UC Honors College

The Honors College is an unduplicated experiential space for select students from all majors with unique interests, talents, passion, and vision. We are a community of high-achieving and intellectually curious students who enter the university with evidence of exemplary high school or collegiate achievement.

We offer an exciting learning experience supported by innovative curriculum, special educational opportunities, travel, stimulating fellowship, and social opportunities, as well as a community devoted to excellence in every facet of your undergraduate experience.

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Community Engagement. Supportive faculty and peers. Development of personal and professional goals. Application of classroom learning to the outside world. Priority class registration. The chance to earn an Honors Fellowship. And more.

Honors students come from all different majors, and include a wide variety of commuters, student athletes, and residential students.

Honors College students have the opportunity to live together in our dedicated residence hall in the Honors Living Learning Community.

Achieve More

Honors College students play a central role in shaping UC’s annual Labor of Love day of service. More than volunteers, they are leaders who help design projects, coordinate logistics, and motivate their peers to get involved.

Their efforts ensure that nearly 1,500 Golden Eagles can fan out across Charleston and beyond, supporting food banks, leading cleanups, and lending a hand wherever it’s needed.

For Honors students, the experience is both service and scholarship: a chance to apply leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork skills outside the classroom while strengthening UC’s reputation as Charleston’s University™.

The Honors College is also helping power UC’s growing impact on the city’s running community. From the UC Half Marathon and 5K to the newly announced UC Marathon, Honors students are active partners in planning, promoting, and executing these major events.

Their involvement turns a race into a learning laboratory, where leadership, event management, and community engagement come together. The marathon will not only attract visitors and boost Charleston’s economy, but its proceeds will directly support the Honors College, creating new opportunities for scholars and leaders of tomorrow.

In this way, Honors students aren’t just part of the event, they are helping shape a tradition that strengthens both UC and the broader community.

Honors Fellow Award $2,000 Annual Award is an award to an outstanding student for academic achievement and community contributions to support scholarship and engagement. Honors Fellow serves as a mentor and support to the program over an academic year, particularly in the Honors first year seminar.

The Honors College was pleased to recognize special friends and donors, Bipin & Rita Avashia.  The Avashias are former residents of the Kanawha Valley, Dr. Bipin Avashia serving corporations, universities, and non-profits in his work as an occupational medicine physician and Ms. Rita Avashia as an accountant.  Notably, Ms. Avashia is an alumnus of the UC MBA program. The Avashias raised their two daughters, Swati and Neema, in the Valley as well.

We are pleased to announce that Bipin and Rita Avashia are generously supporting the Honors College with generous gifts in 2023 and 2024. These funds support student research, conference attendance, visiting scholars, opportunities, and resources.  The work of the Honors College is flourishing and will thrive robustly with this substantial award.