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Your portfolio includes:

• Goal-Setting Statement (upon entry)
  An initial reflection on your interests, goals, and reasons for joining Honors.
• Annual Spring Reflections (due March 1)
  A yearly reflection to help you assess your growth and plan next steps.
• Signature Academic Works (2 total)
  Selected projects that demonstrate interdisciplinary thinking and sustained engagement with ideas.
• Experiential Learning Reflection
  A reflection on a meaningful experience outside the classroom (e.g., study abroad, research, leadership, creative work).
• Final Reflection
  A culminating reflection on how your Honors experience has shaped your thinking, values, and future goals.

Portfolio components are submitted through the Honors Program’s designated platform using prompts provided throughout the year.

• Annual reflection deadline: March 1
• Additional deadlines and instructions are shared in advance

Completion of the Honors Portfolio is required to remain in good standing in the program.

While portfolio submissions are not graded, they are mandatory. Missing required components may result in:

• Registration holds for Honors courses
• Required advising before continuing in the program

If you anticipate missing a deadline, contact the Honors Program as soon as possible.

The portfolio helps you connect your coursework and experiences rather than treating them as separate requirements. Many students also find that their portfolio materials are useful later for:

• Scholarship and fellowship applications
• Graduate school materials
• Personal statements and interviews

An Honors Thesis is a substantial project completed over multiple semesters. Projects vary widely by discipline and may include:

• Traditional research in the sciences, social sciences, or humanities
• Creative or artistic work
• Applied or community-based projects

All theses emphasize originality, depth, and sustained intellectual inquiry.

The Thesis Track typically spans three semesters (7 credit hours):

• HONR 353 (Junior Year): Develop your research question and project plan
• HONR 450 & 451 (Senior Year): Complete the thesis through research, writing, and revision

Students work closely with a faculty mentor throughout the process.

Each student is paired with a faculty advisor who provides guidance on research design, disciplinary standards, and revision. This mentorship is a central part of the thesis experience.

Thesis students:

• Present their work on campus
• Present at regional or national conferences
• Have their work published in ScholarWorks, Bellarmine’s institutional repository

Students in the Capstone Track work as part of a cohort to design and support a first-year Honors seminar centered on a shared theme.

This experience emphasizes:

• Collaboration and teamwork
• Leadership and mentorship
• Course design and facilitation
• Engagement with a shared intellectual project

The Capstone Track typically spans an academic year (4 credit hours):

• Fall: Design a First-Year Honors Seminar
• Spring: Help facilitate and support the course with incoming Honors students

Students work together as a cohort throughout the process, guided by a faculty mentor.

Students work closely with an Honors Faculty Fellow who guides the cohort, supports the design process, and models effective teaching and leadership practices.

Mentorship in the Capstone Track focuses on:

• Collaboration and facilitation
• Pedagogy and course design
• Ethical and inclusive teaching practices

As part of the Capstone Track, students:

• Collaboratively design course units, assignments, and learning activities
• Develop a coherent seminar around a shared theme
• Help facilitate discussions and mentor first-year students
• Reflect on teaching, learning, and community engagement

Students do not teach independently but play an active role in shaping and supporting the course.