Empowering the next generation of thinkers and doers for our state and beyond.
The Honors College at Marshall University empowers students to meet the evolving needs of West Virginia by combining rigorous academics with hands-on, real-world learning experiences. Our programs are designed to equip students with the critical thinking, leadership, and durable skills necessary to excel in high-demand fields such as healthcare, technology, education, and advanced manufacturing. Through strategic partnerships with local industries, government agencies, and community organizations, Honors students engage in internships, research, and service projects that address real challenges facing our state. These experiences prepare graduates to make immediate and lasting contributions to West Virginia’s economy, civic life, and communities.
By fostering innovative, integrative learning, the Honors College builds a foundation for students to solve complex problems, lead with integrity, and thrive in dynamic career environments. We are committed to measurable outcomes, ensuring our programs support retention, graduation, and employment rates while aligning with the state’s economic and workforce priorities. At its core, the Honors College demonstrates that education is not just a pathway to jobs but a catalyst for leadership and transformation. Together, we are developing graduates who will strengthen West Virginia’s prosperity, resilience, and future potential.
One example is the Honors College’s leadership in the emerging West Virginia–Ireland Transatlantic Partnership. Through a homegrown, faculty-led study abroad program in Ireland that includes students from both Marshall and BridgeValley Community and Technical College, Honors laid the foundations by demonstrating how 2-year/4-year partnerships can expand access to global learning for rural, STEM, and first-generation students. This work informed the creation of the West Virginia–Ireland Education Alliance in state law, which aims to strengthen academic, cultural, and workforce connections between West Virginia and Ireland.
Aligned Partner Initiatives
The Honors College’s WV–Ireland Transatlantic Partnership began with a faculty-led study abroad program based at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT), creating Marshall’s first homegrown international program designed and delivered by our own faculty. Developed in collaboration with BridgeValley Community and Technical College and partners in Ireland, the initiative expands access to global learning for rural, STEM, transfer, and first-generation students who are often underrepresented in study abroad opportunities.
By linking a two-year and four-year institution in a shared international experience, the partnership creates new pathways for West Virginia students to gain meaningful global experience while remaining rooted in their home institutions and communities.
While in Ireland, students earn academic credit through the Certificate in Cultural Landscapes of Ireland while exploring the cultural and natural landscapes of the Boyne Valley, engaging with community partners, and examining transatlantic connections that matter for West Virginia’s future—including community resilience, cultural heritage, entrepreneurship, tourism, regional development, and innovation.
Student reflections consistently demonstrate the impact of this experience. Participants describe learning through direct engagement with place, gaining confidence and independence, building lasting relationships, and developing a deeper understanding of both Ireland and Appalachia. Many report returning home with a renewed appreciation for West Virginia and a stronger understanding of how regional communities around the world confront shared challenges and opportunities.
As one student reflected:
“Going on this trip has opened my eyes to the history that connects so many of us across Appalachia.”
Another wrote:
“Getting to experience life outside of Appalachia and realize how big this world is, is so valuable.”
What began as a study abroad initiative has grown into a broader Marshall University WV–Ireland Transatlantic Partnership supporting academic collaboration, student mobility, faculty engagement, workforce development, and emerging partnerships with institutions including Queen’s University Belfast.
The partnership has also helped inform statewide conversations about educational collaboration between West Virginia and Ireland, contributing to the development of the West Virginia–Ireland Education Alliance. Today, the initiative serves as a model for how international partnerships can simultaneously expand global opportunities for students while strengthening connections to West Virginia’s future.
Learn more about how Honors students are broadening their horizons through Ireland Study Abroad.
The Honors Incubator Pathway is where creativity meets practical problem-solving. This experiential learning initiative guides a small number of select honors students to identify meaningful challenges, apply design thinking, and develop innovative solutions. Through mentorship and collaboration, participants gain entrepreneurial skills that prepare them to make a tangible impact in West Virginia and beyond. From sustainability projects to community-driven innovations, the Honors Incubator fosters the kind of forward-thinking leadership that defines the Honors College. It’s a space where ideas come to life, building a brighter future for our state.
Learn more about how the Honors College is empowering students through experiential learning. Discover the Incubator.
The TEDxMarshallU Honors Internship (HON 490) equips students with the skills to organize and execute a TEDx event, from concept to stage. Over two semesters, participants develop expertise in event planning, marketing, and production while working collaboratively to present innovative ideas to the community. This hands-on experience empowers students to lead and inspire through storytelling and design.
Learn more about how Honors students bring big ideas to life. Discover TEDxMarshallU.
Design for Defense (HON 481) challenges students to solve real-world defense problems in collaboration with the National Strategic Innovation Network. This course fosters innovative thinking, teamwork, and practical problem-solving, connecting students with professionals tackling complex security challenges. Participants gain invaluable experience addressing issues critical to national and global security.
Learn more about how Honors students are designing solutions for the future. Discover Design for Defense.
Key Outcomes and Highlights
Retention and Graduation Rates
- Honors students graduate at rates 20% higher than their peers nationally and more than twice as high at Marshall University.
- Marshall Honors students demonstrate strong retention and completion rates, far outpacing institutional averages.
- Beyond academic performance, honors students consistently describe finding meaningful connections with peers, faculty, mentors, and experiences that help them develop a stronger sense of belonging and purpose during their time at Marshall.
Workforce Contributions
- Honors alumni pursue impactful careers in key West Virginia sectors including healthcare, education, technology, engineering, advanced manufacturing, research, public service, and entrepreneurship.
- Many remain in the state after graduation, contributing to local economies and communities.
- Through experiences that emphasize adaptability, collaboration, leadership, ethical decision-making, and problem-solving, Honors students develop skills that prepare them to contribute in a rapidly changing workforce while strengthening the communities they serve.
Experiential Learning
- Honors students participate in an array of experiential learning opportunities in and through the Honors College including internships, undergraduate research, leadership development, community engagement, study abroad, and professional development experiences.
- Student reflections consistently demonstrate that these experiences help them connect classroom learning to real-world contexts, build confidence and adaptability, form meaningful relationships, and discover new ways of understanding both themselves and the communities they serve.
- Many students report that direct engagement with places, organizations, and communities provides forms of learning that cannot be replicated through classroom instruction alone.
- Honors-led initiatives such as the Marshall–DkIT Cultural Landscapes of Ireland program, the West Virginia–Ireland Transatlantic Partnership, the Honors Ambassadors program, undergraduate research opportunities, and community-engaged learning experiences connect students directly with communities, employers, faculty mentors, and global partners, turning high-impact learning into pathways toward leadership and workforce opportunities in West Virginia and beyond.
- Our key partnerships include organizations such as the Department of Defense, focusing on cybersecurity and innovation, and the TED organization, which joins us in believing that powerful ideas, powerfully presented, move us to feel something, think differently, and take action.
What Students Tell Us About Impact
As the Honors College continues to collect and analyze evidence from student experiences, several themes consistently emerge across study abroad, undergraduate research, leadership development, community engagement, and other high-impact learning opportunities.
Students describe Honors experiences as opportunities to:
- Connect classroom learning to real-world challenges and communities.
- Develop confidence, independence, and adaptability.
- Build meaningful relationships with peers, faculty, mentors, and community partners.
- Discover connections across disciplines, cultures, and perspectives.
- Gain a deeper appreciation for Appalachia while engaging with the wider world.
- Develop a stronger sense of purpose and direction for their future.
How We Align with West Virginia’s Priorities
Workforce Readiness
Honors students receive rigorous, hands-on preparation in fields critical to West Virginia’s future, including healthcare, engineering, technology, education, research, and public service.
In tandem with their major programs, experiences in the Honors College emphasize adaptable, career-ready skills—including critical thinking, ethical decision-making, communication, collaboration, leadership, and problem-solving—ensuring our graduates can contribute meaningfully in any professional setting.
Economic & Community Impact
Through partnerships with state agencies, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and community partners, the Honors College creates pathways for students to engage directly with West Virginia’s workforce and community needs.
Many of our students and alumni contribute to the state’s economic growth through research, innovation, entrepreneurship, healthcare, education, public service, and civic leadership.
Developing Future Leaders
The Honors College cultivates leaders with the skills, perspective, and sense of purpose necessary to address the challenges of tomorrow.
Whether in business, government, healthcare, education, research, or community leadership, our graduates are prepared to make meaningful contributions to their professions and communities—both in West Virginia and beyond.
Programs such as Honors Ambassadors, peer mentoring, student leadership opportunities, and community-engaged learning experiences provide students with practical opportunities to develop and exercise leadership while serving others.
Global Engagement for West Virginia
Through initiatives such as our West Virginia–Ireland Transatlantic Partnership, Honors students connect regional issues—including health, entrepreneurship, cultural heritage, workforce development, community resilience, and innovation—to comparative international contexts.
Students frequently describe returning from these experiences with a deeper appreciation for Appalachia, its history, culture, and communities, while gaining broader perspectives that prepare them to contribute to West Virginia’s long-term success and competitiveness.
By engaging the wider world, students often discover new ways of understanding and strengthening the places they call home.
The Honors College Difference
Student Stories
Erin Roberts, International Business Major
“Driving Sustainability on a Global Stage”
Erin represented Marshall University at an international competition focused on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Collaborating with a diverse team, she developed a detailed action plan for a sustainable corporation, earning second place among 17 teams. Erin credits the creative problem-solving skills she honed in the Honors College for her success and plans to apply them as she pursues law school.
Gabriella Sevilla, Video Production Major
“Creating Stories that Inspire Change”
Gabriella gained hands-on experience as an intern for TEDxMarshallU, directing the live stream and producing professional-quality videos of the event’s talks. Her contributions demonstrated exceptional technical skills and creativity, propelling her toward a role with HerdVision. Gabriella’s work exemplifies the Honors College’s emphasis on experiential learning and professional growth.
Kacey Poe, Biological Sciences Major
“Building a Path to Pediatric Medicine”
Kacey’s acceptance into the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine’s Early Assurance program ensures her pathway to medical school without the need for the MCAT. As a Resident Advisor in the Honors House, she has also fostered a supportive environment for her peers. Kacey’s dedication to both academic excellence and community building reflects the Honors College’s mission to nurture leaders.
Josh Maddy, Computer Science Major
“Mapping Personal Narratives Through Innovation”
Josh demonstrated extraordinary creativity and technical ability in his honors work, producing sophisticated animation for a personal mapping project. He seamlessly integrated anamorphic text, QR codes, and advanced software tools to tell a deeply personal story. Beyond his own success, Josh lent his expertise to help a peer overcome technical challenges, embodying the collaborative spirit that is central to the Honors community at Marshall.
Darby McGinnis, Biological Sciences Major
“Bringing Entrepreneurship to Life”
Darby developed a mobile florist business concept in her Honors seminar on sustainability strategies. Her thorough market research and collaboration with a design firm resulted in a 3D rendering of her idea, showcasing its feasibility and sustainability. Darby’s entrepreneurial spirit and innovative thinking embody the Honors College’s commitment to actionable learning.
Madeline Watts, Biological Sciences Major
“Studying Chemistry and Art in Italy”
Madeline’s study abroad experience combined her love for science and art, exploring the chemistry of art restoration in Italy. Supported by the Honors Council Grant, she gained a global perspective and applied her learning to broader contexts. Madeline’s experience highlights the transformative opportunities the Honors College provides its students.
