Last month, the W.A. Franke Honors College hosted its annual research presentation symposium, Franke Honors Pinnacle. More than 100 Franke Honors students presented their work at Pinnacle, showcasing diverse research projects that they have been working on throughout the semester. Each year, students are judged on their poster presentations in a variety of categories. Outstanding research is acknowledged with financial awards for Quest projects, senior thesis work, and creative video representations of senior research.

Did you know there are scholarships supported by the Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships for alumni to pursue graduate school, teaching, or research in the US and abroad? The Franke Honors College values our ongoing connection to our alumni, and we enthusiastically encourage their continued scholarly endeavors.

Spring brings many things and one of the most exciting is the promise of our Franke Honors graduating class of 2023! This graduating class becomes part of a proud and growing group of alumni here at the Franke Honors College. Like so many of you, our young alumni take with them their hopes and dreams to give back and make a difference in this world.

Emily Chavez is a University of Arizona alumni (BS in Business Management and Entrepreneurship, 2015) and the Founder and CEO of Joyful Jobs, a recruiting agency that helps small businesses and nonprofits with hiring for various job types and seniority levels. She is a wife, mom, and foster mom, and is hooked on business ownership! Emily’s goal is to own multiple businesses by age 40, including a nonprofit involving horses and at-risk populations. Along the way, she hopes to support and inspire other young people (especially working moms) to pursue their own dreams.  

Franke Honors Pinnacle is an opportunity for students to present their research and creative projects to friends, family, and the broader University of Arizona community, with poster boards chronicling their entire journey from concept to finish. The presenters represent a mix of different projects from a wide range of disciplines—from fourth-year Wildcats presenting their long-awaited theses, to first-year, second-year, and transfer students who wanted to get a jumpstart on their research through the Franke Honors Quest program.

Receiving a scholarship can have a huge impact on your college trajectory. It can lead you to explore new places and areas of study that might have otherwise not been possible due to finances and allow you to gain access to pivotal experiences. The process of applying for scholarships can be very simple. Some of our internal scholarships only require you to answer three questions! But it can also be rigorous, requiring applicants to jump through a series of hoops, including essays, interviews, and sometimes tests.

On March 28, The W.A. Franke Honors College will be hosting Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, and theatrical producer Jose Antonio Vargas, for an evening of sharing & book signing. Vargas is acclaimed for being a leading voice for the human rights of immigrants, as well as, in 2011, revealing his own identity as one of the most well-known undocumented citizens in the United States.

The W.A. Franke Honors College acknowledged Chair Shelly Lowe as the 2022-23 Alumni of the Year, one of her numerous accomplishments, at a reception preceding the University of Arizona Alumni of the Year luncheon. Interim Dean Pollard congratulated Lowe, and presented her with an award for her significant contributions and accomplishments that embody the mission of the W.A. Franke Honors College.

The beginning of February marks the start of Black History Month, and we are kicking off this monumental month with some exciting events in and around the W.A. Franke Honors College including highlighting Black innovation, cinema, culture, movement, and more!