With an emphasis on research, leadership, and community engagement, motivated and intellectually curious students participate in classes and self-designed mentored projects that encourage intellectual risk-taking, personal growth, and transformation.
The Honors Program aims to graduate confident, compassionate, and globally-minded leaders that are able to offer creative solutions to the world’s challenges.
The Bach Family Honors House opened in January 2006. The 6,000+ square-foot facility includes a conference room—with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment—for seminars and Honors core courses; a residence for eight Honors students per year; a 24-hour study space for all Honors students; and meeting, lecture and movie space.
“The Honors Program has allowed me to grow in my leadership skills and field by pursuing projects both in my major and outside of it through my thesis and directed readings.”
—Alex Kiepert, Honors Program Graduate '22 Finance & Business Analytics Double Major
HNRS101 Introducing Honors: Leadership, Research, and Community Engagement (3 credits)
MUS310H Music, Wellness, and Conscious Life Design (3 credits)
* Only five extra credits outside of the student’s major.
The Honors Program seeks motivated and intellectually curious students.
Accepted seniors wishing to be part of the Honors Program are required to complete the honors program application
Please note, SAT or ACT are not required for entrance into the program. The Honors Program looks beyond test scores and seeks individuals with grit and character who have a drive to do more.
An honors thesis is required of all students within the Honors Program. It can be a traditional research-based project, creative endeavor, or community service project. Here are some examples of past thesis projects:
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Kelsey Donoughe, Honors Program Graduate '21 Biology, '25 Graduate of West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
Kelsey Donoughe
"The Synergistic Effect of Metformin and Dexamethasone on HeLa and SiHa Cells: A Comparison of Cervical Cancer Cell Lines from Different Races"
Madison Wright
"Genetic Frequency of the MDR1 gene in Dogs in Central Pennsylvania"
Alana Recktenwald
"Review of Treatment-Resistant Depression and How Neurometabolic Deficiencies May Be Involved"
Hayler Mesmer
"Body Composition and Resting Metabolic Rate: Comparing the Accuracy of Various Predictive Methods"
Nathan Moore
"Effects of Technology in the Classroom"
Trisha Keller
"Comparing Business Models of Western Boy Bands to Korean Idol Groups"
Megan Wood
"Human Health and the Climate Crisis"
Sarah Zakrzwski
"Beyond the Bonnet: Understanding the Appeal of Amish Fiction"
Featured Thesis
Honors Student Kei-shon Graham presents his thesis titled "Uniquely Generic"
Contact the Honors Program Director Irene M. Wolf, PhD at honors@francis.edu
Written by David Lyttle, Class of 2027 | 04/22/2025
Profile: Honors Student Veronica Crum is a communications major with a passion for creative writing and mental health advocacy. Her thesis is a fantasy novel exploring themes of psychology, generational trauma, neurodiversity, and self-discovery through a protagonist grappling with a powerful prophecy.
Written by David Lyttle, Class of 2027 | 04/01/2025
Profile: Honors Student Toby Cree is a chemistry major with a passion for Green Chemistry. Toby’s thesis explores sustainable approaches to nanoparticle synthesis, specifically focusing on gold nanoparticles and fluorescent carbon dots.
Written by David Lyttle, Class of 2027 | 02/28/2025
Profile of Honors Student Ava Rhoads, a double major in Aquarium and Zoo Science and Psychology, with minors in Biological Diving and Animal-Assisted Healthcare and Education. She has a full plate, but she thrives on the challenge.
Written by David Lyttle, Class of 2027 | 02/10/2025
Profile of Honors Student Gavin Ross, a chemistry major pursuing minors in history, mathematics, and Spanish. For his thesis project, he is exploring the sustainable use of mechanochemistry in metalation. He enjoys engaging with peers in the program who bring diverse perspectives to the table.
Written by David Lyttle, Class of 2027 | 01/28/2025
Profile of Honors Student Natalie Vogt, a junior biochemistry major with a pre-veterinary concentration, who is currently researching the effects of caffeine on cataracts in cow eyes. Last year, she completed a directed readings course, exploring the ethics of mortality and cancer’s impact on patients and families, presenting her findings at a research symposium.
Written by David Lyttle, Class of 2027 | 12/02/2024
Profile of Honors Student Isabella Swindell: Isabella wants to become a teacher, specializing in early childhood and special education. She credits the honors program for giving her the confidence to realize this dream.
Written by David Lyttle, Class of 2027 | 11/25/2024
Profile of Honors Student Matthew Hall: As student manager for two of the university's athletic teams, softball and basketball, Hall's had the chance to research and report on NCAA transfer portal data, a topic he carried into his Honors thesis.
