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Honors Program

Kate Byerwalter

If you are looking for a challenging and nurturing learning environment, the Honors Program is for you. Through specialized courses and individual work with professors, you can enhance your transcript and develop an even stronger love of learning. Especially if you are planning to transfer, GRCC’s Honors Program can provide you a solid start to your educational career, letters of recommendation from faculty, and an introduction to selected transfer schools in Michigan.

Take a few moments to learn more about the program by accessing the tabs below. There you will read about current Honors courses offered, how to create "contracts" with professors, and more.

Sincerely,

Kate Byerwalter, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Behavioral Science Department
Honors Program Coordinator
kbyerwal@grcc.edu

Program Description and Benefits Criteria for Admission Requirements for Program Completion Current Honors Courses
Contracts Scholarships Apply Contact Us

Program Description and Benefits

The Honors Program at Grand Rapids Community College consists of courses and experiences designed to enhance the learning process for the most academically talented and motivated students (GPA of 3.5 or higher).

As a member of the Honors Program, opportunities include:

  • participation in Honors courses of smaller class size
  • interaction with individual faculty members who are experts in their field;
  • participation in service learning;
  • campus seminars and events;
  • scholarship opportunities;
  • completion of Honors courses designated on your transcript, and if program is completed, "Honors Program Graduate" on your transcript and diploma

The Honors Program at Grand Rapids Community College is a terrific option for students who have both the academic ability and desire to take their education to a higher level.

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Criteria For Admission

Eligible students can enter the Honors Program via two tracks.

Criteria for admission into the Honors Program for Track 1 students are a 3.5 GPA and a 24 composite ATC score.

Track 2 is for students who currently attend GRCC, or enter GRCC from another college. These students can take any of the Honors courses that they have not yet completed, and complete additional credit hours via Honors Contracts. The requirement for admission to the Honors Program for Track 2 students is a 3.5 GPA.

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Requirements For Program Completion

To remain an active member of the Honors Program, a student must maintain a 3.2 cumulative GPA at GRCC, and complete at least 6 honors credits (approximately 2 courses) per calendar year.

To graduate from the Honors Program, a student needs to complete 15 hours of Honors credit, via courses or Honors contracts. Students are encouraged to take Honors courses, as they are the ideal format for the program. A student may also work with faculty to develop individual Honors Contracts within non-Honors courses. In addition, a student must complete 20 hours of Academic Service Learning.

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Current Honors Courses

The following course sections are designated Honors Courses at the college for the 2009-2010 school year. Click on the course title for a description of the course and an introduction to the professor:

Fall 2009

Course Title Type Section Days Times Instructor
PY 201 General Psychology Lecture 1958 MW 1:15 - 2:45 PM Mike Vargo, Ph.D.
EN 101 English Composition Lecture 1198 MW 9:30 - 11:00AM Joan Gearns, M.A.
HS 250 US History/Reconstruction Lecture 1354 TTh 11:30 - 1:00 PM Mike Light , M.A.
CM 113 Honors Chemistry Lecture 3074 MTThF 9:00 - 10:00AM Britt Price, Ph.D.
CM 113 Honors Chemistry Lab 3078 M 12:35 - 3:45 PM TBA
CM 113 Honors Chemistry Lab 3736 T 1:15 - 4:15PM Bernard Liburd, Ph.D.

Note: CM 113 is open to all GRCC students, so enroll early if you are interested. Students must take the lecture and lab concurrently.

Winter 2010

Course Title Section Type Days Times Instructor
EN 102 English Composition II 2303 Lecture TTh 11:30 - 1:00 PM Joan Gearns, M.A.
PS 110 Political Science 1927 Lecture TTh 9:30 - 11:00 AM Heather Forrest, M.A.
CM 114 Honors Chemistry II 1337 Lecture MTThF 9:00 - 10:00AM Britt Price, Ph.D.
CM 114 Honors Chemistry II 1139 Lab T 11:30 - 2:30 PM Bernard Liburd, Ph.D.

EN 102 

 English Composition II 2297 Lecture    MW 12:45 - 2:15 PM James Hayes, M.A.
HU 210 The Art of Being Human 5385 Lecture  TTh  9:30 -11:00 AM Harold Lee, M.A.

Note: CM 114 is open to all GRCC students, so enroll early if you are interested. Students must take the lecture and lab concurrently.

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Honors Contracts

Honors Contracts allow students to receive Honors credit for a non-Honors course. Students work with a willing faculty member to complete a set of assignments that are beyond the normal requirements of the course. Forms must be completed at the start and end of the semester for a contract to be valid.

Completed forms must be signed and submitted to Penni Weninger in Room 316 Main Building at GRCC pweninger@grcc.edu .

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Scholarships

The GRCC Foundation offers a wide array of scholarships. The annual application deadline is March 15.

To access the GRCC Foundation Scholarship booklet describing these awards, go to: www.grcc.edu/financialaid

Select: Financial Aid Forms
Select: School Year
Select: Foundation Scholarship Booklet

To access the GRCC Foundation Scholarship application: www.grcc.edu/financialaid and click the link that says, "GRCC Foundation Scholarship Application," located on the top right.

For general financial aid information, http://studentaid2.ed.gov/getmoney/fin_aid_wizard/

Regretfully, the Honors Program does not yet have student scholarships to offer. However, we will keep you informed of any opportunities for scholarships of which we are aware. Please note that as an Honors student, you are eligible to join Phi Theta Kappa, the national Honor Society for community colleges (www.ptk.org); a number of scholarship opportunities are listed on the PTK website.

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Apply

Please see the application form for details.

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Contact Us

For further information about the Honors Program, please fill out our Information Request Form.

All fields are mandatory; you may enter NA if desired.

This form is the quickest way to reach us but you may also contact:

Kate Byerwalter, Ph.D.
Honors Program Coordinator
(616) 234-4405
kbyerwal@grcc.edu

Penni Weninger
Administrative Assistant to the Honors Program
(616) 234-4547
pweninger@grcc.edu

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