Message From the Director
Why take honors? It's a question I have been asked many times by students and parents alike. My first response is to assure you that General Education Honors at Rhode Island College is based on quality, not quantity. The amount of work required in honors classes is comparable to the requirements for nonhonors general education classes. What differs is the opportunity to participate with other bright and motivated students in small classes taught by some of the finest professors at the College. In addition, honors classes provide an opportunity to discuss and analyze subject matter in more depth and with more individualized attention.
My second response to the question is the obvious one. Participation in the College Honors Program has practical rewards. It can help when it comes time to compete for a job or for a place in the graduate school of your choice. We have an enviable record of placing honors students in some of the best graduate programs in the country. That is particularly true of students who choose to do senior honors projects in their majors. Many students and parents have come to the conclusion that it makes both academic and economic sense to participate in an honors curriculum at a less expensive undergraduate college and thus to save money for graduate school.
Ultimately, however, I think the most important reason to consider joining the honors program is the desire to extend yourself intellectually, imaginatively, and personally. We can help you do that in a supportive yet challenging academic atmosphere in which you will interact with committed full-time faculty and, equally important, with other students who share your academic abilities and interests.
I hope you will consider joining us.
Rebecca Sparks
Director, College Honors Program
Associate Professor of Mathematics
