The Honors Program

Per Laborem Ad Astra | Through Hard Work to the Stars

Mission

The HCCC Honors Program promotes academic excellence in students who are academically gifted, intellectually curious, and highly motivated. We offer small, interdisciplinary courses that focus on problem-based learning, support creative thinking, and encourage students to be active learners. We strive to foster the engaged learning, leadership, adaptability, and understanding necessary to thrive in a diverse world.

Vision

The Honors Program aspires to create a community of diverse, intellectually engaged, creative individuals who are committed to academic excellence and welcome challenges as stepping stones in the path of their own success. 

Values

  • Challenge – We believe challenges present opportunities for untapped talents to emerge.
  • Effort – With great effort comes great success.
  • Inclusivity – We promote a diverse group of students committed to learning.
  • Engagement – Active engagement within the college and with the community allows knowledge to be put into action for the common good.

Honors Program Information and Eligibility

Success in the program is not only measured by academic performance, but also the demonstrated ability to actively participate and engage with the community both inside and outside of the college classroom. Every semester, Honors students develop strong research and creativity skills with the completion of the Honors Poster Project. With personalized support and guidance from the program and faculty, we focus on helping you turn challenges into the stepping stones of your own path to success.

Program Requirements

  • Maintain an overall 3.5 GPA.
  • Completion of the end-of-semester Honors Poster Project for each enrolled Honors class.
  • Attendance at the Honors Poster Showcase.
  • Active involvement in the Honors community events that take place every semester.

Eligibility and Admissions

  • Incoming freshman who have either a 3.5 GPA or an 1100 composite SAT score are encouraged to apply.
  • Continuing students who have completed ENG 101 with a B or better and have a 3.5 overall GPA may self-register.
  • Provisional Admission—students who are close to meeting the criteria and have records of significant and meaningful academic achievement, community service, or leadership positions will be considered.

Prospective incoming freshman should complete the Honors Program Application here. Additional documentation may be emailed to honorsFREEHUDSONCOUNTYCOMMUNITYCOLLEGE.

The Honors Program hosts Information Sessions prior to the start of each fall and spring semester. At these Information Sessions, Honors staff review eligibility, requirements, benefits, and more regarding the Honors Program. If there are no current Information Sessions being offered, please contact honorsFREEHUDSONCOUNTYCOMMUNITYCOLLEGE or check back at a later time.

 Fall 2023 Honors Courses

 

THE BIG PICTURE: WHY A POSTER?

Preparing for the Honors Poster/Project Showcase gives you experience in synthesizing your work, displaying it, and discussing your findings. It allows you to share an aspect of what you have learned with the college community. And, as an institutional member of the National Collegiate Honors Council, the HCCC Honors Program prepares you for the experiences you will encounter in four-year honors programs.

Attendance at the poster showcase is mandatory. You will be making one poster for each of your Honors classes. Your poster should be constructed so that it presents the most important parts of your paper in a self-explanatory manner. The HCCC Writing Center will host Poster/Project Workshops to help you with this process. The basics:

  • Be created in Microsoft PowerPoint or through an online platform, such as, Canva.
  • Size must be adjusted to 24 inches (height) x 36 inches (width).
  • Be submitted as a PDF and/or Image File (JPEG or PNG) as requested by the Honors Program.

* Files submitted through OneDrive will not be accepted. *

  • Contain 250 - 400 words.
  • Include quality images using photographs, graphs, charts, figures, and maps.
  • Include:
    • Title of project, section headings, section text.
    • Works Cited or References.
    • Any relevant images and appropriate captions.
    • Your name, your professor’s name, and course code.

PAPER PRESENTATIONS

Some students will be selected to present their in-class research papers as part of a conference-style panel. Students are recommended by their professors.

The Honors Lounge is a multi-purpose space for the exclusive use of Honors students. It is equipped with two computers and a small reference library with books on varied subjects. You may use the space for meetings, studying, leisure reading, or working on assignments. Please be respectful of the space by keeping it tidy and reporting any debris or spills to the Honors Program. The books in the mini-library should not be removed from the Lounge.

The Lounge is accessible to Honors students Mon. – Fri. from 9am - 10pm. Please stop by first floor security in Gabert Library to have it opened, and remember to sign in and sign out at the desk inside the Lounge.

The Virtual Showcase Gallery contains the poster projects created by our Honors students from previous semesters. To view a past Virtual Showcase Gallery, click the semester link below:

Honors Program Video Thumbnail
 
The Honors Program has been such a rewarding experience that has motivated me to fully immerse myself in my educational career. Honors classes have given me a place that nurtures the pursuit of knowledge and understanding in a supportive environment.
Lucille Valle
2022, Pre-Nursing

Honors Program Activities, Workshops, and Events

The Honors Program offers many ways to get engaged with fellow students and make your mark at HCCC. Each semester, there are various workshops and events for all students including the culminating Paper Presentations and Poster Showcase at the end of the semester. Both of these end-of-semester events highlight all of the work that Honors students complete in their respective classes and give the students to opportunity to share their research with the college community.
HCCC Honors Program Image List Image 1

Honors Activities

As a part of the Honors Program, students can participate on the Honors Student Council or Honors Rhapsody Newsletter. The Honors Student Council is responsible for facilitating the community feel of Honors, as well as, participating in events and assisting with decisions of future workshops and course offerings. The Honors Rhapsody Newsletter is looking to add members to our Editing Board to assist with providing content collegewide and compiling this newsletter.

View previous editions of the Honors Rhapsody Newsletter by selecting below:

HCCC Honors Program Image List Image 2

Honors Workshops

Throughout the semester, Honors offers various workshops to assist students with their posters. There are Poster Design Workshops to help students brainstorm and set up their posters and Poster Feedback Workshops to provide students necessary feedback to help improve their posters.

Upcoming Workshops can be viewed on the Honors Program Involved@HCCC page by clicking here (HCCC Sign-In Required).

HCCC Honors Program Image List Image 3

Honors Events

In addition to our Poster Showcase and Paper Presentations at the end of the semester, the Honors Program offers a variety of Honors Salons for open discussion, Transfer Talks with various colleges and universities, and additional events organized with the Honors Student Council.

Upcoming Events can be viewed on the Honors Program Involved@HCCC page by clicking here (HCCC Sign-In Required).

I look forward to taking what I have learned from HCCC to my graduate school and continue to excel and succeed and become successful in all my future endeavors.
Eli Merles
2021, Human Services and Pre-Social Work

Out of the Box Podcast - Honor Societies

May 2019
HCCC President Dr. Reber is joined by Phi Theta Kappa officers and scholarship recipients Sarra Hayoune and Abderahim Salhi for a discussion about their emigration to the United States, and the College’s role in achieving their dream of a higher education.

Click here


Social Media Links

Instagram: @hccchonors
Facebook: HCCC Honors

 

Contact Information

Honors Program
Academic Affairs
70 Sip Avenue, 4th Floor
Jersey City, New Jersey 07306
(201) 360-4660
honorsFREEHUDSONCOUNTYCOMMUNITYCOLLEGE