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Honors students are defined by two attributes; a record of academic success is important, of course, but motivation is what really sets Honors students apart:  

Honors students are curious and have a strong desire to learn.

Honors students seek out leadership roles in student organizations, research projects, and community service initiatives.

Honors students demonstrate follow-through and professional acumen.

Honors students are ambitious and goal-oriented, dedicated to achieving their best potential.    

Mission

The Hicks Honors College offers the benefits of a small, selective college for high achieving students from all backgrounds and majors within the larger university. Honors’ academic program focuses on experiential learning, developing community and social intelligence, and creating access to leadership and professional opportunities.

The Hicks Honors College offers access to small, supportive, and innovative classes that encourage academic success and nourish intellectual growth and curiosity. Honors creates and funds opportunities for experiential learning, including study abroad, undergraduate research, internships, and servant leadership, that help to develop the experience, the abilities, and the character necessary to succeed and lead in a competitive and uncertain world.

Students learn and live together during the First-Year Experience and in the new Honors College residence hall (opening fall 2025). This living-learning hub fosters community with like-minded peers, creates an environment conducive to studying and collaboration, and encourages opportunities for intellectual engagement and personal growth.

Honors mentoring follows students through graduation and even after, providing specialized advising for applications to competitive national fellowships, internships and graduate schools.

Vision

The vision of the Hicks Honors College is to cultivate well-rounded, intellectually curious, and socially responsible individuals who are prepared to make meaningful contributions to society.

Hicks Honors graduates are thoughtful and enterprising leaders who have the experience, initiative, and confidence necessary to compete for prestigious national scholarships, top graduate schools, and entry to promising careers in business, the nonprofit sector and public service. Honors graduates possess the ethical code and humane values necessary to work together with others in the interest of our society and the world’s future wellbeing.

History

The Hicks Honors College was endowed in 2016 through the generosity of Ann and David Hicks, Jacksonville philanthropists and business and civic leaders. The College is guided by their founding vision for “a small Amherst College in the midst of our vibrant university…The best of both worlds for the honors students," as the Hicks family envisioned it, where “high achievers have the benefit of small classes and intimate learning experiences, while participating in the dynamic atmosphere of the larger university. Of utmost importance, the honors students will graduate without the burden of debt, which might have been incurred had they chosen a prestigious private university. Our goal is to have their education comparable to that of top-tier institutions.” The Hicks Honors College strives to fulfill this vision.