Honor Societies and Academic Distinctions at the University of Connecticut

Honor societies, which are not connected to the UConn Honors Program, have a rich tradition of scholarship and service to the University of Connecticut community. They allow students to interact with one another and form relationships with faculty and staff.

Activities may include induction ceremonies, service projects, professional development seminars, and meetings regarding the graduate school application process.

Each of these organizations have special entrance requirements, and many require a minimum grade point average or class rank.

If you are contacted and would like more information please confirm the organization is an official UConn Student Organization by looking them up on the Student Activities page, or research the local and national chapters on their websites.

Words of Wisdom

Dear students,

If you have excelled in your courses at UConn, you may be invited to join an "honor society." There are many types of Honor societies; some are specific to a discipline or field while others may be more general and apply to the entire student body. You may receive a letter or an email inviting you to join, or you may even receive a letter at your permanent address. When these invitations begin to arrive, the Honors Program staff and I often get questions about the legitimacy of an organization or the benefits of joining an honor society. Below are some tips to aid in your decision.

First, I recommend that you visit the Association of College Honors Societies (ACHS) website: http://www.achsnatl.org. The ACHS grants membership to honor societies that meet their high standards and guidelines. You can visit the "members" page of the ACHS website to find honor societies that are members. There are also direct links to the websites of their member honor societies, making it easy to learn more about each organization. While there may be good societies that are not on this list, the ones that are on it are likely well-respected and well-run. This website is a good place to begin your research.

Second, look at the benefits of membership and determine if these are helpful to you. Some of these societies are very prestigious and nationally known. Others may have scholarships available for members. Still others may have very active local chapters here at UConn. In the end, it is up to you to determine if the investment required to join one of these organizations is valuable to you.

Best regards,

Jennifer Lease Butts, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice Provost and Director, Honors Program

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