natural world and how we move through it."