FGCU Honors has a set of values that it openly avows. These include academic achievement beyond GPA, civic engagement and service, transformative leadership, global citizenry and cultural awareness, and personal accomplishment. Below is a brief description of each of these areas, along with a list of activities in which students might participate to develop within them. 

You will note that each list is divided into 4 sections. We have done this to help you know how other individuals, especially off campus, generally value these experiences. For example, a level 1 experience would be the type that employers, admission committees, scholarship committees, etc. would expect that all top honors students have done. Level 2 items would be the types of experiences that would make a student an honors student of note. Levels 3 & 4 are the types of experiences that really would distinguish you alongside top students in the country. 

Please remember that these lists are meant to give you ideas. They are no means exhaustive. The best students are creative.

Academic Achievement 

Honors expects its top graduates to compete for the most prestigious scholarships in the world, full scholarships to graduate programs and the best jobs in the country. To compete for these, students’ academic achievements must include far more than good grades. As such, honors students are expected to go above and beyond academically. Below are common ways in which undergraduates demonstrate that they have the academic “chops” to excel at the next level.

Level 4

1. Major National Scholarship Award (Fulbright, Rhodes, Writing Prize, Etc.)
2. The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Award                                       
3. Undergraduate Publication                                                        
4. Admission to Law, Medical, PhD, etc.
5. Dream Job                   

Level 3

1. Honors Thesis                                                                            
2. National or Regional Honors Competition Winner for Research (Southern Regional NCHC, Etc.)                      
3. 2^nd-Tier National Competition Placement                                      
4. Major Campus Academic Award  
5. PI on Major Campus Student Research                                            
6. Presenting at Major Conference                                                               
7. Major Presentation in the Arts                                                  
8. Participating in Major Academic Competition                         
9. Major Internship                                                                         

Level 2

1. Presenting at a Minor Conference                                            
2. Honors Scholarship Competition Winner                                                               
3. Minor Presentation in the Arts (campus show)                                                     
4. Major Assignment in Lab or as Teaching Assistant/Research Assistant                              
5. Participation in the Arts (Work in Gallery Exhibit, Etc.)                          
6. Internship                                                                                     
7. National Competition Application                                            

Level 1 

1. Recipient of FGCU Foundation Scholarship                               
2. Placing in Honors Scholarship Competition                           
3. Minor Assignment in Lab or as TA                                          
4. Tutor                                                                                             
5. Attendance at Major Conference/Event in Your Academic Area                                                            
6. Attendance at Minor Conference/Event in YourAcademic Area                                                            
7. Honors Contract                                                                         
8. Honors Scholarship Competition Finalist                               
9. Honors Contract Defense                                                                                                                                

Cultural Exploration

Technology is making our world smaller. The leaders of this century will need to demonstrate cross-cultural literacy and understanding if they are to effectively and democratically participate in the global marketplace. At home, multi-cultural workplaces are becoming the norm and acceptance of diversity an expectation. Graduates with foreign language skills and significant cross-cultural experience will find themselves with significant competitive advantages in their post-undergraduate endeavors.

Level 4

1. Major Cultural Exploration Experience (i.e., a Year Abroad, Year-Long Mission, Semester at Sea, Deployment in Iraq, Fulbright Recipient, etc.)
2. Study Abroad/Work Abroad (Three Months Min)      
3. Recipient of Travel Abroad Scholarship (Laura W. Bush Scholarship; State Dept. Grant, etc.)                                                        

     Level 3

1. Washington Center                                                             
2. Study Abroad/Work Abroad (more than a month)       
3. Honors Experiential Learning                                          
4. Foreign Student at FGCU                                                  

      Level 2

1. Study Abroad/Work Abroad (more than two weeks)   
2. Academic Minor/Major in Culture-Based Discipline (Anthropology, Cultural Studies, etc.)               
3. Other Experiential Learning (Dominican Republic Trip; etc)                         
4. Course of Foreign Language Study (Middlebury, DAAD, etc.)                                         
5. Mission/Medical Trips                                                     
6. Other significant travel                                                                                      

Service

The skills of democratic citizenship are learned through serving our communities. What are the problems we face? How do we solve them? What policies need to be implemented? These are all questions that we learn by engaging problems at point-zero. Meaningful, goal-oriented service also helps us to learn how to mobilize our educational resources to solve problems. Committing part of our educational endeavor to this process is an important step toward doing so.

 Level 4

1.  Very Major Service Project                                                
2.  National or Regional Honors Competition Winner for Service (Southern Regional NCHC, etc.)
3.  Significant National Lobbying/Policy Work                   
4.  Starting a Non-Profit Organization                                  

Level 3

1.  2^nd-Tier National Service Competitions                            
2.  Major Service Project                                                        
3.  Major Campus Award in Service                                     
4.  Writing for and Receiving a Service Grant                      
5.  Significant State-Level Lobbying/Policy Work
6.  National Conference Presentation on Service               
7.  Long-Term, Service-Based Research                               

Level 2

1.  Presenting at an Undergraduate Conference                 
2.  Emersion Service Experience                                                                                           
3.  Receiving a Small Service Grant                                        
4. Active Member of Highly Successful Team                     

Level 1

1. Minor Service Project           
2. Organizing a Relay for Life Team                                     
3. Attending a Service Conference                                        
4. Member of Regular Service Team                                   
5. Honors Service Events                                                                                                                        

Leadership 

Honors students are expected to graduate with the skills to lead a group to success. This is increasingly important as the work and research worlds now utilize teams to fulfill their goals. We want to make sure that students graduate ready to succeed in their earliest attempts at leadership. After all, we do expect them to be the leaders of tomorrow.

Level 4

1. Running for public office
2. Major position on a campaign
3. President of Student Body                                                 
4. Editor of Campus Newspaper                                          
5. Leading Business Start-up                                                  

Level 3

1. President of Honors
2. Major University Executive Leadership                           
3.  Major Campus Award in Leadership                             
4.  Major Campus Leadership                                              
5.  Significant Community Leadership  
6.  Managerial Experience                      

Level 2

1.  Vice-President of Honors                                                 
2.  Leader of a Highly-Achieving Service Team                   
3.  Participation in Leadership Training                               
4.  Student Senator                                                                  
5.  Placed on a University Committee (outside Honors)
6.  RA Position                                                                         

Level 1

1.  Leadership in Honors                                                       
2.  Leader of a Service Team                                                 
3.  Minor Campus Leadership                                              
4.  Member of an Honors Committee                                  
5.  Organizing an Honors Event                                            
6.  Completing Lessons in Leadership Course                   

Personal Transformation

What would a student organization be without fun? The Honors Program wants to make sure that our students excel in both their personal and professional lives. What that means is that they need to learn to achieve balance between these two worlds. As such, Honors requires all students to demonstrate that they have taken the time to set and achieve their own major life goals. Besides lowering stress and increasing personal happiness, there are also distinct professional advantages to this: The applicants who get interviews are all qualified; the applicants that get jobs are interesting. What is your answer to this interview question: What do you do in your spare time? Now go and achieve the answer you want to give!

      Level 4

1. Major Conference or National Recognition for Athletics or Performance                                  
2. Active Duty in Military Combat Zones                              
3. Major Recognition for Personal Accomplishment
4. Major Artistic Performance (non-art students)                                               

Level 3

1. Maintaining an Active Blog (Major Activity) Minimum of One Year                                      
2. Minor National Recognition for Athletics/Performance                                                        
3. Service in Military                                                                
4. Completion of Honors Personal Challenges                  
5. Significant Role in a Theater Performance                      
6. Long-term Transformational Experiences                       

Level 2

1. Athlete on Sports Team                                                                     
2. Major Role Campus Performance                   
3. Maintaining an Active Blog (Minor Activity) Minimum of One Year                                      
4. Course of Study in Enrichment Area (3 classes or more)             
5. Minor Conference Recognition for Athletics                   
6. Completing a Marathon, Triathalon, etc.                         
7.  Gaining a cool certification (scuba, black belt)

Level 1

1. Minor Role in Campus Performance                               
2. Winning a “Blue Mug”                                                       
3. Participating in Honors Intramurals, local 5Ks, etc.