Challenge Yourself in the Honors College
The Honors College at Westmoreland provides all students the opportunity to challenge themselves academically. Undergraduate Research, the Honors Program, and the academic honorary societies PTK and Psi Beta provide different ways for students to distinguish themselves. Participation in some facets of the Honors College requires a certain GPA but not everything, so all students are invited to explore what the Honors College offers.
Honors Program
Each semester’s course schedule includes honors courses. They have smaller class sizes than regular sections, allowing students and their instructors to explore academic material in more depth. It is also possible to complete honors-by-contract courses by seeking permission from the instructor of any class to do honors-level work in regular courses. An additional way to earn honors credit is by taking the Honors Seminar class which is a special topics course offered periodically.
Students who earn 12 honors credits and complete 20 hours of community service earn special recognition at commencement and have a designation on their transcript to indicate the achievement.
Any student may sign up for a regularly scheduled honors class. With limits to the class size, preference will be given to Honors College members. Westmoreland believes there are many attributes that lead to success.
Therefore, there is more than one way to be considered for the Honors College. One way is by strong academic performance as represented by a 3.25 high school or previous college grade-point average. Alternatively, you may submit evidence of a particular area of interest or strength that you wish to develop by submitting a short written explanation along with (optionally) any other evidence you have (photographs, recordings, portfolios, newspaper clippings, etc.).
Honors Program Advisor: Contact Brian Dunst via email%20or by phone at 724-925-4114.
Undergraduate Research
Undergraduate Research is a committee of faculty, administrators, and staff who work to support students in research projects at the college. Research may be descriptive, correlative, and/or experimental. The committee supports students in attending conferences and symposiums including the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, Posters on the Hill, or a conference in a student’s respective field of study or interest. Students are paired with individual mentors for enhanced research experiences. The committee is also branching out to support in-class research projects, to fundraise with activities including the Chase the Wolf 5k, and to host events such as a college-wide annual Scholarly Evening and joint activities with other community colleges such as a practice presentation conference.
Undergraduate Research Advisor: Contact Dr. Amanda Reamer via email or by phone at 724-925-4233
Phi Theta Kappa (International Honorary Society)
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) is the only nationally acclaimed honor society serving America’s two-year colleges and associate degree-granting institutions. Invitations are extended to students who have completed at least 12 credit hours (either full- or part-time) at Westmoreland and achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better. PTK offers benefits including: scholarship opportunities, student-directed honors projects and the chance to attend regional and national meetings of the society.
PTK Advisors:
- Autumn Maloy via email or 724-925-5971
- Diane Metz via email or 724-925-4167
- Ian Rhodes via email or 724-925-4000 ext. 3801
Psi Beta (Psychology Honorary)
Westmoreland hosts a chapter of the Psi Beta, the national honor society for psychology. Our group's goal is to encourage professional development and psychological literacy of all students with an interest in psychology through promotion and recognition of excellence in scholarship, leadership, research, and community service. Prospective members are invited to join based on GPA and academic accomplishment in psychology.
Advisor: Contact Dr. Stuart Silverberg via email or by phone at 724-925-6954
The Duane S. Molnar Speaker Series
Westmoreland County Community College does an excellent job at providing a solid educational foundation for our students. We nourish an intellectual curiosity in our students minds, preparing and inspiring them to go on to make a significant difference in their community. This new speaker series intends to go beyond this basic foundation and spark interest and curiosity in a wider array of general- audience subjects and topics in a bit more depth than might otherwise be covered in the curriculum.
Twice a month, speakers will give presentations in a variety of public-speaking styles and formats on topics of special interest. The subject of each talk will be distinct and up to the presenter.
Join us at 2:00 PM in the SAC Amphitheater or click here to join via Zoom.
Jan. 31 - John Hartman
Good Cop - On the capture of the murderer of an 8 year old child in
Oklahoma and his attempt to get to his family in Philadelphia.
Feb. 14 - Adam Woodrow
A Less Annoying Internet Experience - Learn tips for making the
internet less annoying while protecting yourself at the same time.
Feb. 28 - Robert Brinker
Ending all the Drama - Using the Karpman Drama triangle &
Empowerment Dynamic to show how people get stuck in drama
cycles in their lives & repeat endless patterns of reactive behavior.
March 14 - Julianne Zerbini
Generational Traveling - How striving for comfort in our own
ways drives an empathic wedge between generations.
March 28 - Vicky Krug
Brilliant Brains - Exploring how we can use brain research to live
productive, balanced, engaged and joyful lives.
April 11 - Raeanna Paterson
Poutine on the Ritz - Bob’s Burgers in relation to other original
adult cartoon shows and how it became a unique cult classic.