Honors Program Thrives at UC Blue Ash

The Honors Program at the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College is thriving as it marks the third year of offering new challenges and resources for highly-motivated students. 

“We started the Honors Program to provide high-performing students with an enriched learning experience,” says Robin Lightner, the dean of UC Blue Ash who helped oversee the creation of the program in 2017. “We want to ensure that they are challenged at a new level, and that they have experiential learning opportunities and the potential to transition into the Honors Program at the UC Uptown campus.” 

There were 60 students in the Honors Program that first year. The program welcomed 70 new students for fall 2019 and has a total of 135 students currently enrolled. Part of the impetus for the program was to meet the needs of the growing number of top students choosing to attend UC Blue Ash. Nearly half of the 1,700 students in the incoming class this fall at UC Blue Ash carried a high school grade-point-average of 3.0 or higher, marking an increase of 4.5% from 2018. 

To qualify for the UC Blue Ash Honors Program, a student must have a minimum high school GPA of 3.2 and an ACT score of 25 or higher. Once enrolled, students develop their online portfolios, take courses with other Honors students and complete at least two honors experiences during their time at UC Blue Ash. 

“Honors experiences are meant to help students engage in their field of study, conduct research and participate in experiential learning activities like study abroad,” says Professor Rob Gioielli, who directs the UC Blue Ash Honors Program. He states that his favorite part about developing this program has been connecting these honors students to faculty and staff in interesting ways and watching a community form.