Honors Program
Mission Statement
The mission of the Somerset Community College Honors Program is to encourage academic excellence, campus and community engagement, cultural awareness, and personal growth among highly motivated students in all disciplines. Honors students collaborate with faculty mentors in enhanced learning experiences that foster student success and improve life in their communities.
Is the SCC Honors Program right for you?
The SCC Honors program is designed for curious students who enjoy testing their intellectual limits and have a strong desire to be part of a community of scholars. Honors students are expected to engage in discussion with faculty mentors and peers as they explore areas of interest. Honors students are also expected to be actively engaged in campus and community activities and enrichment experiences. This combination of scholarly activity and engagement creates an environment where students develop leadership skills that are an asset in any profession.
Honors Coursework
Semester 1 – Honors First Year Experience (FYE) course*
Semester 2 – Honors Contract Course 1**
Semester 3 – Honors Contract Course 2**
Semester 4 – Honors Capstone Course, GEN 140 Development of Leadership
*Incoming honors students take a section of FYE 100 designated specifically for honors students. If a student’s academic program requires a different FYE course (ex: EGR 101), that student can complete the first semester requirements of the honors program by working directly with a designated faculty mentor or the honors program director.
**Honors contract courses may be taken in ANY discipline as long as the instructor for that course agrees to serve as an honors mentor for the student seeking honors credit. Both the honors student and the instructor serving as mentor must agree to the terms outlined in the honors contract. For complete project requirements contact Honors Program Director, Dr. Amanda Waterstrat at amanda.waterstrat@kctcs.edu.
Program Benefits
- $500 Annual Scholarship - funded by Terry Norfleet Scholarship
- Honors designated courses
- Honors designation on transcript upon successful completion
- Designated honors faculty mentor
- Opportunities for cultural enrichment and civic engagement
- Honors orientation experience
- Competitive edge in scholarship, transfer, and workforce applications
- Letters of recommendation from Honors Program Director
- Opportunities to present scholarly work in professional settings
- Opportunities to meet honors students from colleges and universities across Kentucky
Admissions Requirements
The SCC Honors program is open to all students in any academic program who meet eligibility criteria and can commit to full participation in the program.
Eligibility
Prospective high school students should meet one or more of the following criteria: 3.4 or higher cumulative GPA, top 10% of class, ACT of 24 or higher, two strong letters of recommendation.
Current SCC students should have a 3.4 or higher cumulative GPA in college coursework and two strong letters of recommendation.
Program Requirements
Honors students must be highly motivated, independent thinkers who enjoy extending their studies beyond what is required in the classroom. Each semester honors students must identify a topic of interest and work with a faculty mentor over the course of the semester to develop a project or research paper related to that topic. Students are required to maintain communication with their mentor and the Honors Program Director and submit documentation of progress on their project each month. At the end of each semester, honors students will share their work during an Honors Symposium. Students are also expected to participate in enrichment experiences and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.2.
Honors students who do not meet program requirements in a given semester may request permission from the Honors Committee to enter into a probationary “recovery semester,” during which the student may regain eligibility by increasing GPA points and/or completing program requirements.
Ready to get started?
Step 1: Learn about SCC's Honors Program.
Step 2: Apply for admission at Somerset Community College.
Step 3: Apply to the SCC Honors Program.
Step 4: Send in your transcripts.
The Spring priority deadline (for August admission) is March 1. The Fall priority deadline (for January admission) is November 1.
Recommend a Student for the Honors Program
For questions, you can contact scc-honors@kctcs.edu.
