What is the Avila Honors Program?
Our program aims to provide unique and individualized learning and research opportunities for creative, motivated students. We want to challenge and inspire you, not overwork you. As a member of the honors program, you will be offered myriad opportunities that will enhance your work at Avila.
Structure of the Avila Honors Program
| Honors Seminars (2 required) | Honors Enhancements (5 required) | Cultural & Community Experiences (2 required) |
| HN 180: Honors Seminar I (enroll in Fall of your FIRST year in the program) HN 480: Honors Seminar II (enroll in Fall of your LAST year in the program) | Honors Enhancement (1) Honors Enhancement (2) Honors Enhancement (3) Honors Enhancement (4) Honors Enhancement (5) | Cultural & Community Experience (1) Cultural & Community Experience (2) |
| Can be completed during any semester in the program (including Summer!) | ||
Once you complete all these requirements, you will be awarded seven additional credits toward your 120 for graduation and be designated an Honors graduate on your degree. You will also receive Honors medal for graduation.
Honors Program Information:
Honors program work, once awarded, will count toward the 120 credit hours required for graduation; in other words, the program does not require any additional work above and beyond what you are already doing at Avila – it is just a different type of work!
Requirements in Detail
Honors Seminars (Two Required)
Each student must complete two 1-credit Honors Seminars: HN 180 in their first fall and HN 480 in their final fall. These seminars develop critical thinking and help connect academic experiences to broader real-world perspectives.
Get started by: e-mailing the Honors Program Director at Honors@Avila.edu when it’s time to register for courses and ensure you’re on track to enroll in required Honors seminars
Honors Enhancements (Five Required)
Each Honors Enhancement is created by the student, Director, and a faculty member. It adds depth to a traditional course—CORE, major, minor, or elective—by expanding knowledge through a personalized academic experience.
Get started by: In the first two weeks of class, ask your instructor to add an Honors Enhancement and complete the form on the Honors Canvas site. No extra enrollment needed.
Cultural & Community Experiences (Two Required)
To meet this requirement, students must attend and reflect on approved university or community events.
Complete four unique experiences — events or volunteer work.
- If all are volunteer-based, they must be with four different organizations.
- Each volunteer opportunity must be a minimum of 3 hours.
- Take a photo at each event or location for documentation.
Create a 2–3 minute voice-over presentation sharing your reflections.
- Submit it on the Honors Program Canvas page by the last day of traditional classes (before finals).
Applying to the Avila Honors Program
For First-Time, First-Year Students:
You will be notified of your status by Admissions and provided with instructions about how to proceed when you are admitted to the University. There are a limited number of spots available each year; so please be aware that the earlier you confirm your place, the better your chances are.
- Pre-approved: A high school GPA of 3.50 or above OR an ACT score of 25+ (SAT score of 1200+). Pre-approved students need to formally accept their admission to the Honors Program.
- Conditional acceptance: A high school GPA of 3.25+ OR an ACT score of 25+ (SAT score of 1200+). These students will be required to submit an admissions essay for consideration. Instructions will be provided in your Admissions package.
For Transfer Students and Current Avila Students:
- Transfer students will be notified of their status by Admissions and provided with instructions about how to proceed when they are admitted to the University.
- Current Avila students should speak with their Advisor and the Director (honors@avila.edu) about how to proceed. Both Transfer Students and Current Avila students need to submit/possess at least two of the following:
- College GPA of 3.5+
- Academic Letter of recommendation
- Admissions essay
What to Expect Once You Are Accepted:
- You will be added to a Canvas group for Honors students, which contains all relevant forms and communications. Be sure to have announcement notifications sent to your e-mail or phone.
- If you’re an incoming first-year student, you will be added into a section of HN 180 (1 credit hour). If you’re not an incoming first-year student, you should make sure you register for HN 180 your first Fall. If you cannot take HN 180 in the fall, you will register for an online version in the spring.
Maintaining Good Status in the Honors Program
- Pass/complete all Honors enhancements and seminars that you enroll in
- Complete at least 1 requirement every academic year until finished
- Maintain a college GPA of at least 3.50
Honors students can be placed on probation if these conditions aren’t met. In addition to these requirements, students can be dismissed from the program if they receive a Level 3 conduct sanction (as detailed in the Student Code of Conduct) or a 2nd Academic Dishonesty warning.
Who are we?
The Honors Program is run by faculty, the same faculty who you might take classes from in the CORE curriculum or in your major/minor.
Director of Avila Honors Program
Dr. Abigail Lambke, Professor of English
Dr. Lambke earned a Ph.D. in English from Saint Louis University in May 2013, and began teaching at Avila that fall. She teaches courses in writing, rhetoric, literature, and women’s and gender studies. Her research centers on sonic rhetorics – how sound makes special meaning for humans – and she publishes entirely in recorded audio. She also presents on teaching writing and feminist rhetorics. Dr. Lambke has been a leader on Avila’s campus, particularly in respect to core curriculum design and the Writing Center. She has a distinct fondness for Avila students and is committed to mentoring Honors students as they develop their colligate potential.
Contact
Abigail Lambke, Ph.D., Professor of English
P: 816-501-3633 / E: abigail.lambke
Member of the Honors Program Steering Committee
Dr. Jordan Wagge, Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science
Dr. Wagge earned a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology in 2009 from Miami University of Ohio, has been teaching at Avila University since Fall 2009. She teaches courses in research design and analysis and cognitive psychology at the undergraduate and master’s level, and conducts research in scholarship of teaching and learning and debunking weightcentered health paradigms. She has leadership roles in several external bodies, including the Collaborative Replications and Education Project (Executive Director), the Psychological Science Accelerator, and on the Research Advisory Committee for Psi Chi, the International Honors Society for Psychology. Most importantly, Dr. Wagge very fondly remembers her time as an undergraduate student at Northern Kentucky University as an Honors student and all of the opportunities that opened for collaboration with faculty and other students.
Contact
Jordan R Wagge, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science
P: 816-501-2964 / E: jordan.wagge
Sample 4-year Honors plan (first-time or first-year)
| Fall, Year 1 HN 180 (1 credit hour) | Spring, Year 1 Honors Enhancement 1 | Summer, Year 1 CCE 1 |
| Fall, Year 2 Honors Enhancement 2 | Spring, Year 2 Honors Enhancement 3 | Summer, Year 2 None |
| Fall, Year 3 Honors Enhancement 4 | Spring, Year 3 Honors Enhancement 5 | Summer, Year 3 None |
| Fall, Year 4 HN 480 (1 credit hour) | Spring, Year 4 CCE 2 | <- GRADUATION! |
Sample 2-year Honors plan (current or transfer student)
| Fall, Year 1 HN 180 (1 credit hour) | Spring, Year 1 Honors Enhancement 1 Honors Enhancement 2 | Summer, Year 1 CCE 1 |
| Fall, Year 2 HN 480 (1 credit hour) Honors Enhancement 3 Honors Enhancement 4 | Spring, Year 2 Honors Enhancement 5 CCE 2 | <- GRADUATION! |
FAQ‘s
You can do these in any courses, but strongly encourage you to work with full-time faculty because that way you can work on building scholarly relationships with experts in your field of study. This can help create additional opportunities and can help your faculty members learn more about you and your skills/abilities/goals so they can serve as references for graduate school or jobs after graduation.
During the Fall and Spring, we will have experiences listed on Canvas. You can also propose additional experiences before those experiences occur by contacting the Honors Program Director at Honors@avila.edu. During the Summer, please consult with the Honors Program Director to identify appropriate experiences.
Unfortunately, you will only receive credit for the Honors Seminars (HN 180 and HN 480) that you have completed if you leave the program before completing all requirements.