We Seek. We Connect. We Create. We Evolve. We Celebrate!
W.A. Franke Honors College Interim Dean, Dr. John Pollard
These are the guiding value statements for the W.A. Franke Honors College, and I am so very excited to lead our college in realizing these values for our students, staff, and faculty. But what do these statements mean in action? They represent our collective and collaborative aspiration to seek ways of thinking, connect with others, create experiences and knowledge, evolve and grow as humans, and celebrate that growth.
This coming academic year is going to be focused around living our values, and it is looking to be our best academic year yet. In the fall, we will present our Franke College Strategic Map, a guiding document that shows how we will make the student experience second to none. We are launching a new interdisciplinary minor, exclusive to Franke Honors Wildcats, called Future Earth Resilience. It will join our popular Health and Human Values minor as a way for our students to explore crucial topics from different perspectives while having an immediate impact through their studies. Dr. Trevor Hedberg, an expert in bioethics and environmental ethics, will join our team of exceptional faculty, who are all working to ensure our students are prepared to face a complex world. We are continuing our impactful PATH mentoring program, where students can connect with and support one another. We’re offering new Honors courses, study abroad opportunities, and in-person events. Our early assurance programs to medical and veterinary school, both unique among Honors Colleges in this country, will be accepting new applicants, providing students a clear path toward realizing their goals.
As Franke Honors Wildcats, students take small classes with the University of Arizona’s top educators, engage in research and creative expression with the University’s top researchers, designers, and artists, experience the world through study abroad, and create lifelong friends through shared experiences. The Franke Honors experience is grounded in the resources of a globally ranked University, while affording students additional opportunities to seek, connect, create, evolve, and celebrate.
As Interim Dean of the W.A. Franke Honors College, I am dedicated to ensuring all Franke Honors Wildcats have the opportunities, resources, and support to be their best, achieve their goals, and get the most out of their Franke Honors experience.
Welcome, and Bear Down!
John Pollard, PhD