BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
Signature honors project centers mentorship for students, faculty
The culminating academic experience for East Carolina University Honors College students is the signature honors project. Through this experience, students can pursue thesis-based or creative endeavor projects with a faculty mentor.
“It allows students to really delve deep into an idea and explore it at a higher academic level,” said Dr. Katherine Ford, Honors College associate dean. “This is a unique opportunity for students that should be a stepping stone for whatever happens next — whether that’s professional school, graduate school or the workplace.”
Students can complete the project at any point within their four years and, if their major has a final project or capstone, they can double count these projects. One of the most important aspects of the experience is the mentor relationship.
“Relationships are fundamental to anything you’re doing, in college and beyond,” Ford said. “This project helps you to understand what research or creative activity looks like in that field and the relationships you’re building here can help you develop more connections for your future.”
These relationships and the work that students complete can help them also learn about themselves at a deeper level and what their passions and interests are.