Honors Transfer Council of California
Supporting honors education and helping California community college students transfer to colleges and universities nationwide.
Academic Opportunities for Honors Students
One of the benefits of being an honors student is joining an honors society. If your campus doesn't have one of these clubs, consider starting a chapter by contacting your student government and perhaps a faculty member.
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Honors Societies by Major:
Alpha Beta Gamma - Business
Honors Societies
The Western Regional Honors Council (WRHC) Conference is an annual three-day event in March or April for students enrolled in their colleges' Honors Programs. The location changes from year to year. In addition to presenting at the annual conference, students can submit poetry, essays, creative non-fiction, short fiction, photography, digital art, film and music for publication in the annual edition of Scribendi (see below). For more information about this annual conference, please visit the conference websites.
Location: Changes each year. See WRHC website for details.
Proposal Deadline: late December.
Conference: Typically the end of March or early April.
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Claremont-UC University Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union
The primary purpose of this conference is to enhance undergraduate training in and knowledge of the European Union and US-European relations. In addition, the aim of the conference is to allow students with expertise in different areas to interact with each other as well as with faculty, foster intercampus cooperation, and recognize the excellent work achieved by students. Envisioned as an intercampus undergraduate seminar, the participating campuses simultaneously offer courses on the issues relevant in Europe today, integrating the conference with the student’s curriculum to encourage student initiated research and presentations.
Location: Scripps College
Proposal Deadline: February 15th
Conference: typically April
American Chemical Society Undergraduate Research Conference in Chemistry and Biochemistry
The Southern California Undergraduate Research Conference in Chemistry and Biochemistry is an annual event, held in the spring, to afford undergraduates in chemistry the opportunity to present their research results. Check the website for additional information about when and where the next conference will be held.
The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) holds a five-day conference that takes place during November; the location changes every year. Students enrolled in their college Honors Program are eligible to apply as presenters in January of each year; final drafts of research papers from accepted oral presenters are due by April 1. For more information about this annual conference, please visit the conference website.
Sharing Your Academic Research
The Honors Transfer Council of California encourages honors students to participate in academic research and to present that research at academic conferences. These wonderful opportunities allow you to distinguish yourself as a scholar.
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As well, depending on the conference, the conference presentations may be individual, in pairs, or in small groups. There are scholarships available at many of these conferences, and conference participation adds significantly to a student's transfer, scholarship, and employment potential.
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The distinction of having presented at one or more conferences speaks well for students who are competing for admission to the most highly selective transfer schools, programs of study, and selective scholarship awards.
Presenting at Other Conferences
In addition to our UCI Community Colleges Honors Research Conference, you are encouraged to submit your academic scholarship to the following conferences for presentation:
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Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research provides a forum for the presentation of the best research, scholarship, and creative activities of undergraduate students in the region, and encourages communication of innovative achievements across disciplines. Visit the SCCUR website for the details on when and where the next conference will be held.
The Bay Honors Consortium (BHC) Honors Research Symposium is held in early May of each year. Students are encouraged to submit proposals of original research in January for individual and small group presentations. The conference also offers an admissions workshop from the Director of Admissions at the University of California, Berkeley. This conference is similar to the UCI Community Colleges Honors Research Conference.
Location: UC Berkeley
Conference Application Deadline: January each year
Conference: typically in May
Publishing Your Work
Western Regional Honors Council’s Literary Journal Scribendi
publishes creative nonfiction and short fiction, poetry, photography, visual art, foreign language work, and open media.
Deadline: typically in early October.
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Only students currently enrolled in honors programs at colleges in the WRHC or NCHC are eligiable to submit. If you are unsure if your program is affiliated with either of these organizations, contact your honors program director/coordinator to verify.