About the Honors Program at EWU

Our Mission

At Eastern Washington University, the Honors Program, a community of scholars, focuses on developing and empowering students to become leaders in using their intellectual passions to generate innovatively and socially just solutions to the local, regional, and global challenges of the 21st century.

Goals for an EWU Honors Education

Critical, analytical, and creative thinking

Effective and articulate oral and written communication

Discipline-appropriate research skills

Leadership, civic responsibility, and social justice

Our Core Values

Benefits of the Honors Program

  • Classes are small, typically 15-20 students, and are taught by excellent faculty
  • Attentive and resourceful staff and faculty will help you navigate challenges while in college
  • Study abroad and other travel opportunities
  • Undergraduate research opportunities that prepare you for graduate school
  • Co-curricular activities to support learning outside the classroom
  • Comfortable and cozy Honors Lounge to eat lunch, meet with other students or faculty, or pick up a book to read
  • Scholarships Opportunities

Paulina Crownhart, an Honors Killin Scholarship recipients, receiving her award from EWU's mascot, Swoop.

Students in front of Showalter Hall

Curriculum

  • Honors First-Year Experience courses (FYEs) focus your energies and help you see the possibilities in your education and future in small seminar classes with outstanding innovative faculty.
  • Honors Eagle Flight (1 credit) introduces you to the Honors community in your first quarter
  • Honors Social Justice Seminar (5 credits)
  • Honors Global requirement (5 credits)
  • Honors Thesis (in the major)

Students entering with fewer than 90 credits will also be required to take at least one additional honors elective unless doing so will limit progress toward their degree.

Student Experiences

Adrienne Whitehead

"Participating in the honors program at EWU was an honor for me. I stayed in touch with Wayne and Ildiko over the years and still talk to Terry every now and then.

These professors and classes were an amazing way to begin my journey of collegiate learning. I cannot express enough what an incredible experience it was to be a part of this program. I took this wonderful experience for granted.

Once I returned to Alaska for the remainder of my schooling, I realized how supportive and encouraging the EWU Honors Program really was! Truly, thank you for everything you do."

Joseph Kersh

"I was accepted to a month-long physical therapy internship at the Rusk Rehabilitation Center this coming summer. The Rusk Rehabilitation Center is located at New York University¹s Langone Medical Center in downtown New York City. Rusk Rehabilitation is ranked in the top 10 rehabilitation hospitals in the United States. This hospital specializes in neurological rehabilitation for spinal and brain injuries, as well as for neurological disability rehab. This is exciting for me, as this is the field of physical therapy that I wish to specialize in.

The selection process was competitive, and being selected will give me a wonderful opportunity to observe the very best physical therapists. When I first heard about this internship from my mom I assumed that it would be too competitive and not worth the effort. However, I decided to focus my effort only on getting this one internship and was able to spend more time working on my application process. This is truly a dream opportunity for me, and I believe this will help me in the very competitive field of physical therapy. Spending a month living in New York is also a wonderful added bonus!"

Andrea Murray

“Since graduation from EWU, I have been working at a public accounting firm in Portland, OR. I have had the opportunity to coordinate our recruiting events and in-office interviews. My sister and I both loved the honor's program and greatly appreciated the fact we had to take less entry-level classes.”

Kyla Evans

“I have a master of science in Public Service Management from the School of Public Service at DePaul University. I graduated with distinction in June 2013. Recently I accepted a position as Research and Program Assistant for the Institute of Health and Recovery (IHR) in Cambridge, MA. IHR focuses on family recovery programs for people who have substance abuse issues and/ or mental health diagnoses.”

Kristen Zangar

“A month before graduation in May I was offered a therapist position at my internship site Frontier Behavioral Health Child & Family. I am now working there full time as a child therapist.”

Alexandra Franks

“I graduated magna cum laude, and earned honors ad maxima valorem. I was a graduate assistant (GSA) for two years, which I was told is a rare accomplishment in the psychology department. I am working as part of a preschool and early childhood assessment team, which helps to identify young children in the community in need of specially designed instruction prior to entering kindergarten. I really valued my time in the EWU honors program. The freshman series of courses provided a great foundation as I began my educational career, and helped me to find the confidence and drive to accomplish all of my educational goals."

Contact Us

Natalia Ruiz-Rubio, PhD
Special Assistant to the Provost for Honors
Professor, Modern Languages and Literatures Department
217 Hargreaves Hall
P: 509.359.6305
E: nruizrubio@ewu.edu

 

Dori Roberts
Honors Coordinator
Student Advisor
217 Hargreaves Hall
P: 509.359.2822
E: honors@ewu.edu