AUSTIN, Texas—The Tower at The University of Texas at Austin will be illuminated with a white top and orange shaft on April 3 for the 56th Annual Honors Day celebration of students who have distinguished themselves through outstanding academic achievement.
The special lighting configuration for the Tower the night of April 3 designates scholastic achievement.
The students to be recognized include 516 Distinguished Scholars with 4.0 grade-point averages and 5,730 College Scholars with grade-point averages that range from 3.5 to 3.9.
Dr. C. Grant Willson, the Rashid Engineering Regents Chair in Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Natural Sciences, will deliver the 2004 Honors Day Convocation address. Willson serves on the editorial boards of several journals in polymer chemistry and materials science and is co-author of more than 300 journal publications. He is editor and author of several books and co-inventor of more than 25 patents.
Honors Day this year will be divided into two ceremonies in the Nancy Lee and Parry R. Bass Concert Hall. The University of Texas Trombone Choir will present ceremonial music for both ceremonies.
The first ceremony at 10 a.m. will honor scholars from the School of Architecture, College of Education, McCombs School of Business, College of Liberal Arts and School of Nursing. The second ceremony at 2 p.m. will honor scholars from the College of Communication, College of Engineering, College of Fine Arts, College of Natural Sciences, College of Pharmacy and School of Social Work.
Introduced in 1948, Honors Day is the occasion when students who have achieved academic excellence are honored by administrative officials, academic deans and members of the faculty. It serves as an important prelude to Commencement. The Honors Day Convocation encompasses ceremonial elements such as an academic procession, heraldic banners, inspirational messages and celebratory music. Students attending the ceremony receive honors cords provided by the University Co-op.
Specially invited faculty guests join student honorees in the procession and are seated next to them at the convocation. In a special presentation, students honored for perfect grade-point averages are invited to the stage to receive commemorative medallions from academic deans.
Students of high academic achievement who are recognized at Honors Day fulfill the following criteria:
- Have a grade-point average of 3.5 to 3.9 (College Scholars) or 4.0 (Distinguished Scholars) in their University of Texas at Austin course work.
- Have earned 60 credit hours, a minimum of 30 at The University of Texas at Austin, excluding transfer hours and advanced placement.
- Have enrolled in the spring 2004 semester for a minimum of nine undergraduate hours, with the exception of graduating seniors.
- Have registered within the 2003 calendar year.
- Have not yet received a degree.
For more information about Honors Day and the Tower lighting configuration, visit the Honors Day Web site.
For more information contact: Robert D. Meckel, Office of Public Affairs, 512-475-7847.
