Honors College Selects 24 Incoming Students for Path Program

Photo by Xavier Smith.

Incoming Path Scholars pose for a group shot outside of Gearhart Hall. Photo: Xavier Smith.

The U of A Honors College has awarded scholarships to 24 outstanding new freshmen who will participate in the Honors College Path Program, a mentoring and scholarship initiative that supports exceptional students from underrepresented populations. 

Established in 2014, the goal of the Path Program has been to recruit and mentor talented high school students, help them achieve academic success at the U of A and join the Honors College.

“This year we received a record number of applications for the Path Program, which made for an exceptionally competitive selection process,” said Xochitl Delgado Solorzano, assistant dean for diversity, equity and inclusion and director of the Path Program. “Through the challenges of the last academic year, the incoming group of scholars have continued to excel academically and to be engaged in their community.”

Thanks to a nearly $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation, 12 incoming Path freshmen who are interested in innovation and plan to major in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics will each receive a renewable scholarship of $4,500 ($5,500 if they join the Honors College). The project is led by Karl Schubert, a professor of practice who is the associate director of the university’s new data science program and holds a joint appointment in the colleges of business, arts and sciences, and engineering.

Co-principal investigators include Jennie Popp, associate dean of the Honors College; Carol Gattis, associate dean emeritus of the Honors College and adjunct associate professor of industrial engineering; Thomas Carter III, assistant dean for academics and student affairs in the College of Engineering; and Delgado Solorzano. Leslie B. Massey is lead instructor with collaborator Alan Ellstrand. 

The 12 students who plan to study other disciplines will also receive academic scholarships of up to $5,500, thanks to $5.5 million in endowment from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation and generous gifts from Lynda Coon, Bob and Linda McMath, Lee and Beverly Bodenhamer, Nick and Carolyn Cole, and Mike Pierce and Tricia Starks. These scholarships will be renewed based on continued engagement with the Path Program and satisfactory academic progress.

“This is the fourth cohort of Path Scholars to receive funding,” Delgado Solorzano said. “The NSF grant allows us to continue funding students perusing STEM fields. The grant is a partnership with the College of Engineering.”

Students arrived on campus at the end of July to participate in a two-week intersession bridge program. They took a three-hour course that introduced them to innovation and college. They also participated in activities to build their campus network and learn to navigate the resources available to students.  

All Path Scholars benefit from shared housing, academic success advising, and peer and professional mentoring, as well as study abroad, research and internship opportunities.

The Path Scholars already participate in a wide range of academic and extracurricular activities, from playing in orchestras and marching bands to participating in student government and soccer. Though traditional engagement opportunities were not always available over the last year, these students created or found opportunities to remain engaged in their community.  

These students will join an impressive group of young scholars: The Path Program boasts an 86 percent on-time graduation rate since its first group graduated in 2018. 

U OF A PATH SCHOLARS, CLASS OF 2025

• Emily Becker of Bismarck, computer science major
• Jaylan Brown of North Little Rock, engineering major
• Kalina DeRusse of Conway, biological engineering-environmental major
• Annah Edwards of Lake Village, biology major
• Stephanie Escobar of Rogers, political science major
• Keiry Flores Aleman of Springdale, pre-dental major
• Jahilit Flores of Lamar, engineering major
• Caleb Flores of Midland, Texas, biology major
• Kennedy Hicks of Little Rock, biology major
• Treasure Hollis of North Little Rock, pre-med major
• Kalifa Hulsey of Pine Bluff, architecture major
• Ka’Nessa Johnson of Van Buren, business major
• Sarim Khan of Fort Smith, computer science major
• Justin Mach of Rogers, computer science major
• Takoya Marks of Prescott, architecture major
• Chloe Martinez of Searcy, psychology major
• Lauryn Mays of Conway, exploring major
• Thomas Miller of North Little Rock, mechanical engineering
• Margaret Pedro Milne of Springdale, engineering major
• Brittney Nguyen of Fort Smith, biochemistry major
• Karla Reyes of Russellville, pre-med major
• Ashanti Salazar of Bentonville, psychology major
• Raul Sanchez of Jonesboro, chemical engineering major
• Iseabaila Scott of Springdale, biochemistry major

About the Honors College: The University of Arkansas Honors College was established in 2002 and brings together high-achieving undergraduate students and the university’s top professors to share transformative learning experiences. Each year the Honors College awards up to 90 freshman fellowships that provide $72,000 over four years, and more than $1 million in undergraduate research and study abroad grants. The Honors College is nationally recognized for the high caliber of students it admits and graduates. Honors students enjoy small, in-depth classes, and programs are offered in all disciplines, tailored to students’ academic interests, with interdisciplinary collaborations encouraged. Fifty percent of Honors College graduates have studied abroad and 100 percent of them have engaged in mentored research.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the top 3% of U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.