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Honors College expands to Downtown Phoenix campus


September 02, 2008

Barrett, the Honors College, has expanded to open an office at the Downtown Phoenix campus. Known as "Barrett Downtown," the new location in Suite 164 of University Center establishes Barrett at all four ASU campuses.

Barrett Downtown welcomed 30 new freshmen this fall to join another 110 returning students in the College of Public Programs, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and College of Nursing and Healthcare Innovation.

Barrett is a selective, predominantly residential college that educates academically outstanding undergraduates from across the nation. Students enrolled in Barrett are part of both the honors community and a disciplinary college of their choice.

"The schools and colleges at the Downtown Phoenix campus have traditionally received lots of interest from Barrett students," says Mark Jacobs, Dean of Barrett, the Honors College. "It is thus a very happy outcome that Barrett and the Downtown deans could co-sponsor a vibrant honors college office and study center downtown. I am extremely pleased that our joint effort allowed this to happen."

Services at the Downtown Phoenix campus include Barrett advising, the Barrett Writing Center, computing facilities, a thesis library, and a student lounge.

Honors students have a residential community in the new Taylor Place residence hall, where monthly faculty-student dinners bring together all Barrett students with faculty from the downtown programs.

The newly formed student organization, the Barrett Leadership and Service Team Downtown (BLAST'D), will organize service, cultural and social events and engage Barrett students in a variety of Downtown Phoenix activities.

Barrett Downtown offers priority registration, academic honors advising from honors faculty and staff, unique classes available only to Barrett students, and rich travel opportunities, including domestic and summer study abroad programs.

"Barrett Downtown takes advantage of our urban location and complements the downtown academic programs," says Dr. Laura Peck, Associate Dean for Barrett, the Honors College, and Associate Professor of Public Affairs at the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus. "Our services, activities and events will enrich the experiences of our Barrett students downtown."

A monthly Barrett Downtown Speaker Series features topics of interest to honors students and is open to the public. Generally, the honors experience at ASU involves a two-semester foundations course called The Human Event, additional honors coursework with Barrett and disciplinary faculty, and a culminating honors thesis.

For information, call Jill Johnson at (602) 496-0557 or visit http://honors.asu.edu/.