The UC Irvine Academic Senate introduced the Campuswide Honors Program in 1986 to attract and retain top-tier students to the university. The immediate goal was aspirational: Enroll more of California’s most talented high school graduates and offer them a personally rewarding honors undergraduate experience to prepare them for a successful career or graduate study. The Academic Senate proposed doing this with the kind of intense faculty mentorship and personal attention found at major liberal arts colleges. The program welcomed its first 88 students in 1988.

In the fall 2019 quarter, the program underwent a name change to Campuswide Honors Collegium (CHC). The new name was chosen to reflect the significant growth and maturity of the program in harmony with the UC Irvine strategic plan. Today, close to 1,300 dedicated students in all majors participate in the CHC.

“Students are selected on the basis of their UCI application or can apply once they are admitted as current students,” said Michael Dennin, Ph.D., vice provost of teaching and learning and dean, Division of Undergraduate Education. “The program is cohort-based. Students work together in small academic experiences. They thrive on peer-to-peer learning and collaboration. They also appreciate the vital honors academic advising, community support and CHC honors housing. CHC students have great success in being selected for merit scholarships, including national and international awards.”

Haley Tran, a 2024 UC Irvine graduate, joined CHC as a freshman and was attracted to one of the CHC’s leadership opportunities. “I was involved in high school student government and wanted to drive positive change at UCI in ways only college student government does. I got involved in the Campuswide Honors Student Council, then worked my way up from being a representative to ultimately being elected as vice president, focusing on community service, promoting philanthropy and building relationships with other organizations.”

Tran’s capstone advisor, Matthew Beckmann, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, said, “Haley exemplifies why I love to teach at UCI. She has incredible talents and an impressive work ethic, but what really makes her shine are her thoughtfulness, creativity and collaborative style. I urge students to go to Washington, D.C., through the UC’s program in D.C. [UCDC] because I want them to realize they have been prepared to thrive on the national stage. Haley is an amazing student who embodies my argument.”

In 2024, Tran joined the staff of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. “I credit the UCDC program for opening the door to this incredible opportunity. My next step is law school. I’m grateful to my strong UCI CHC alumni network, a good way to stay connected and create a pipeline for students.”

“The CHC capstone process fosters a dynamic partnership between faculty and students,” said Brandon Golob, Ph.D., CHC associate dean and associate professor of teaching in criminology, law and society. “This transformative experience invigorates intellectual growth that transcends traditional classroom boundaries while also preparing students for future academic and professional pursuits. We are very grateful to our donors because we could not create this experience without their support.”