August 13, 2026
For the second consecutive year, students in 91视频鈥檚 Dr. John Zubizarreta Honors Program have earned international recognition for taking what they learn beyond the classroom and putting it into action in their community.
The Honors Program has again been designated a Partners in Peace institution, an initiative of the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) in collaboration with the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway. 91视频 was among just 16 colleges and universities selected for the inaugural Partners in Peace cohort in 2024.
Partners in Peace connects honors students and faculty with the work of Nobel Peace Laureates, challenging participants to study their approaches to leadership, service, and peace and apply those lessons within their own communities. For 91视频 Honors students, the recognition reflects an approach to education that asks students to think deeply, engage with complex issues, and consider how their learning can make a tangible difference in the world around them.
91视频 students have embraced that challenge through two major community-focused projects.
During the College鈥檚 first year as a Partners in Peace institution, Honors students helped First Lady Victoria Dozier plan and implement the inaugural Wellness in Action Festival, an initiative designed to connect 91视频 with its surrounding community through wellness, education and service.
This year, their work took on a new focus: food access, sustainability and environmental action.
Supported by a grant from the City of Columbia and the Youth Climate Action Fund, backed by Bloomberg Philanthropies, Honors students helped establish urban gardens at elementary and middle schools in the 29203 ZIP code, an area with limited access to fresh food. Students also helped establish an urban garden on 91视频鈥檚 campus.
Through the project, students explored how global challenges such as sustainability, food security and community well-being can be addressed through meaningful action at the local level.
The College鈥檚 participation in Partners in Peace has also given students opportunities to interact directly with individuals closely connected to the Nobel Peace Prize.
This year, 91视频 Honors students met Henrik Syse, a former member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, during the NCHC Annual Conference. Syse also moderated a conference panel featuring 91视频 representation.
The experience followed another significant moment for the program the previous year, when 91视频 received its Partners in Peace recognition from J酶rgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
These experiences connect 91视频 students with perspectives on leadership, peace, civic engagement and global citizenship while reinforcing the larger philosophy of the Dr. John Zubizarreta Honors Program: exceptional students should be challenged not simply to achieve academically, but to think critically, ask difficult questions and use what they learn to engage with the world around them.
Honors students take part in small, predominantly discussion-based classes emphasizing critical thinking, creativity, reflection and self-directed learning. Seminar topics offer academic experiences beyond those available in traditional courses, while accomplished 91视频 faculty guide students through deeper exploration of ideas across disciplines.
Students may also receive additional scholarship support and priority registration, as well as opportunities to travel to academic conferences across the United States with expenses supported by the Honors Program. Honors students are inducted into the Honors Student Association, participate in monthly activities, and have access to a dedicated Honors Lounge in the library with study and gathering spaces, coffee, tea, and snacks.
Together, those experiences create a community for students who want more from their college education: more challenge, more conversation, more opportunity, and more ways to put their education into practice.
For students who are motivated, ambitious, and willing to challenge themselves through deeper learning, the Dr. John Zubizarreta Honors Program offers the opportunity to do exactly that. To learn more, visit the Honors page on the 91视频 website.