<p>Purdue’s Honors College is quite new. In June 2013, Purdue hired Rhonda Phillips, the Associate Dean at Arizona State University’s Barrett Honors College, to head Purdue’s new Honors College. Purdue’s Honors College enrolled its first students in fall 2013.</p>
<p>Barrett at ASU is one of the very best honors programs in the nation. I have toured it a couple of times and it is special. The honors students have dedicated dorms, and their own cafeteria, class rooms, beautiful work-out facilities, and convenience store. The entire area is secured from the rest of campus and only honors students have access. I know many students there from my son’s high school, and they love it. If Purdue can create a Big 10 Barrett, they will really have something special.</p>
<p>Here’s some information that I received from the Purdue Honors College:</p>
<p>Here at Purdue we have structured the Honors College to provide enhanced learning experiences for our students, across all disciplines. We are the university’s only residential college and living spaces for freshmen are in Shreve Hall. Upper division students have choices including the new Third Street Suites. We are building a new complex with dedicated lab, classroom, social and living spaces for the Honors College by the Fall of 2017. </p>
<p>We offer small classes with professors teaching each one in the Honors curriculum, as well as study abroad and domestic study visit options, and a variety of curricular and co-curricular activities. One of the notable features of our college is that we encourage a strong connection among students to build a community of scholars. We have 700 students enrolled in the Honors College and provide much opportunity to engage with faculty, staff, and other students. Our goal is to reach 2000 students total in the college, to provide students with high levels of service and a smaller college feel within the university structure. The majority of students in the Honors College and at Purdue are in the STEM disciplines so we oriented towards the student with interest in these areas while also providing cross disciplinary engagement. </p>
<p>It is our goal to provide our students with the very best experience and to be recognized in the top ten Honors Colleges nationally, befitting Purdue as a top 25 Public Research University and an AAU member University (only 62 are in this prestigious group of universities nationally which include privates and a select number of public research universities). Given the basis on which we are building, Purdue’s Honors College will provide high capability students with the support and challenges they need to thrive and succeed. </p>