University of Oklahoma Honors College

Why do we feel like a lot of those students are also Honors College students? Just a guess.

See the full list and accompanying news story at the link in our comments.

Elite company. Honors College and Arts & Sciences student Aaron Lim has been named a 2026 Goldwater Scholar, one of the most prestigious undergraduate awards in the nation for students pursuing careers in STEM.

Lim is a third-year student pursuing a chemical biosciences degree. He is one of just a few hundred students nationwide receiving this honor, and is working to innovate within the field of photodynamic therapy, a less common but promising form of cancer treatment that utilizes both drugs and light to fight harmful cells.

“At the end of the day, my goal is to answer, ‘What can I do to maximize my impact on patient care?’” said Lim, who first gained policy experience through another student-led think tank.

Read the full story on OU News! Link in bio and comments.

Witches misunderstood for at least 500 years + Honors College student Autumn Furr makes her curatorial debut ✨

Visit "All of Them Witches: Witchcraft Through the Ages" at Bizzell Memorial Library. Explore rare texts, folklore, and cultural narratives that reveal how the witch became one of history's most enduring and evolving figures.

Co-curated by Honors student Autumn Furr, Assistant Professor of French Andreea Marculescu, and , with help from an Honors Research Assistant Program (HRAP) grant 🙌

OU Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics OU Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences University of Oklahoma Libraries

First stop: NIH headquarters. Then Oxford or Cambridge 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Congratulations to Honors College and OU Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences alum Lucy Coleman, who has been selected for the National Institutes of Health Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program, an elite international doctoral training program!

Lucy, who earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and a master’s degree in chemistry from The University of Oklahoma, said the opportunity fits with her long-term goal of developing new therapies for disease.

“This program allows me to combine experimental research and computational research in a way that prepares me for the future of drug discovery," she says.

Coleman said the opportunity to conduct independent research at OU played a critical role in preparing her for the rigor of the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program, allowing her to lead projects, present findings, publish research, and develop as a scientist. Mentors in the Honors College and the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, including Brian Johnson, Ph.D., director of student success in the Honors College, helped guide her through graduate opportunities and career decisions.

Congratulations, Lucy!

Photos by Jonathan Kyncl and Travis Caperton

FYRE students for the win 🏆

Undergraduate researchers from The University of Oklahoma earned two of the highest honors at the 31st annual Research Day at the Capitol, a statewide competition highlighting top undergraduate research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

All three students began their research involvement through the Honors College’s First-Year Research Experience (FYRE) program.

Hunter Helvey, a recent biology graduate and member of Dr. John Clegg's Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering research team, received the competition’s overall Grand Prize for his research presentation, “Local Drug Delivery for Glioblastoma.” The honor recognized him as the top undergraduate researcher among 27 finalists representing 18 colleges and universities across Oklahoma. Hunter will begin at the OU College of Medicine this summer.

Avery Glinsmann, a biochem major who works with Dr. Shanteri Singh, earned second place in the Research-Intensive University category with her research, “Evaluation of Heterocyclic Cannabinergic Derivatives.” Avery is also a current UReCA Summer Fellowship awardee.

Leena Ahmad, an OU Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences biology major who works with Dr. Tingting Gu, was also selected as a finalist in the statewide competition.

Amazing work, everyone! You all make us proud ☝️

OU Gallogly College of Engineering

A top-tier Honors College throwback 🏆

Earlier this month, we gathered to celebrate Undergraduate Research Day winners, our Campus Award recipients, and the students behind THURJ and Brainstorm. So much talent in one room!

Photos by Jonathan Kyncl

Some of our Honors College seniors have already crossed the stage, and the rest are walking this weekend 🥹

Show them some love and wish them luck on their next chapter!

Congratulations to:

Avery Tran
Bethany Sseruwagi
Ella Dreese
Emily Flesher
Stephen Cottman

🫶

Just collecting accolades like they're Pokémon cards, no big deal.

Let's give it up for our outstanding Honors College seniors as they head into their big weekend. Congratulations to the following students on being recognized with the following awards and scholarships:

Bethany Gloria Sseruwagi (Belinda P. Biscoe Leadership-Scholarship Award)

Audrey Hirchert-Walton (Fern L. Holland Award)

Mohamed Elgouhari (George H. Henderson Award)

Joseph Harroz (J.R. Morris Award)
Audrey Bickerstaff (J.R. Morris Award)
Caleb Robinson (J.R. Morris Award)

Aaron Lim (Paul Shanor Memorial Scholarship)
Kennedy Corbin (Paul Shanor Memorial Scholarship)

Anayat Yousuf (President's Award for Outstanding Volunteers)

Bravo!

The confetti cannons are on standby 🎊 Make sure your people have all the info! (Esp zipcodes, livestream links, and latest travel advisements.)

Big congratulations to these Honors College students for being named to the Letzeiser Honor List 🏆

The Letzeiser Awards are presented annually in memory of the late Alexander Letzeiser in recognition of good citizenship and achievement, and this group has definitely done that.

Baylor Savage
Bethany Gloria Sseruwagi
Ella Dreese
Elizabeth Crawford
Halle McFarlane
Kayla Hynes
Kennedy Corbin
Modeste Gihozo Rukundo
Randi Wright

A very impressive group of humans. 👏

Photos by Travis Caperton, Vikki Hladiuk, and Ellie Pinter