The Honors Program at Sinclair was established in the mid-1980s at the initiative of Dean Clifford Barr at a time when many community colleges were just beginning to develop Honors curricula. Dr Mary Navarro was appointed to convene a committee and undertake to develop an academic Honors Program within the Division of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The committee drew up plans to offer a variety of course offerings, both core and special topics. The Board of Trustees approved the program and an operating budget. The Honors Committee was formally established to assist the Director, oversee the program, develop criteria for Honors course proposals, and to recruit students and faculty for the program.

We offered our first two courses (English 112 and Math 116) as pilots during winter quarter 1987. The program soon expanded to include courses in psychology, history, biology, humanities, and physics. During the 1990s we branched out into other divisions and departments, including fine arts, business, and communications. Interdisciplinary courses were first developed under a Sinclair Foundation grant for faculty planning. Interdisciplinary courses are an essential feature of any Honors program and are a key part of articulation agreements with four-year institutions.

The Sinclair Honors Program is an institutional member of the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) and the Mid-East Honors Association (MEHA). We have an articulation agreement with Wright State University, and students who complete our program are eligible for special scholarships there.

2. Vision Statement

The Sinclair Honors Program is designed to meet the needs of academically superior students who seek intellectual challenge and are willing to assume more responsibility for the learning experience. The aim of the program is to identify, stimulate and recognize Sinclair's best students with the belief that Honors students, as leaders of tomorrow, should make a commitment to community service. Honors courses cultivate critical thinking skills, encourage individual inquiry, promote community involvement and demand quality performance and responsibility.