UM Establishes Honors College, Expands Program

MEDIA ALERT

Watch a VIDEO about the new Honors College with Provost Narriman Farvardin.

College Park, Md. -- In an effort to attract the state's best and brightest high school graduates and further enhance the quality of undergraduate education, the University of Maryland has established the Honors College -- a set of living-learning programs for students with exceptional academic talents. The Honors College is now home to existing honors programs (University Honors, Gemstone, and Honors Humanities) and will continue to be expanded over time to include new subject-area programs designed to match the interests of students, address major societal issues, and take advantage of UM's close proximity to Washington, DC.

Two new programs have been added to the Honors College for fall 2010.

Digital Cultures and Creativity (College of Arts and Humanities) is an interdisciplinary program in which students explore new media technologies through activities as varied as digital music and video production, digital art, creative electronic writing, virtual worlds, software development, and developing online communities. Program activities will engage students as consumers and also sophisticated producers of new digital media. The program will be directed by Professor Matthew Kirschenbaum with faculty participation from the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences and the College of Information Studies.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation (A. James Clark School of Engineering) provides the opportunity to learn and live entrepreneurship through courses that build the entrepreneurial mindset, show how innovations are assessed, how markets are identified, and the process of launching a successful enterprise. Student teams will work in an incubator setting to develop an innovative business concept that would offer products or services. Top proposals may receive financial support. The program will be directed by Professor Dave Barbe and will include participation from Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) staff, all of whom have real-life entrepreneurial experience.

Media are invited to learn more about the Honors College at the Academically Talented Program on Friday, September 11, 2009 from noon to 3 p.m. More than 800 talented high school seniors are expected to attend.

Contact Beth Cavanaugh at 301-405-4625 for more information.

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