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Honors Housing
In creating this living environment for Honors students, Dr. Scott LaMascus, Vice President for Academic Affairs, hopes to break down the boundaries between classrooms and dormitories. The dorm feature a hall mentor who is a Christian scholar, such as an Honors alumnus or alumna, or an advanced student who taught the orientation course for the Honors Program. This integrates housing with academics, which will ensure a smooth transition to the Honors curriculum and a successful first year at Oklahoma Christian. The dorm also features resident mentors who are successful upperclass Honors students.
The Honors House at Reba Davisson is an environment designed to provide a Christ-centered, dynamic learning environment focused on relationships for young leaders who are eager to make the most of their undergraduate experiences according to Scott LaMascus, VPAA, at Oklahoma Christian. He said the physical renovations are very nice, but the intangible value to students is really what we’re offering; a chance to spend more of their time here in an environment where iron sharpens iron.”
The east wing of the remodeled dorm is for male students, while female students live in the west wing of the building. The rules for the house and facilities will be organized in consultation with the Honors Advisory Council to create a living-learning community for academic success. Honors students have been conducting focus groups on campus to help learn how housing might be integrated to engage and enhance students’ learning.
“In talking to both upper and underclassmen, the Honors students are excited about Honors housing because it offers them unique amenities such as study rooms, individualized tutoring, as well as spaces for fun and relaxation,” said Cady Haas, an English major and president of the Honors Advisory Council. “Students gain the added benefits that will help in study, but they will not lose the fun and interactive part of dorm life on our campus.”
The Honors Program at Oklahoma Christian is a thriving community of academic achievers. According to LaMascus, the average ACT score for honors students is 31, and more than a quarter of these students are National Merit Scholars. Admission is highly selective, but not solely exam-based. The program, which has more than 130 students, seeks leaders and is truly interdisciplinary, with every college and department represented. The program is a member of the National Collegiate Honors Council, which encourages the development of honors housing.
“The Council is quite explicit in its recommendations for housing options for honors students across the nation,” LaMascus said. “These should be places where academic achievers find a community designed specifically to enhance excellence in academics and all university activities. This new space communicates Oklahoma Christian’s dynamic dedication to our many outstanding students. We are offering a new housing option that is intentional about banishing any notion that dorms are a retreat from learning.”
Oklahoma Christian welcomed two new cohorts of Honors students in the fall of 2011. These were the first students admitted into Honors housing, with current Honors students filling the remaining spaces. Current high school students interested in applying to the honors program and housing at Oklahoma Christian can apply online.
Student Life was excited to work with the Honors Advisory Council to establish the criteria and expectations for this new housing format,” said Neil Arter, dean of student life at Oklahoma Christian. “It is our experience that students will hold each other to a higher standard. It’s not our goal to separate the honors students from the rest of the student body. Instead, we hope to create an environment for Honors students to have an even greater impact on our campus.”
“The new Honors House received upgrades to the mechanical system, restrooms, furniture and the hall mentor’s living space,” said Jay Jones. “Students will enjoy an upgraded facility featuring study rooms, a seminar space for holding classes as well as a student activity room with kitchen facilities.”
The Honors Program at Oklahoma Christian includes more than 130 students and continues to grow. Accomplished alumni have gone on to attain professional degrees in business, law and medicine, and many others have received scholarships to prestigious doctorate and postdoctorate programs across the United States. The program also operates a Summer Honors Academy for outstanding high school students from across the nation.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Jim Baird
