University Honors Program - University of Cincinnati

“I went into every experience with an open mind.”

Architecture major Sophia Levy came to UC in search of experiential learning. And she found it—beyond what she had previously imagined—in the UHP, which she describes as valuing “experience over your typical accelerated math class.”

Study-abroad opportunities in Italy and the Netherlands helped Levy take her interests in community and innovation global, while a self-designed experience creating a family recipe book fused her design skills with an exploration of her heritage. But it was Levy’s first self-designed experience, “Painting Preschools for a Change,” that left the deepest mark. Levy developed skills in managing large-scale projects, and a new appreciation for “how individuals make up and impact a community”; in looking back on the weeks she spent creating a large-scale mural, one of her strongest takeaways remains the capacity she uncovered in herself for “effort and dedication.”

Levy recalls: “the UHP has given me the tools to take initiative with confidence and passion and to take the time to reflect when going through pivotal moments, using reflection as a tool to maximize growth through every experience.”

To check out Sophia’s Spotlight and other honors graduate spotlights, visit our website at the link in our bio !

HONORS SEMINARS COMING SOON ‼️ Get ready Bearcats, scheduling for UHP students starts soon!! More to come…

HIGHLIGHTS from an incredible transition application cycle for the University Honors Program! Huge congratulations and welcome to all 138 new UHP students this spring! 🎉

Students cited their top 3 reasons for applying to UHP to be research opportunities, networking opportunities, and leadership opportunities! Students also cited their top 3 ways of hearing about us: word of mouth, the involvement fair, and admissions events before coming to UC!

Cannot wait to see all of these students shine in the program this Spring!

Welcome back Bearcats! Since we are welcoming new transition students this week, and we have new student assistants in the office, let’s take a second to highlight some of those that make UHP, UHP!

Find your honors advisor and their spotlight! Best of luck to all UC students on their first week of classes!

ATTENTION HONORS STUDENTS ! Early enrollment starts this week, make sure to add an honors seminar to your Spring 2026 schedule! There are so many excellent, unique, experience-driven courses taught by passionate professors! Check them out now.

For more information, visit our website (link in bio).

PD3060 is a class open to undergraduate UC STUDENTS to get hands-on experience with philanthropy. This is a class through UHP, but you do not have to be an honors student to take this class! Any undergraduate student with a 3.0 GPA can register.

Students work together to research and volunteer with UC organizations, develop criteria for charitable giving, and ultimately give away over $20,000!

REGISTER NOW for the Spring 2026 semester! Class meets from 2-3:20pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Register for “Doing Good Together” now, and experience what it’s like to give away thousands of dollars to non-profits!

We hosted our first round of Open House sessions for Fall 2025 today—a big thank-you to the UHP Ambassadors who shared their experiences with visiting families!

The University Honors, Hoffman Honors, and Nationally Competitive Awards offices recently participated in a laser cutting workshop to make our own bamboo coasters! What an opportunity to experience first-hand one of many options for students at the 1819 Innovation Hub.

Visit Clifton Court Hall 5280 on April 10th 12:30 to 2:00 pm to join a campus dialogue about the most effective responses to an evolving DEI policy! Pizza and drinks will be provided 30 minutes before at 12:00 pm.