Creating Opportunities for Peer Leadership in Honors Education

Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may I remember; involve me and I’ll understand. —Chinese Proverb As honors educators, we are privileged to work with exceptional students who are also some of the most engaged and motivated students on campus. These students often seek opportunities within their honors experience to study abroad, join community service organizations, conduct research, participate in internships, and develop their leadership skills. We are in a unique position to provide leadership opportunities while teaching students about the theory, methods, and processes involved in the decisions they make every day. Providing intentional, rigorous, and intellectually challenging educational opportunities for students to develop leadership skills is arguably a core mission of honors programs and colleges, and the West Virginia University Honors College has developed several models for developing such experiences that other honors educators may find useful