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Honors College Scholarship

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Renew Your Mind

The Honors College Scholarship enables students at Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s residential Honors College to make creative connections across disciplines and grow into lifelong Christian learners.

The Honors College is open to students from all majors, encouraging them to study great thinkers of the past to serve God’s world in the future.

The recently revised scholarship is built to attract students who possess strong academic skills as well as a passion for critical thinking and Christian service. This is an opportunity for you, the student, to follow Paul’s admonition to be transformed by the renewing of your mind in the context of a Christian community (Romans 12:2).

The Honors College Scholarship is worth $11,000 annually and is awarded based on a committee selection process which includes the initial application essay, references, and an interview.

The Honors College Scholarship is renewable by maintaining a minimum 3.3 cumulative GPA, living in on-campus housing, participating in specified leadership opportunities while at OKWU, and remaining good standing with the Office of Student Development.

Once awarded, Honors College Scholarship students are obligated to undergo leadership training and fulfill a minimum number of leadership and community service hours each semester.

Priority deadline: May 1st

  • 3.5 minimum high school cumulative GPA
  • Scholarship recipient is required to live on-campus
  • Letter of reference – (must be a non-OKWU reference)
    A letter of recommendation from a teacher should be emailed directly from the teacher to the director of the OKWU Honors College at the following address: jmcnall@okwu.edu. The letter may be brief but should give specific examples of the applicant’s academic track record and personal integrity.
  • An interview, conducted either on Zoom or in person.
  • A 2-3 page essay in response to a prompt provided by the Director of the Honors College. Though the prompt may change from year to year, the essay provides a sample of academic writing to determine if the student is capable of Honors-level work.

A complete Honors College Scholarship application packet includes:

  • Honors College Application
  • Reference letter (see applicant requirements above for reference letter details)
  • 2-3 Page Essay (name included on essay, see applicant requirements above for essay details)
  • 2026-27 FAFSA Submitted to OKWU (available October 1) – or signed Federal Financial Aid Waiver on file with OKWU’s Financial Aid office

Approved applicants will receive an invitation to interview for the scholarship.

* Eligible students must be a first-time freshman for the 2026-27 academic year.

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Honors College Scholarship Application

"*" indicates required fields

Applicant Name*
Applicant Address*

Application Essay

In Plato's Allegory of the Cave, we encounter prisoners who have been chained in a cave their entire lives, seeing only shadows cast on the wall in front of them. When one prisoner is freed and exposed to the light of the sun, he realizes the deeper reality beyond the shadows. This journey from darkness to light represents the pursuit of truth, wisdom, and understanding.

At OKWU, we believe that the pursuit of truth is central to both intellectual and spiritual growth. After reading Plato’s allegory (see here), consider how this journey from shadow to light parallels experiences or desires in your life. Reflect on ways you have moved from ignorance or confusion to deeper understanding, whether academically, spiritually, or personally.

In two to three typed pages, draw connections between Plato’s allegory and your own educational journey and development. More importantly, rather than speaking only of your own life, demonstrate a careful reading of Plato by relating lines or passages from the allegory to your own experience.

  • How has your pursuit of knowledge, faith, or personal growth mirrored the themes of the allegory?
  • How do you see an Honors education as aiding in the process Plato describes?
  • What would a distinctly Christian reading of this allegory offer to set it apart from a merely secular reading?

Your essay should reflect on how your experiences have shaped your perspective on truth and growth, as well as how a Christian Honors education aligns with your desire to seek knowledge and meaning.

*Because the goal of this essay is for students to demonstrate critical thinking and winsome writing, no AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT or programs like it) should be used in the composition process. To enforce this policy, application essays may be filtered through OKWU’s anti-plagiarism software, utilizing AI-detection. Essays will be evaluated for

  1. Careful reading and citation of Plato
  2. Relatedness and application to one’s life experiences
  3. Excellence and clarity of writing
Accepted file types: pdf, Max. file size: 50 MB.

Reference

List the name and email for your reference below. Emails will automatically be sent to them asking them to fill out a form.
Reference Name*
I am listed as a student's reference

Honors College Scholarship Reference

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Your Name*
Scholarship Nominee Name*
Nominee Email*

Please rank the nominee in the following areas from 1-5, with 1 being low and 5 being high.

Academic Motivation*
Social Skills*
Dependability*
Cooperation*
Leadership Experience*
Max. file size: 50 MB.