by Kristen Shlakman
Other than priority registration, most students don’t know much about what Capital’s Honors Program does, or even what it requires.
Of those that do, some have felt that the program has been too lenient in the past.
In the last two years however, changes have been enforced to implement the original goals set when the program was created.
The idea was to create a better experience for students in the program and not simply just graduate from Capital with an honors degree.
Dr. Dina Lentsner, the current director of the Honors Program, talked about some of the major changes that have been implemented since she became the program’s director.
“The biggest changes concern mostly freshman,” she said. “This is the last year that the minimum ACT score accepted will be 26. Next year it changes to 28. The freshman GPA requirement also has been changed to a 3.5.”
Lentsner said that this will be the first year that students have to fill out an application of why they wanted to be in the program.
“We are trying to have a little less students to make the program more manageable,” she said. “We want students who always want to challenge themselves intellectually in the best possible way.”
The new goal is to change the general priority registration for honor students as well.
Students would still be able to receive priority registration, however, only in their grade.
This way an honors freshman cannot register before a non-honors upper classman. Furthermore, increasing the requirements aren’t the only changes being implemented throughout the program.
Lentsner and the honors committee have been working to make the Honors Program more of an experience for students throughout their four years. Students have the opportunity to attend honors book clubs and other events to really create a sense of community.
Even to current seniors the changes passed down have been noticed.
“I missed out on experiences and opportunities my freshman year by not being in the program,” senior Mike Tyson comments, “It really has offered me a unique opportunity through research and working with faculty.”
Lenster and the honors committee are trying to give students an experience that will set them apart when they graduate.
“It is nice to see a stricter program, “ Senior Nate Nasrallah commented, “It is making graduating with honors after four years really mean something.”
kshlakma@capital.edu
