Founded in 1999, the mission of the University Honors Program is to provide Cal Poly's most academically motivated students with the opportunity to develop their potential both intellectually and personally by fully exploring the resources at Cal Poly. The Honors Program currently comprises over 350 students from a wide variety of backgrounds, interests, and talents. These students represent over forty-two different majors in all six undergraduate colleges on campus. Four key services comprise the cornerstones of
the Program:

• Honors Courses
• Honors Community
• Honors Commons
• Honors Civic Leadership

These services provide Honors students with many opportunities to expand and enrich
their academic experiences, and to stretch their educational boundaries. Following Cal Poly's distinctive "hands-on" approach to education, students participate in community projects and co-curricular activities to enhance their coursework and develop leadership skills and global perspectives. In addition to classroom learning, Honors students may
take advantage of numerous opportunities to:

• Work closely with an individual faculty members in a more intimate setting.
• Take part in study groups and interact with academically motivated peers in an interdisciplinary community of scholars.
• Study or hold meetings in a special designated area in the library.
• Engage in "hands-on" learning by taking advantage of both on campus facilities
  and community resources.
• Receive specialized leadership training and opportunities for taking leadership roles on campus and in the community.

Honors students who complete the Program requirements earn a "with Honors"
distinction on their diploma and are awarded a special sash to wear during graduation ceremonies. The Honors Program holds an Honors Recognition Day event each spring
for the students, their families, and the Cal Poly community to celebrate the achievements of the Honors students, and to award various distinctions to particularly
outstanding students.