Westminster Honors College

After nearly a decade, the annual high school Civility Essay Contest run by the Honors College is still strong.

We are thrilled to share that Abigail Kelly, first-place winner of the Honors College Civility Essay Contest, has been published in The Salt Lake Tribune!

Her winning essay, "Voices: AI can be a tool for students like me — if schools will teach us how to use it," makes a thoughtful and timely case: shielding students from AI doesn't protect them, it blinds them. Drawing on her own experience as a student, Abigail argues for teaching young people to use these tools with intention rather than fear.

This is exactly the kind of civil, evidence-minded engagement with hard questions that the Civility Essay Contest and the Westminster Honors College was built to encourage. Selected from more than 500 essays submitted by students across 67 Utah high schools, Abigail's piece stood out for its clarity, nuance, and courage.

Congratulations, Abigail. We could not be prouder to see your voice in print.

Read the full essay here: https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2026/06/03/voices-ai-can-be-tool-students/

And check out the story on Westminster's website in the comments!

Voices: AI can be a tool for students like me — if schools will teach us how to use it “As a student who has spent nights staring at a blank Word Doc, paralyzed by the blinking cursor, AI has often been my first brainstorming partner,” Abigail Kelly writes in an op-ed.

#1 in Utah for Student Economic Mobility, per the New York Times. Students come, they stay, they move on into success.

The headlines got loud. The facts are louder. 💜

Swipe through four myths about Westminster and the facts that bust them. We are not closing. We are stable, affordable, and proud of 150 years of serving Utah, with the highest four-year graduation rates in the state.

100% of our students receive financial aid, and the average net tuition our students pay is $8,404. The full story comes straight from our Board of Trustees. Read it in full. Link in comments and story.

Two professors from different disciplines, in every seminar. We cap our classes to focus on discussion and deliver that real discussion-based interdisciplinary teaching.

Our students head out into the world to change it; Thea Meyers was sworn in this spring as an official Peace Corp Volunteer by the US Embassy in Nepal.

Housed under the Honors College, the Westminster University Office of Fellowship Advising is for every student, and our students go global.

Did you know we have a 95% First-Year student retention rate? Our students return year-over-year.

Did you catch us at Pride? 😎🌈

Hi Honors College Community,

Every year, over 100 students, alumni, staff, and faculty walk alongside Griff to celebrate our LGBTQIA+ community, and we want you there this year!

This June 7th, we're debuting Pride Griff and handing out over 2,000 stickers to the SLC community.

The parade runs from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. through downtown Salt Lake City, about two miles and 45 minutes total. Volunteers receive a free Westminster Pride T-shirt and get to see Pride Griff before anyone else.

Sign up to walk with Griff →https://westminsteru.edu/about/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/pride-volunteers.html

Contact Jake Smith ([email protected]) with any questions, concerns, or accessibility needs.

Hope to see you at Pride!

Wondering what neat things Honors College students have been up to?

This month in our Human Culture & Behavior true crime themed seminar, special guest Jiro Johnson, a public defender for Salt Lake County and rep for Salt Lake County Council, came to campus.

Jiro is a former board member of the LGBT and Allied Lawyers of Utah, a former president of the Utah Minority Bar Association, has taught legal courses at the Utah State Prison, and actively mentors college students and new lawyers giving them guidance on entering the legal profession.

He spoke candidly with students about his journey in law and answered questions about systemic injustice—along with topics introduced by the students.

Jiro was a dynamic, smart, and generous speaker--super fun to listen to and discussed the realities of our system compassionately with students. We are so thankful for his time and effort in working closely with our Honors College students!