USU Honors Program grows opportunities for statewide students
Utah State University’s Honors Program is expanding its reach across the state, offering more students the chance to pursue opportunities beyond the classroom while connecting with peers from different campuses.
The program, known for its motto “Dare to Know,” started as a Logan-based initiative but has steadily developed opportunities for students at statewide campuses. With dedicated faculty advisers and a growing student base, the program is aiming to bridge the distance between Logan and other locations while keeping academic rigor and curiosity at its core.
Kristine Miller, executive director of the program and professor of English, said the program is designed to support students and help them grow in ways that extend far beyond traditional coursework.
“The program’s goal is to recognize and develop the potential of motivated students to put learning into practice and make a difference, even when students do not yet see that potential in themselves,” Miller wrote in an email to The Utah Statesman.
That mission is finding new audiences. The program was originally established in 1964 and became university-wide in 2014. Applications officially opened to statewide students in the 2021–22 academic year. Since then, more than two dozen students outside Logan have joined. While Logan currently has 881 students in honors, 25 students statewide are enrolled, according to program records.
Even with smaller numbers, leaders see momentum. Jason Olsen, associate professor of English and the Honors Faculty Advisory Board representative for statewide campuses, said participation has doubled in the past year.
“The number of statewide honors students is growing, doubling in the last year, and I expect that number to grow as we continue to discuss the program with statewide students and show them the great potential it can have in their lives,” Olsen wrote in an email to the Statesman.
Faculty members across campuses are helping build that momentum. In Tooele, Jason Twede, associate professor of criminal justice, has served as a Departmental Honors Advisor since 2022. He said the program is still in its early stages there but even a small start has value.
“For the honors program here, it is fairly new, and so we are just getting things started,” Twede said. “We’re getting the ball rolling.”
For Twede, the most important part of honors is getting students engaged with opportunities outside of the classroom.
“I like to focus on experiential learning, like having an experience like moot court or study abroad or undergraduate research or going to some conference you never would have gone to otherwise just to learn what’s going on,” he said.
Those kinds of experiences are a hallmark of the program across the state. Students are encouraged to participate in Honors Book Labs, which allow small groups to gather with faculty and discuss a book outside of class requirements.
The program also supports undergraduate research, leadership roles and other projects that allow students to connect academics with real world work.
Miller said the honors program is designed to be flexible so students can find value no matter their major or career goals.
“The program is a cross-disciplinary community and idea lab, where students and faculty can meet peers and colleagues outside their own areas of expertise and collaborate on almost any idea or project they can imagine,” Miller wrote.
For statewide campuses, a major challenge has been building a sense of connection across distance. The program has taken steps to address this with faculty training sessions, Zoom networking events and outreach at conferences like Weaving Our Stories in Blanding. This year, honors faculty and a student presented at the Blanding event to explain the program’s offerings to prospective students.
Honors students can now graduate with transcript designations on both two-year and four-year degrees. Students earning associate degrees may receive an Associate with Honors designation, while bachelor’s students can complete a University Honors designation. Those who transfer from an associate program into a bachelor’s program may stack both distinctions.
Faculty members say these recognitions help students articulate the value of their education and distinguish themselves after graduation. Alumni often return to mentor current honors students, a pattern Miller hopes continues.
“Many of our alumni volunteer to work with current students in our Honors Alumni Mentoring programs because their honors experience was transformative and meaningful to them,” Miller wrote.
Looking forward, statewide honors advisers hope more students see the program not as extra work but as a pathway to richer experiences.
“If you’re a new honors student, I think the biggest thing I would want them to know is don’t stress out about if you’re too focused on ‘I’ve got all this additional work to do or I need to keep my GPA high,’” Twede said.
With numbers still small outside Logan, program leaders see plenty of room for growth. With more advisers, new statewide events in the works and increased recognition of associate-level students, the program is steadily establishing itself across Utah.
As Miller put it, honors is not just for Logan.
“Honors is a space for innovation and is designed to benefit all students, regardless of whether they are part of the program,” she wrote.