Barrett, The Honors College

Barrett, The Honors College
Name	Barrett, The Honors College
Established	1988
Type	Honors college
Parent	Arizona State University
City	Tempe
State	Arizona
Country	United States

Barrett, The Honors College is the residential honors college of Arizona State University, located in Tempe, Arizona. It provides an enriched curriculum, smaller seminar-style classes, and residential communities geared toward high-achieving undergraduates. Barrett integrates interdisciplinary study, research, and civic engagement to prepare students for advanced degrees and leadership across sectors.

History

Barrett was founded in 1988 as an honors program within Arizona State University during the administration of President J. Russell Nelson and Provost Randy G. Woodson, evolving alongside initiatives at universities such as Harvard University, Stanford University, Yale University, Princeton University, and Columbia University. Early directors drew inspiration from liberal arts models at institutions like Amherst College, Williams College, Swarthmore College, Pomona College, and Haverford College. The college expanded its residential component in coordination with the City of Tempe planning and the Maricopa County higher education landscape, aligning with statewide policies influenced by the Arizona Board of Regents. Over time Barrett established partnerships with research entities including the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Energy, and cultural institutions such as the Phoenix Art Museum and Heard Museum. Leadership transitions connected Barrett to national honors networks including the Association of American Universities, the Fulbright Program, the Rhodes Trust, and collaborations with peer programs at University of Michigan, University of California, Berkeley, and University of Chicago.

Admissions and Academic Programs

Admissions to Barrett are selective and consider standardized testing from programs like the College Board, the ACT, Inc., and documentation similar to requirements used by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and California Institute of Technology. The curriculum emphasizes interdisciplinary seminars modeled on offerings at Oxford University and Cambridge University, while integrating research practicum linked to centers such as the Biodesign Institute and the School of Sustainability. Barrett students pursue majors across ASU colleges including the W. P. Carey School of Business, the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. The college offers honors curricula, graduate pathways akin to programs at Johns Hopkins University and joint advising with professional schools like Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and the Barrett Honors Program-affiliated advising offices. Fellowships and advising prepare students for national awards such as the Marshall Scholarship, the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, the Truman Scholarship, and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program.

Campus and Facilities

Barrett's facilities include residential towers and seminar spaces integrated within ASU's Tempe campus, adjacent to landmarks such as Sun Devil Stadium, Gammage Memorial Auditorium, and the Tempe Town Lake. Student resources connect to university-wide centers like the Biodesign Institute, the Innovation Hub, the ASU Library, and performance venues such as the ASU Art Museum and Wells Fargo Arena. The college maintains study and collaboration spaces modeled after learning commons at University of Oxford colleges and research labs similar to those at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Argonne National Laboratory. Outdoor amenities are proximate to Papago Park and Camelback Mountain, while transportation links include the Valley Metro light rail system and access via Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Student Life and Organizations

Barrett students engage in organizations spanning academic, cultural, and civic spheres, including chapters of national groups like Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Phi Omega, and discipline-specific societies tied to the American Chemical Society, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the American Society of Civil Engineers. Student government interacts with university bodies such as the Associated Students of Arizona State University and campus services like the ASU Student Engagement and Leadership office. Cultural programming features collaborations with organizations including the Black Student Union, the Latinx Student Association, the Asian Pacific American Student Coalition, and performance ensembles that work with the Tempe Symphony Orchestra and community theaters affiliated with the Arizona Theatre Company. Barrett supports service-learning projects linked to nonprofits like United Way, Habitat for Humanity, and public partners such as the City of Phoenix civic initiatives.

Research, Scholarships, and Honors Thesis

Barrett emphasizes undergraduate research with students participating in projects funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, and corporate partners like Intel Corporation, Honeywell International, and Raytheon Technologies. Thesis work is mentored by faculty affiliated with ASU schools including the School of Life Sciences, the School of Molecular Sciences, and the School of Earth and Space Exploration, with opportunities to present at conferences such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Council on Undergraduate Research. Scholarship advising prepares applicants for awards from the Rhodes Trust, the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission, the Goldwater Foundation, and international programs like Erasmus Mundus and the Fulbright Program. Students have pursued postbaccalaureate placements at institutions including Harvard Medical School, Stanford Medicine, Princeton University, and research fellowships at national labs like Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

Alumni and faculty have gone on to roles and recognition across sectors: fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, recipients of MacArthur Fellows Program awards, and leaders in organizations such as Google, Microsoft, SpaceX, Goldman Sachs, The New York Times, and National Public Radio. Faculty mentoring thesis students include professors with appointments tied to Nobel Prize-level research, authors published by Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press, and collaborators with institutions such as Smithsonian Institution and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. Graduates have matriculated to doctoral programs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and professional schools at Columbia University and Yale University.

Category:Arizona State University