Dr. John U Trefny Honor Program Application

The Honors Program at RRCC is an application-based, academic program open to all students. This is for students who will be attending RRCC in the Fall 2023-Spring 2024 academic year (continuing students and new students). The Honors program focuses on connecting your studies to real-world wicked problems. Students interested in pursuing a career in STEM are particularly encouraged to apply, but the program serves all majors and programs. The Honors Program theme for the 2023-25 Cohort will focus on Advancing Colorado. Students accepted into the program will be participating in Honors coursework as well as many activities outside of the classroom and will receive an Honors scholarship. For more information about the program and its requirements, please visit our website at http://www.rrcc.edu/honors. You must be accepted as an RRCC student to apply to this program. Please complete the entire application and reference requests. Honors applications will be evaluated on a combination of academic, creative and experiential engagement criteria.

Required registration and scholarships for HNR 1001 in the Spring 2024 Semester:
Upon acceptance, all Honors students will register for the Honors Seminar course in the fall semester. HNR 1000 is a required one credit course that will be offered on Wednesdays or Fridays. Please see the schedule of classes for dates and times. Also upon acceptance, all Honors students will be awarded scholarships ($600 first semester). You will receive a letter stating the scholarship award amount each semester as long as eligibility requirements are met.

Award
Varies
Deadline
02/02/2024
Supplemental Questions
  1. Personal Information
    • Currently, what is your plan after you leave Red Rocks?
    • Do you think you'd like to transfer to a 4-year college or university?
    • How did you hear about the Trefny Honors Program?
    • Provide the best email to reach you at:
    • Select one:
    • What are you studying at RRCC / what degree are you seeking?
  2. Please list any AP, IB or Honors courses taken during high school or at another institution. If you took an AP or IB exam after your class, please include that score in parentheses.
  3. Honors Specific Questions
    • Please name and discuss three research questions you might want to address during your time in the Honors Program. (Word limit: minimum 400 - maximum 500)
    • What motivates you? (Word limit: minimum 250 - maximum 500)
    • What's something you consider yourself an expert in? This can be anything. Greek Philosophy, dinosaurs, nail care, auto mechanics... Tell us something that you know a lot about! BUT THEN: Tell us how you know that you know a lot about that thing. Take note, we're NOT asking you to tell us HOW you became an expert. (Word limit: minimum 250 - maximum 500)
    • What's your "craziest dream" for yourself? Maybe it's something that seems really far fetched, but we believe in shooting for the stars! So tell us, if you could do or be anything, what would that be? (Word limit: minimum 250 - maximum 500)
    • What's your goal for Red Rocks? What role do you see education playing in your life? (Word limit: minimum 250 - maximum 500)
  4. Please provide contact information for ONE academic reference. Make sure to let them know they will be receiving an email asking them to be your reference.
    • Recommendation #1 (academic source)
  5. Discuss a problem or challenge you've faced and how you worked through it. What about your approach to solving this problem makes you a great candidate for the Honors Program? (word limit: minimum 400 - maximum 500)
  6. Identify 1-3 "wicked problems" (problems so big that there is no clear, easy answer) related to your academic interests. How do these problems manifest in Colorado? Please outline your thought processes about how someone would go about researching those problems? (word limit: minimum 300 - maximum 500).
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