Dates

• Existence: 1960-

Biography

The Honors Program (1960- ) is an academic unit at Brigham Young University.

The Honors Program was established by university president Ernest L. Wilkinson in 1960 to broaden and enrich the undergraduate student experience through intensive general education courses. This has included a focus on critical thinking and writing skills, and more recently on interdisciplinary approaches to subjects. The program was initially open to students by invitation, but was expanded to the general student body in 1983.

The Honors Program has been associated with various units of the university administration. Initially it reported directly to university administration, then in 1973 was placed under the dean of College of General Studies. In 1979 it was again placed under the direction of the university, but after 1983 began reporting through the dean of General Education and Honors and the dean of Undergraduate Education. Directors of the program have included Robert K. Thomas (1960-1968), Richard D. Poll (1968-1970), C. Terry Warner (1970-1975), Thomas F. Rogers (1975-1978), Reba L. Keele (1978-1979), Gary L. Browning (1979-1981, 1982-1983), Karen Lynn (1981-1982), De Lamar Jensen (1983-1986), Thomas Matheson (1986-1988), Alan F. Keele (1988-1993), James Faulconer (1994-1995), Susan Easton Black (1995-1998), Daniel Fairbanks (1998-1999), K. Newell Dayley (2000), J. Scott Miller (2000-2007), Madison U. Sowell (2007-2009), Gary L. Hatch (2009-2010), Rory Scanlon (2010-2012), Joseph Parry (2012-2016), and Spencer Magleby (2016- ).

Citation:

On becoming a disciple-scholar, 1995: t.p. (the Brigham Young University Honors Program) pref. (BYU Honors Program)

BYU Organizational History Project website, via WWW, May 6, 2014 (Honors Program; est. 1960 by Ernest L. Wilkinson with student participation on an invitation basis; opened to general student body, 1983; broadens and enriches undergraduate student experience through more intensive general education courses; focus on critical thinking, writing, and interdisciplinary approaches; initially reported to university administration; under dean of College of General Studies, 1973-1979; returned to report to the university, 1979-1983; later under dean of General Education and Honors, dean of Undergraduate Education; directors included: Robert K. Thomas (1960-1968), Richard D. Poll (1968-1970), C. Terry Warner (1970-1975), Thomas F. Rogers (1975-1978), Reba L. Keele (1978-1979), Gary L. Browning (1979-1981, 1982-1983), Karen Lynn (1981-1982), De Lamar Jensen (1983-1986), Thomas Matheson (1986-1988), Alan F. Keele (1988-1993), James Faulconer (1994-1995), Susan Easton Black (1995-1998), Daniel Fairbanks (1998-1999), K. Newell Dayley (2000), J. Scott Miller (2000-2007), Madison U. Sowell (2007-2009), Gary L. Hatch (2009-2010), Rory Scanlon (2010-2012), and Joseph Parry (2012- ))

Brigham Young University Honors Program website, via WWW, Jan. 18, 2023 (Spencer Magleby; appointed director of the Honors Program, 2016)

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