The Mission, Vision, and Values of USU Honors

Our Mission
The University Honors Program trains a diverse community of tomorrow’s leaders by engaging them in civil discourse, research and creative projects, and local and global humanitarian work. The program embodies Utah State University’s land-grant mission to prioritize academics, foster diversity of thought and culture, and serve the public through learning, discovery, and engagement. The university therefore guarantees the program adequate infrastructure and resources, including an appropriate budget and faculty, staff, and administrative support, and commits to building and sustaining a robust Honors Program at the heart of the USU Aggie experience.


Our Vision

In keeping with USU’s land-grant mission, the program aims to recognize and develop the potential of students to become future change agents, even when students do not yet see that potential in themselves. Our vision is to build an increasingly rich and diverse community of students, faculty, alumni, staff, and stakeholders who represent the best that Utah State University has to offer.

Our Values
The University Honors Program shares with USU the following values:

  1. Access and Inclusion: We value important differences in background, self-perception, and identities, and we work to include students with different perspectives and experiences and to improve access to our skill- and confidence-building curriculum and programming.
  2. Student Success and Retention: We value the experience and success of students, and we work to communicate program requirements, maintain a valuable and flexible curriculum, and ensure understanding of the purpose and value of honors education.
  3. Research and Discovery: We value undergraduate research and discovery, and our curriculum follows our motto (from the poet Horace): "Sapere Aude" -- or "Dare to Know," a challenge to ask questions, discover answers, and share knowledge with others.
  4. Community Engagement: We value community engagement and collaboration, and as one of USU's Community Engaged Departments, we build opportunity for such work into our curriculum and programming.
  5. Academic and Professional Development: We value academic and professional development, and we support students, both within and beyond our curriculum, in discovering their passions and charting their path into the future.

Our Plan
The University Honors Program's 2021-2024 strategic plan charts a path toward program development in four key areas: 
  1. Assessment, Review, and Planning
  2. Access and Inclusion
  3. Structured Retention
  4. Community Engagement
We invite you to read our plan and join us in building the future of the University Honors Program.

Dare to Know