Short Takes: Honors College Student Puts Passion Into Practice

Photo by Russell Cothren

Caleb Flores

Every year, the Honors College Path Program at the University of Arkansas paves the way for high school students from underrepresented backgrounds to excel during their time on campus with sponsorships and mentorship. One example is senior biology major and first-generation student Caleb Flores, who, through the Path Program and Honors Futures Hub, is advancing his future goals while giving back to his community. 

In the U of A’s newest Short Takes episode, “The Path to Opportunity,” Flores reflects on his experience with the Honors Futures Hub advisors and staff and a fortuitous internship that is giving him hands-on clinical experience while allowing him to pursue his passion of helping non-English speakers access quality healthcare. 

In addition to connecting Flores to an internship, the Futures Hub also provided a grant to support the unpaid position, ensuring that competitive opportunities are accessible to all students.  

“The University of Arkansas has given me everything I need to succeed, especially with the Path Program,” Flores noted. “The university, in general, has taught me how to be away from home and be my own person.” 

The Path Program encourages academic success and leadership development for each student. The Honors Futures Hub, launched in 2021, provides various services for honors scholars, from workshops to one-on-one mentoring, and facilitates key experiences that build business connections and refine career interests, such as internships and job shadowing. 

Flores’ internship with a local community clinic is one of the many opportunities the Honors Futures Hub curates with the Northwest Arkansas community and beyond to prepare students for their future. 

Watch “The Path to Opportunity” to see how Caleb is making an impact on his local community and putting his passion into practice. For additional Short Takes videos, visit shorttakes.uark.edu.

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 $3 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 few 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 and Economic Development News.