Each Big Idea intentionally cuts across the entire strategic plan. Rather than advancing a single goal, these initiatives strengthen multiple dimensions of the Honors College simultaneously.
Honors: The Multiplier Effect
Honors is not an extra set of courses layered onto a student’s major. It is a force that transforms every major into a richer, broader, and more connected educational experience. Through intentional partnerships, distinctive programming, experiential learning, undergraduate research, faculty mentorship, community engagement, and interdisciplinary exploration, Honors multiplies the value of every major. Whether students are studying engineering, journalism, business, music, or biology, Honors expands opportunities to think more broadly, engage more deeply, and connect ideas across disciplines. By investing in the programs, partnerships, and infrastructure that make these opportunities possible, Honors will distinguish itself as the place where ambitious students maximize the value of their university education and prepare them to thrive in a changing world.
A 75-Year Tradition, Reimagined as a Signature Honors Degree
A distinctive Honors liberal arts major built around our interdisciplinary core sequence courses will center on the legacy of the Humanities Sequence while extending its collaborative model across the humanities, social sciences, behavioral sciences, and natural sciences. Through small, collaboratively taught courses, the major will bring together faculty and students from across the humanities, social sciences, behavioral sciences and natural sciences, creating the kind of interdisciplinary learning that has long defined Honors. The Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts major (HILA) will provide students who seek both disciplinary depth and interdisciplinary breadth with a unique opportunity to pair a rigorous liberal arts foundation with their chosen major and career aspirations.
Scholarships with Purpose
Honors scholarships are more than financial awards. They are entry points into the Honors experience. Every Honors scholarship should be a gateway to unique opportunities. Beyond financial support, our scholarships should bring students into interdisciplinary cohorts, connect them with faculty and mentors, provide research and experiential learning opportunities, and foster lifelong engagement with the Honors community. Our goal is for every Honors scholarship to represent a signature educational experience that students — and donors — associate with the very best of Honors.
A Home for Honors, A Showcase for Mizzou
Honors should be experienced as a distinctive hub for community, mentorship and discovery. A visible and welcoming home will make Honors a destination for prospective students and families, create opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, provide space for innovative teaching and foster a stronger sense of identity and belonging. The physical environment should reinforce the
transformative educational experience that defines Honors. A dedicated Honors home will be a strategic campus infrastructure that underpins student success and the identity of the Honors College while strengthening Mizzou’s ability to attract and retain exceptional students.