Helen Hardin Honors College

Honors Priority Registration Opens Monday, April 6th at 7:00 a.m.
Below are a few important reminders and updates regarding the Honors College program.

Graduate with University Honors
To earn the “University Honors” distinction, students must complete the following requirements:
• 25 Honors credit hours (8-9 honors courses and/or experiences)
• Honors Forum (UNHP 1100)
• Two Honors Experiences
• Institutional and cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher at the time of graduation
• A grade of “B” or better in all Honors courses for them to count toward Honors requirements

Recommended Honors Course Sequence
• Students are encouraged to complete 2–3 Honors courses per year
• Students planning to graduate in three years should aim for 3 Honors courses per year

Transfer Students
Students who joined the Honors College after transferring from another institution should plan to take 3-4 honors courses per year.
Honors Credits earned at previous institution can be applied toward Honors credit requirement.

Honors Courses (Fall 2026): https://www.memphis.edu/honors/members/courses.php.

You can also identify Honors courses in Banner by looking for “Honors,” “Hnrs,” or “H” in the course title.

When meeting with your academic advisor, be sure to note that you are a member of the Honors College.

Request Honors Progress Update: https://memphis.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9X3ngUqGsqNu2xw

Twenty Honors students spent spring break immersed in the cultural and historical landscapes of Hiroshima and Kyoto, Japan. Centered on the Buddhist teaching “Out of the mud, blooms the lotus,” the course explored themes of loss, regeneration, and resilience.

Led by David Horan, Associate Professor of Practice for Photography, the group visited significant historical sites such as the A-Bomb Memorial Peace Park and Museum in Hiroshima, along with Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, engaging with both traditional and contemporary cultural practices. Students examined historical architectural styles alongside efforts at preservation, while also confronting stories of destruction, renewal, and rebirth as symbols of peace and the human capacity to overcome adversity.

Throughout the journey, students reflected on Japanese aesthetic and philosophical concepts such as Wabi-Sabi and Iki, deepening their understanding of impermanence, simplicity, and beauty shaped by experience. The trip offered a powerful lens through which to consider how cultures respond to loss and cultivate regeneration, both physically and spiritually.

✨ Summer Research Funding for Honors Students! ✨
The Helen Hardin Honors College is offering up to 15 summer research fellowships to support meaningful research and creative projects.
🏆 Award:
• $3,000 summer stipend
• Up to $1,000 for project supplies
🤝 Students must secure a UofM full‑time faculty mentor (or faculty may suggest a project to a student).
📄 Learn more + apply:
https://www.memphis.edu/honors/opportunities/summer_research_fellowship.php
📅 Applications due Monday, March 23
Questions? Contact Dr. Melinda Jones at [email protected]

On Friday, February 13th, author and philosopher Massimo Pigliucci spoke at the University of Memphis on the importance of character and what the Greco-Romans can teach us about its role in human flourishing. Dr. Pigliucci serves as the Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York and is the author of several books on the subject, including The Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us About Our Search for Good Leaders. This event was sponsored by the Helen Harding Honors College and the College of Health Sciences and is part of the ongoing “Educating for Characterful Outcomes at the University of Memphis” project.

Author and Philosopher, Massimo Pigliucci at the University of Memphis - February 13, 2026

Join Helen Hardin Honors College for an engaging and thought-provoking workshop led by renowned philosopher Dr. Massimo Pigliucci. This event will explore the intersection of character formation and human flourishing.

February 13th from 10am - 12pm in the University Center Fountain View Room (350).

Free and open to UofM students, faculty, staff, and general public.
Breakfast provided. Free copy of Dr. Pigliucci’s book: Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us About Our Search for Good Leaders (Basic Books) - while supplies last.

Join us for an engaging and thought-provoking workshop led by renowned philosopher Dr. Massimo Pigliucci. This event will explore the intersection of character formation and human flourishing.

February 13th from 10am - 12pm in the University Center Fountain View Room (350).

Free and open to UofM students, faculty, staff, and general public.

Breakfast provided. Free copy of Dr. Pigliucci’s book: Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches Us About Our Search for Good Leaders (Basic Books) - while supplies last

More info and registration: https://www.memphis.edu/honors/getinvolved/events.php

A big thank you to all of the over fifty University of Memphis undergraduates who presented at the 2025 Works in Progress Symposium (WIPS) on November 10th! Congratulations to this year's winners.

This annual event provides undergraduates who have conducted original research, scholarly or creative projects under the guidance of a faculty mentor from across disciplines to present their work to the university community.

Meet Isaac Perriguey, a graduating senior in the Honors College.

Fogelman College of Business and Economics students! Present your research (complete or in-progress) at the Works in Progress Symposium. Cash prizes in each category! See comments for link.

UofM College of Health Sciences students! Present your research (complete or in-progress) at the Works in Progress Symposium. Cash prizes in each category! See comments for link.

Student Spotlight | Mira Umarova – College of Arts and Sciences, Helen Hardin Honors College – Honors Summer Fellow, Honors Student Ambassador, and active undergraduate researcher in Biology!

From Ant Hills to Honors: My Journey in Biology University of Memphis student Mira Umarova shares where her passion for science began, which always come back to ants and shares her journey toward discovering her passion of biology.