July 14, 2008: Owens Community College Honors Program students pursuing academic success at the highest level will now be able to quickly and easily continue their educational pursuits at The University of Toledo as the two schools have finalized a seamless transition agreement between their respective Honors Programs.
 
The two academic institutions announced the new partnership on Monday.
 
Owens students must achieve and maintain a 3.5 grade point average and complete a minimum 15 credit hours of designated Honors curriculum as part of the new partnership. Associate’s degree graduates will then meet with a UT Honors Program advisor to identify an Honors course of study consistent with the students’ majors as they pursue a bachelor’s degree at UT.
 
“The Owens Community College Honors Program is designed to foster an educational environment in which students can excel to their fullest potential,” said Kathleen Attwood, chair of international studies, communications and humanities and Owens Honors Program committee co-chair. “This new collaboration will enable our students to further their rigorous Honors Program learning at The University of Toledo.”
 
“This agreement will encourage some of the most talented and high-achieving students at Owens Community College to come to The University of Toledo to complete a bachelor’s degree,” said Dr. Tom Barden, professor of English and director of the UT Honors Program.
 
According to Barden, UT is planning to initiate coordinated activities and programming to get the Owens Honors Program students on to UT’s campus and into the Honors building, Sullivan Hall, even before they come to UT.
 
“It’s important to us that they feel like full-fledged members of our Honors Program community when they arrive in their junior year,” Barden said.
 
“Owens Community College and The University of Toledo are committed to serving our students by opening new doors to higher education through innovative partnerships,” said Dr. Paul Unger, executive vice president and provost at Owens. “The new Honors Program articulation agreement provides a unique opportunity for students to receive intellectual growth and educational attainment at the highest level from the two outstanding academic institutions.”
 
“Over the years the data have been quite clear that students who transfer to UT after they complete an associate’s degree at Owens are among the most productive and most likely to graduate,” said Dr. Rosemary Haggett, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at UT.
 
Interested students can contact the Owens Honors Program at 567.661.2011 or 567.429.3019, or the UT Honors Program at 419.530.6030.