The Honors Program
Director: Paul S. Bonk, Ed.D
Tel: (845) 848-4073
Email: paul.bonk@dc.edu
About the program
Dominican College’s Honors Program provides the opportunity for our very best students to intensify and enrich their undergraduate education. By selecting only those students whose previous academic success indicates both a strong preparation and heightened aptitude for learning, the Honors Program allows our most academically gifted students to challenge themselves.
Entrance to the program is by invitation only. All incoming freshmen with a high school GPA of at least 3.00 and a combined English and Math SAT of 1100 are formally invited to join the Honors Program. In addition, invitations are extend to freshmen who have a GPA over 3.30 after their fall semester at Dominican College. Any transfer student who has a GPA above 3.30 and is able to complete two Honors designated courses as well as the six-credit Honors Project sequence is encouraged to apply to the Program Director for admission into the Program.
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Benefits
The most important reason for joining and completing the Honors Program is the heightened intellectual challenge being in the program provides. We provide the opportunity for students to deepen the intellectual challenge of Dominican College by taking courses with other especially gifted and motivated students and by conducting a project conceived by and of special interest to participating students.
Graduating from the Honors Program also sends a very favorable message to graduate schools, professional programs, and employers. The best schools and programs are extremely competitive and students typically need more than just a high GPA to be accepted into top tier schools.
Students who complete the program receive a letter of recommendation from the President of Dominican College.
Students who are granted entry into the program right from high school are awarded a free laptop and receive a $1000 scholarship in each of their sophomore, junior, and senior years. Financial support is also provided for students to present their Honors project at an appropriate conference.
All students in the Honors Program are entitled to early registration and thus are guaranteed admission to the courses and sections of their choosing.
Being in the Honors Program allows participants to meet and develop friendships with a community of similarly motivated students. Subject to the availability of or interest by Honors students, there is room for Honors social events as well.
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Program Highlights
Students who are admitted to the program as first semester freshmen will, where possible, be placed in the same sections of the Freshmen Seminar; SH 111; and, subject to their testing into this course, EN 113. [Note: These courses are required for all Dominican College students.]
All Honors students must complete two Honors-designated courses-- scheduled courses from within the GEC curriculum that have been restricted to Honors students and majors in the field only-- typically before embarking on their Honors project.
Beginning at the earliest the fall semester of their junior year or at the latest the fall semester of their senior year, all Honors students will take a two-course sequence —HO 382 and HO 492— wherein each student will design and research (HO 382) and carry into execution (HO 492) an Honors project. Each student will work in conjunction with a mentor chosen from the faculty in their field of study. These projects vary enormously in focus and style as they are expected to be discipline specific. For example, a biology student will typically conduct an experiment. However, we encourage creativity and are quite happy to entertain projects that differ from what is normally done.
Each student will present their project at Honors Night held late in the spring semester. Financial support is available for students to present their projects at appropriate academic conferences as well.
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For More Information
Dr. Paul S. Bonk,
Director of the Honors Program
(845) 848-4073
paul.bonk@dc.edu
Members of Faculty Committee