Honors College launches with 300 students

An Eagle Scout. A teenage business owner. An artist whose work was displayed in Times Square. A high school soccer star. These are just a few of the more than 200 first-year students who make up Minnesota State Moorhead’s inaugural Honors College class. Each was among the top graduates in their high school class and boasts a standout list of extracurriculars. 

“They’re just so involved, it’s impressive where they’re starting out in their college careers,” said Dr. Kyja Kristjansson-Nelson, dean of Moorhead’s Honors College. “They have really big ideas for the things they plan to do while they’re here.” 

Kristjansson-Nelson, Honors College Director Dr. Brian Yost and Honors Faculty Fellow Dr. Julia Poplin have spent the last year putting finishing touches on the experience these 200 new Dragons and about 100 current and transfer Honors students will embark on. 

“We are very intentionally building a culture and sense of community they have ownership over,” Kristjansson-Nelson said. “This is their moment to help shape what this looks like.” 

Moorhead’s Honors College curriculum is uniquely structured to focus on meaningful work for students, not more work. Intentionally designed, interdisciplinary courses build into a series of stackable certificates. Each certificate – in areas such as Communication, Entrepreneurship, and Global Honors – is nine credit hours. Students who complete two or more of the five certificates graduate with honors distinction. 

Layered on top are professionally oriented activities, including a mentorship program, to build networking, public speaking and other in-demand skillsets. Students can leverage those exclusive experiences into digital badges, which they can showcase on their LinkedIn profiles. “We are really invested in building up our students and helping them grow,” said Yost, who came to Moorhead from Tifton, Ga., and has a background as an English faculty member. 

Then there’s the social aspect. Students can engage with their peers at the Honors Breakfast Club, movie nights, book discussions, and other curated events. A floor of South Snarr is home to students in the Honors Living Community. The newly renovated Weld Hall serves as a hub and meeting area. 

“I want Honors College to be the place that is the heart of their experience at MSUM,” Yost said. “Twenty or 30 years from now, they look back and say, ‘that’s where I met my best friends, that’s where I got connected with a job or an internship.’ That they connect with something bigger that goes with them.” 

Kristjansson-Nelson notes that the 300 initial students in the Honors College come from all majors. Their backgrounds and interests vary, but their aspirations and motivation put them in a class of their own. 

“These students go above and beyond, taking things in unexpected directions,” she said. “They pursue opportunities in their major, in their research, in their creative work, and we serve as a catalyst and accelerator for their goals.  

“There’s a significant amount of momentum, and the curiosity of the students will light a fire.” 

Volunteer as a mentor

You remember being a college student – ambitious, driven, figuring it out as you went. Somewhere on campus right now is a student a lot like you once were, working just as hard and wondering what comes next.  

This spring, the Honors College launches its first alumni mentorship program, and we're inviting alumni, award winners, and current and former board members to be the first to step up. We'll match you with one Honors student based on your field and interests, and hand you the topics for every conversation. All it asks is four 30-minute conversations across the semester, about student life, careers, and what the working world is really like.  

A few hours of your time. A lasting mark on a student's story.  

Sign up as a mentor