Palmer selected UCA Honor Scholar

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

— Kristina Palmer, of Gentry and a graduate of Gentry High School, was among 60 incoming first-year students selected to be Honors Scholars at the University of Central Arkansas Honors College. The students were selected from a pool of over 200 applicants, of which 115 were selected for intensive full-day interviews on the UCA campus.

Honors Scholars receive UCA’s most prestigious scholarship package, reside in a living-learning community in Jefferson W. Farris Honors Hall, and participate in a unique interdisciplinary curriculum with ample opportunities for service learning, project-based education, collaborative work, undergraduate research, and study abroad or internship support.

“Evidence suggests that the admissions process that selected these students is among the most rigorous in the national Honors community,” said Richard Scott, Dean of the Honors College. “Those who achieved admission into the UCA Honors College should be extremely proud of their accomplishment.”

Established in 1982, UCA’s Honors College enrolls 325 students in its four-year undergraduate program. Its five-fold mission is to recruit and retain high-ability students for the University’s major programs, to foster the scholarly arts, to provide opportunities for the development of leadership skills, to produce thoughtful and active citizens, and to form a community of engaged students through innovative programming.

The Fall 2011 incoming class has an average composite ACT score of 30, which places their test scores among the top 3 percent in the country. This class has an average high school GPA of 4.0. Among those selected are 13 valedictorians, 2 salutatorians, three National Merit finalists, and one National Achievement finalist.

This cohort includes students from 21 counties in Arkansas as well students from Oklahoma, Texas, and New York. In addition to the Honors Scholarship, these students will bring with them a total of $1.4 million in private, institutional, and state scholarships.

Community News, Pages 10 on 06/22/2011