E.P. Hart Honors Program
The E.P. Hart Honors Program is a highly-selective program designed to provide academically-gifted students with an alternative general education curriculum that features collaborative research assignments with senior faculty, one-on-one mentoring and personalized advising.
The program is named for Spring Arbor University’s founder, E.P. Hart, who was very instrumental in bringing Free Methodism to Michigan and who continued in that calling to guarantee the firm establishment of the denomination throughout the state. Because of his determination and resolve to see a seminary established in Spring Arbor, Michigan, Spring Arbor University owes much of its early success and continued prosperity to him.
With that same spirit of faith, perseverance and courage, the E.P. Hart Honors Program also strives to instill in students the desire to pursue God’s calling through exemplary and intense study and application of the liberal arts within a Christian framework.
Philosophy
The University believes that scholarly and spiritual development must complement and nurture one another. If achieved, the result is academic and spiritual growth. Students in the honors program are challenged to integrate their academic research and intellectual interests with a thoroughly Christian worldview.
As part of the University liberal arts curriculum, students take honors level classes from a variety of disciplines – including areas outside their major. This cross-disciplinary approach to learning produces graduates who are able to think and work in innovative ways.
Goals and Benefits
- Assist incoming students in maintaining the strong academic focus they developed in high school. Just as honors and AP and college level classes in high school help students get admitted to the colleges of their choice and make them eligible for more attractive financial aid packages, participating in a college honors program makes students more attractive to graduate schools and potential employers.
- Challenge academically gifted students. Many of this year’s SAU freshmen have responded to the call to be more academically challenged and are taking honors courses as well as courses at the sophomore level and above. They are doing this to remain academically sharp and to further develop their intellectual abilities.
- Increase the level of intellectual conversation, instruction and learning across the campus, both in and out of the classroom. There has been a steady increase in intellectually-based activities outside of the classroom and many students have responded positively to this new emphasis on our campus. Honors students have helped to plan many of these activities. Honors program students also have the opportunity to attend special lectures and seminars at nearby colleges and universities.
- Encourage more SAU students to enter graduate and professional schools. Many of our students go on to graduate school, but clearly more students could do so if they had more encouragement. Our honors program is one way we can encourage students to go on to graduate and professional schools.
- Additional scholarship support in the amount of $500.00 starting Fall 2009
Eligibility
Entering freshmen are eligible to apply for the Honors Program if they have a:
1. Cumulative high school GPA of 3.6 or higher
2. Minimum composite ACT score of 27 or higher or SAT of 1210 or higher
3. High School coursework/transcript marked by rigor:
- 3 years college prep math
- 3 years college prep science
- 3 years college prep English/language arts
- 3 years college prep social studies/social science
- 2 years foreign language, AP coursework, or college courses completed while in high school
4. Additional essential characteristics: References – two references with one from a teacher and the other from a pastor or community person attesting to service experience and leadership, character and integrity consistent with SAU community expectations.
5. An application demonstrating writing ability
Current or students transferring into SAU are eligible if they have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher.
Students will be chosen based on the above criterion in addition to review of the applicant’s references and application. Once a student has been accepted to the Honors Program, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher must be maintained. Exceptions to these requirements will be considered on an individual basis by the Honors Program Council.
Requirements to maintain membership in Honors Program at SAU:
Apply Today
Download the E.P. Hart Honors Program application
Contact
For further information, contact:
Professor Mary Hayward
Director of the E. P. Hart Honors Program
517.750.6392
mhayward@arbor.edu