The Honors Advisory Council (HAC) is a student committee that organizes events and serves as a liaison between Honors students and the administration. HAC strives to enhance the Honors experience at Santa Clara University and strengthen the community through academic, professional, and social gatherings.
Academics
Newly instituted during the 2020-2021 school year, HAC created the “UHP Conversations'' series to encourage deeper connections between students and faculty. HAC invites faculty members from a range of disciplines to choose a topic of interest to explore with the Honors community. These talks are designed so students are able to engage directly with the hosting professor and their peers in an intimate discussion. The intention of these events is to encourage honors students to expand their perspectives beyond the classroom and to build ties among community members. Past Conversations have covered issues spanning from structural racism in health, to personal investing, to religion and the Constitution. We also facilitate one talk each quarter open to all of UHP that features a keynote speaker, who in the past has included Santa Clara University President Fr. O'Brien and Frank Sinatra Artist-in-Residence Rhiannon Giddens.
Mentorship and Professionalism
Through the UHP Mentorship Program, HAC connects incoming first-year students with enthusiastic current Honors students. Mentors serve as active resources for first-year students and offer advice for meeting UHP, major-specific, and core curriculum requirements through the HAC-sponsored academic advising sessions during course registration periods. Other opportunities organized by HAC include panels featuring UHP alumni to share their post-grad experiences and advice with current students, as well as professional development activities with the Career Center and through LinkedIn group membership.
Community
Each quarter, class representatives organize social events geared towards building community within each cohort. During midterm season and the intense period leading up to finals on campus, HAC provides ways to reduce stress and build companionship by offering scantrons, greenbooks, and desserts outside of the library!
Students interested in joining the Honors Advisory Council or just in attending meetings should email honorsadvisorycouncil@scu.edu. Make sure to follow us on our Instagram (@scuhonorsprogram) and Facebook and read our weekly newsletter to stay updated on ongoing events and opportunities!