Honors Program

Pursue Transformative Research that Sets You Apart

The Niagara University Honors Program is for high-achieving students who are driven by curiosity, willing to take intellectual risks, and want to make a difference by conducting their own original research.

The capstone of the NU Honors Program is a year-long thesis project. While writing your thesis, you have the unique opportunity to work one-on-one with a NU faculty member and conduct original, groundbreaking research – just like you would do in graduate school. This project can help you stand out from peers while applying for jobs and graduate school after you graduate.

In addition to conducting their own research, honors students enjoy a unique educational experience with smaller, specialized honors-exclusive classes. These classes feature innovative teaching methods and foster close interactions with peers and faculty.

Vibrant extracurricular activities provide intellectually enriching experiences outside the classroom. Graduates of the emerge as lifelong learners, equipped with a broad spectrum of interests and the expertise to excel in their chosen field.

An honors student explaining her research at the annual Undergraduate Research Conference.

Admissions to the Honors Program

Recipients of the Trustees’ Scholarship and President’s Scholarship are invited to apply through email. An invitation to apply is not a guarantee of admission to the program. Admission to the program is a selective process. As part of the application process, applicants must submit a short essay demonstrating they possess qualities compatible with the honors program mission statement (see below).

Rising sophomores with fewer than 48 credits and a 3.50 GPA are invited to apply during the summer before their sophomore year.

Why become an Honors Student

Upon graduation, you will be in fierce competition with your peers for positions in companies and graduate schools. Conducting your own original research and writing a thesis as a Niagara Honors student is a way to differentiate yourself.

Our Mission

The mission of the Niagara University Honors program is to create and support a scholarly community of students who, in addition to earning high grades, possess the following unique characteristics:

Have a passion for learning across a breadth of disciplines. The mission of the Niagara University Honors program is to create and support a scholarly community of students who, in addition to earning high grades, possess the following unique characteristics:
Enjoy the interchange of ideas and thoughts,
Are willing to take intellectual risks to satisfy their intellectual curiosity, and
In addition to their broad interests, are motivated to undertake significant original research at their own initiative in their chosen major field of study.

The NU Honors Program is excellent because it allows students to conduct their own research and write theses which gives them real-world experience to refer to when interviewing for graduate programs or jobs. To this day, I still reference my thesis project in my classroom because it allows me to tell my science students, "I did real science. Here's what it's like."

Kimberly Alexander Carlo '15, M.S.Ed. '17

2023 Recipient of the prestigious national Milken Family Educator Award

The Honors Program afforded me the opportunity to conduct year-long research in my major, which developed my research and writing skills. These skills are fundamental to the practice of law. As an attorney, I conduct legal research and write various legal documents almost daily. Additionally, by learning how to effectively research and write through the Honors Program, I have published multiple articles on the law. I highly recommend joining the Honors Program, given the experiences and opportunities it provides students.

Stacy Kochanowski

Associate Attorney, Roach, Brown, McCarthy & Gruder, P.C.

Honors Program
Faculty & Staff

MAIN CONTACT

Mrs. Wendy O’Malley
University Honors Administrative Coordinator

Dr. Michael D.

Barnwell

Professor
University Honors Program Director

Phone: 716.286.8637

Email:

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