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We have a largely diverse group of students and professors; students from every major
from all over campus.
One of the most important experiences of college is going outside your comfort zone.
I had such a great experience as a freshman coming here.
They make it so much easier to transition from high school to college.
Most students who come-in are just out of high school. The assumption is that they are
going to move through the entire program which is twenty-seven hours. Which isn't too stressful,
it's basically one course per semester. Students tend to spread those hours out so that it
doesn't at all interfere. In fact, it fully dovetails with the coursework
and requirements that they are already taking. They're just exploring the honors version
of any given course, in any given semester, and the students get to decide what that is.
I'm not a big fan of big auditorium classes. I like being in small classes because that
way I get the attention I want.
You actually get to register for classes early with the athletes, before most people do.
So you get a nice pick of your classes and you get a good schedule but you also get to
meet with faculty who are top-notch. That's what the job of the program is, to
serve the best students with the best professors. And that's one of the benefits that we can
have as students is to get to know those professors.
So we bring some of the best speakers, the best professors. We have Dennis Barsema come
in and he does his Microfinance Series, which is fantastic.
It's something that only honors students can take.
The Taft Experience
Tyler Hendry The Lorado Taft retreat for the honors students
is a great opportunity for students to meet other honors students before they get thrown
into a whole new university experience.
It was an amazing experience because I was a freshman. I didn't know anyone at all. None
of my friends were going to Northern. And, at the Taft retreat, it really broke the ice
right off-the-bat. It made me more comfortable knowing people,
and by the time I got back from the Taft retreat, it was actually the people that were on my
floor that I had already starting talking with, and we just had a lot of fun.
It definitely made it so much easier.
This year we are really excited to be part of the new residential complex. The format
of our living arrangements are apartment-style. So as you walk-in, they are in clusters.
Residents have their own individual rooms, and within that they have a living space that
they share with other residents . It's twelve students, living in a pod-like community,
with their individual rooms, sharing a bathroom with one other resident.
Then they have a living space, a dining space and a kitchen space. It's really great for
providing that privacy space for students when they need it, but at the same time providing
that sense of community. Being able to engage eleven other students
that you might not have known and really building that friendship, that support, and really
building that sense of community for each other throughout their years here at NIU.
The Honors House is right next to the Community Center which is part of the residential complex.
Within this Community Center, we have great amenities such as a fitness center which is
open twenty-four-seven for our students. We have our dining service which are buffet-style.
It's all-you-can-eat, so really our students are able to access this twenty-four-seven
, as well. Including a beautiful lounge area, with a
wonderful fireplace and plasma TVs so our students can hang-out, during classes meet
other students, and just really be visible here on campus.
They get a home-away-from-home, and are really able to relax right next to the Honors House.
The University Honors Program welcomes students of any kind. If you come to our office, you
will be able to get information about honors coursework, about major coursework, scholarship
information, study-abroad information. On Wednesdays, we have our free lunch, Souper
Wednesday, with guest speakers from all across campus. We have a private study space, we
have a computer lab with free printing. Whether you are a new freshman, transfer student,
a continuing student, athlete, veteran, non-traditional student, maybe you're a single mom who is
trying to get a better education, you've lost your job and are coming back for a second
career; we're here to help you. The University Program is a full-service office.
Dr. Jes Cisneros Students will graduate with one of three levels
of distinction in the program, either Lower-Division Honors, Upper-Division Honors, or University
Honors. The honors program is right for you if you
are looking to meet new friends, challenge yourself, and make the most out of your college
experience.
The honors program basically made me come out of my shell. I'm more involved on campus.
I have a lot more friends.
I think we have the best honors program around and it's made my experience at NIU absolutely
unique and special.