AUSTIN, Texas—More than 950 Distinguished Scholars and about 4,700 College Scholars will be honored April 9 at the 57th Annual Honors Day celebration at The University of Texas at Austin.
In recognition of the outstanding academic achievement of these honor students, the university’s Tower will be illuminated with a white top and orange shaft the night of April 9.
Honors Day activities will be divided into two ceremonies in the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Concert Hall. The University of Texas Trombone Choir will present ceremonial music for both ceremonies. Participating students will receive honors cords provided by the University Co-op.
Tony Award-winning director John Rando will deliver the 2005 Honors Day Convocation address. Rando, who also received the Outer Critics Circle Award for best director, was honored in 2004 as an Outstanding Young Texas Ex by the Texas Exes alumni association.
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. The Honors Day Convocation encompasses ceremonial elements such as an academic procession, orange-and-white honors cords worn by students, heraldic banners, inspirational messages and celebratory music.
Faculty guests join student honorees in the procession and are seated next to them at the convocation. In a special presentation, students recognized as Distinguished College Scholars, are invited to the stage to receive commemorative medallions from academic deans.
To be designated a College Scholar, a student must be registered as an undergraduate for at least 12 semester hours of coursework, unless he or she lacks fewer than 12 hours to complete degree requirements. Students who hold an undergraduate degree are not eligible. The student also must have completed at least 12 semester hours of coursework in either the spring or the fall semester of the previous calendar year and must have completed at least 30 semester hours of coursework at the university, excluding credit by examination, and at least 60 semester hours of college coursework, including transferred work and credit by examination. Another requirement is that the student must have a grade-point average of at least 3.50.
To be designated a Distinguished College Scholar, a student must have been registered as an undergraduate for at least 15 semester hours of coursework, unless he or she lacks fewer than 15 hours to complete degree requirements. Students who hold an undergraduate degree are not eligible. The student also must have completed at least 15 semester hours of coursework in either the spring or the fall semester of the previous calendar year. The student must have completed at least 30 semester hours of coursework at the university, excluding credit by examination, and at least 60 semester hours of college coursework, including transferred work and credit by examination. The student also must have a grade-point average of at least 3.80.
Since receiving his bachelor of arts degree in humanities from The University of Texas at Austin in 1983, Rando has been a versatile director whose work includes his Tony Award winning direction of the musical “Urinetown.” His Broadway credits include the world premiere of Neil Simon’s “The Dinner Party” starring John Ritter and Henry Winkler, and “A Thousand Clowns” starring Tom Selleck. He has directed musical concert revival productions for the popular “Encores!” series at City Center in New York, including ”Strike Up the Band,” “The Pajama Game” and “Do, Re, Mi” starring Nathan Lane. Upcoming theatre productions include the stage musical adaptation of the popular movie, “The Wedding Singer” and “Some Kind of a Wonderful,” a new musical based on the songs of Gerry Goffin and Carole King. He also will soon make his feature film directorial debut with “The College Experience” for Warner Bros. Studio.
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.
