Carve out a unique path. Define your academic journey. Separate yourself from the pack as you learn alongside other serious, like-minded students. Maximize the strength of your resume.
Our highly regarded honors program provides a unique opportunity for students to take an alternative track through the interdisciplinary studies requirements of the university. Incoming undergraduate students with either a 3.25 cumulative grade point average or a score of 24 or higher on the ACT are eligible to apply.
As an honors program member, you will choose what you want to study and what you want to learn. This puts a lot of responsibility in your hands, but also gives you ownership of your academic direction.
Your freshman year, you will be part of a cohort of about 20 other honors program students. This group will take a year’s worth of courses together, six hours a week during that first year. You will remain a part of that cohort in the second year, while at the same time beginning to branch out on your own.
Freshman year
Sophomore Year
Junior Year
Senior Year
The honors program culminates with a senior project, which can involve anything from an academic breakthrough to a societal contribution. Listed below are just a handful of recent senior projects completed by Lakeland University graduates who successfully completed the honors program:
To be considered for the Honors Program, applicants must have a 3.25 GPA or better in high school or from transfer institutions; or 24 or higher for the composite ACT. For more information, please contact Jessica Kalmar by email at KalmarJ@lakeland.edu or by phone 920-565-1000 ext. 2344.
In 2022, seven Lakeland seniors completed the Honors Program. In addition to the requirements of their majors, minors and interdisciplinary studies, these students completed a rigorous course of study that culminated in an independent project.
Sterling Gardner
Sterling Gardner planned an event to measure participants’ preparedness for police academy and military forces physical fitness requirements. Skills include running, push-ups, sit-ups, vertical jumps and an agility course. At the close of the event, guidance for building and maintaining these skills were shared. He has secured a position in local law enforcement.
Jessica Leicht
Jessica Leicht’s project merges her passions for graphic design and raising awareness about mental health challenges for college students. She created an animated video which depicts several college students sharing their experiences with mental illness. The video was released through various Lakeland social media sites. tremendous asset to her future employer.
Kimmy McKay
Kimmy McKay, who graduated in December, founded a new student organization on campus known as Pawsitism LU which assists Pawsitism Inc., a local organization, to train service dogs to support children with autism. To support the mission of Pawsitism LU, McKay developed and carried out a highly effective recruiting and training event on campus. She is applying to join a local police department and hopes to be a K9 officer.
Samantha Olsen
After reading “Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students' Potential Through Creative Math, Inspiring Messages and Innovative Teaching,” Samantha Olsen became curious about the presence of math anxiety in Lakeland’s student body. In particular, she is exploring whether there is an association between a student’s chosen major and the level of math anxiety they report. Olsen plans to apply for graduate programs in mathematics and pursue a career as an educator, market researcher or statistician.
Lizzie Randa
Lizzie Randa developed a resource packet that will be distributed to local high school students and is available online. The resource provides important tools for high school students to support their college application process and foster a growth mindset. Post-graduation, Randa will apply for positions in her chosen field of psychology.
Kurtis Scharenbroch
Kurtis Scharenbroch conducted extensive research on cryptocurrency/crypto-mining including a data analytics sub-project on the historical performance of how placing 1% of your cash into Bitcoin has performed relative to placing those funds in a traditional savings account. He shared his findings in a presentation and Professor of Computer Science Cindy Lindstrom said Scharenbroch is a budding authority in all things “crypto.” He is applying for positions in programming and software development in Sheboygan County.
Tracey Sery
Tracey Sery carried out her research on two subjects she is most passionate about: criminal justice and mental health. Using the wealth of knowledge she accumulated, Sery is creating materials for local organizations to deliver programming to high-risk youth. Her work includes recruitment materials, a user guide, program materials, data collection tools and analytic steps. She will pursue a master’s degree in social work.
