Honors Program

The Honors Program exemplifies the best that Drury has to offer: small classes, personal attention, vibrant student-faculty interactions, liberal arts inquiry, and “hands on” learning. The Honors Program will provide the academic support and mentoring to foster academic excellence among Honor students and to prepare them for success in graduate school, business, and the professions. Successful completion of the Honors Program earns a student a Degree with Honors.

In addition to specialized honors courses, research opportunities, and Honors Student Association events, honors students receive additional benefits to help you to achieve your personal, academic, and social goals.

Welcome from the Program Director

Welcome to the Honors Program at Drury University! The Honors Program has a 30+ year history of helping honors students achieve their personal, academic and professional goals.

Our program is inspired by the words of Socrates: “Wisdom Begins in Wonder.” This means that we aim to build on the natural curiosity and wonder that honors students possess and help them develop their abilities, so that they can become leaders who can harness their wisdom to solve problems and live meaningful and successful lives. Honors students graduate with outstanding research and communications that allow them to flourish in their chosen profession or graduate school. 

We seek students who are curious, independent, ambitious, hard-workers, and intellectually engaged with the world of ideas.

The benefits of completing the honors program include:

• Taking exciting and engaging honors courses.
• Conducting original research and presenting it at academic conferences.
• Working with accomplished faculty.
• Developing social and intellectual relationships with other Honors students.
• Competing for prestigious fellowships and scholarships for graduate school and beyond.
• Gaining a competitive edge in the search for employment

Our website will provide you with information about our programs I encourage you to contact me with any questions.  We are eager to tell you about the “honors experience” and provide you with additional information.  We invite you to visit our campus and see how you can thrive at Drury. We welcome you!

Richard Schur, Ph.D./J.D.
Professor of English
Director, Honors Program

Mission Statement

The mission of the Drury University Honors Program is to:

• Facilitate strong learning and advising relationships between honors students and Drury faculty.
• Offer honors classes that feature a “hands on” education through research and primary source texts.
• Support the research and scholarly activities of honors students. Prepare students for personal and professional success, graduate study, and competition for graduate and international research fellowships and awards.

Honors Program Learning Outcomes

1. Scholarship: Student will conduct academic research or produce creative products at an exemplary level in their field.
2. Communication: Student will communicate their ideas/results in a fluent oral and written manner to both professionals in their areas of expertise and to a general audience.
3. Design Thinking and Problem Solving: Students will develop the skills of proposal development, testing and feedback, and reflection.
4. Leadership: Students will reflect on their leadership style and will practice leadership skills in their area of interest.