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Honors Program

The Honors Program offers enhanced learning experiences for motivated students through smaller classes and leadership opportunities.

Why join the Honors Program at Casper College?

By participating in advanced topic courses from a wide variety of disciplines, you will develop interpersonal communication and problem-solving skills that will enrich your life and prepare you for a competitive and diverse job market and/or transfer to a university. Service to community and country are of particular emphasis. Moreover, you will be challenged to develop and exercise moral responsibilities, which include leadership, thoughtful self-governance, and social consciousness.

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How are honors courses different from other courses?

The curriculum for honors courses include one (or more) of the following learning outcomes:

  • Sparking curiosity — expose students to new ideas, perspectives, and problems with the goal of fostering increased interest/curiosity.
  • Creativity — assignments and activities requiring creative thinking and new approaches to problem solving.
  • Leadership — opportunities for you to learn and implement the best practices of leadership and ethics.
  • Self-awareness and empathy — activities or outings involving groups that may face struggles unfamiliar to you. Through service and communication you will be able to better empathize with alternative points of view.
  • Goal setting and self-mastery — overcome self-doubt and bad habits to set and work to achieve you goals.
  • Service — you will develop:
    • an awareness of community issues;
    • an awareness of environmental and global issues;
    • and a desire to actively engage with their communities.

What are some examples of honors courses?

  • First Year – Fall Semester: HUMN 2485-H1 Seminar in Humanities: Leadership Seminar is a special leadership class taught by the college president.
  • First Year – Spring Semester: PEAC 1041, you will enroll in a self-defense class designed specifically for honors students. It also meets your physical education requirements.
  • Second Year – Fall Semester: Several stimulating humanities classes will be chosen by the Honors Program director and will fulfill a humanities or general education requirement. In the past, honors students have taken classes such as Intro to Terrorism, Philosophy, International Relations, Acting, and Art History, among others.
  • Final Semester: The capstone, POLS 2490-The American Political Experience class. We will explore politics through literature, art, history, and American society, culminating in a class trip to Washington, D.C.!

Scholarship opportunity

Scholarship: $500-$1000 per semester (subject to financial aid rules and limits)
Amount may vary by year/semester depending on available funding.

Scholarship eligibility requirements: Student must be enrolled in the required class, be a full time Casper College student and maintain at least a cumulative 3.0 GPA. Student must participate in one Honors Activity and Community service project per semester.

Is there a separate honors scholarship application? Currently, if you submit the interest form, meet the GPA requirements, and take an honors course, you will receive the scholarship.

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What else is there to know about Honors?

Program Structure

Each semester students enroll in Honors Classes. Participate in one group activity and Community Service project every semester. Students can attend conferences and specialized camps.

Capstone Project:

A Capstone is a research or exploration you will present to a panel of Faculty, Staff, and Trustees. The capstone will be an in-person presentation where the board will critique and respond to your defense. The challenge is applying everything you learned and the confidence you gained in the Honors Program.
In addition to taking an exciting course, honors students participate in Adventures centered around social, educational, and service activities. Students will attend conferences and specialized camps. The program will regularly offer leadership skills to prepare you, one of Wyoming’s future leaders. These activities are planned and organized by your Cohort.

Program Benefits

Direct benefits include:

  • Participation in exciting courses from the best instructors at Casper College.
  • Collaborating and learning alongside top students in the honors community.
  • The ability to include “honors program participant” and “graduated with honors” on your resume and future transfer and job applications.
  • “Honors” distinction on your Casper College diploma.
  • Receive an honors scholarship each semester you participate in the program.

In addition to these, the honors program at Casper College will:

  • Provide advanced course options for high-achieving students.
  • Better prepare you for a competitive world through the development of dynamic problem solving, communication, and social skills.
  • Offer courses that focus on contemporary and historical societal challenges with special emphasis on potential solutions to these challenges.
  • Regularly offer leadership skills courses to prepare you, one of Wyoming’s future leaders.
  • Encourage community engagement through service projects and activities.
  • Support the missions of the other learning experiences on campus (learning communities, international studies, and service learning) through combined activities and collaboration.
  • Provide you with a seamless path for continued “honors” experiences at the University of Wyoming (and potentially at other regional schools as well).
  • Prepare you for honors participation at transfer institutions.
  • Partner with the University of Wyoming to assess program policies and standards by tracking student success after you transfer to Laramie.
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How do I apply to the honors program?

If you want to join the Honors Program at Casper College, the first step is to apply. Share your contact info, and we’ll be in touch.
While waiting for contact, please complete the following:

  • Please send me a Letter of Recommendation from someone familiar with you and your work ethic and personality before Classes start. The letter can be written by an Advisor, Teacher, Religious Leader, Employer, Leadership from a Volunteer Organization. No family members or friends.
  • You will also need to email a short introduction video of yourself. Use your imagination and creativity. Speak about your personality talents, why you would make a good member of the Honors Program, and why you should be selected.
Contact us
Daniel Gallegos photo

Daniel R. Gallegos, MDY

Political Science Instructor

Director of CC Honors Program
Office: Liesinger Hall, Rm 177
Phone: (307) 268-2280

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