About the Program
Each spring semester, First-Year Honors Program students have the opportunity for first-hand research experience under the guidance of an Iowa State University faculty mentor by participating in the First-Year Honors Mentor Program (HON 2900H). There is a wide range of research opportunities to choose from involving many disciplines and departments. Students can work on a project within their major or explore a new field of study. The First-Year Honors Mentor Program (FHMP) is a unique opportunity to become involved in research early in a student’s academic career.
Fall Semester (Matching)
How it works
ISU faculty complete a profile in our online matching system that describes the research they are conducting and expectations for their student mentees. During the fall semester, First-Year Honors Program students receive detailed information during their First-Year Honors Seminar class. Students complete a profile with their skills and interests and select five faculty projects on which they would be interested in working. After the initial match, students meet with their prospective mentor. If they agree to work together, they complete the HON 2900H Course Contract. Students take HON 2900H in the spring, for 1 or 2 credit hours (3 or 6 hours/week)
Dates and deadlines
- October 1: Faculty complete their profiles in our online matching portal.
- October 1–12: Students complete their profiles and rank faculty projects.
- October 13–19: Faculty log in to portal and rank interested students.
- October 27: Honors makes matches; informs students and mentors.
- October 27–November 8: Students contact faculty to meet in person and discuss projects. Students may go forward with initial match mentor, seek a rematch, or decide not to continue with the mentoring program.
- November 14: Once students and faculty agree on match, both sign a course contract. Students receive registration information and register for HON 2900H by the end of the Fall semester.
Spring Semester (HON 2900H Course)
Faculty mentors administer the assignments for the course. Honors requires the basic scaffold below for assignments, but faculty are free to format the work as suited best for their projects. Students are expected to adhere to the specific course expectations set by their mentor.
- Minimum weekly meetings with mentees. This can be delegated to a grad student or post-doc, but we ask the mentors themselves check in with students at least monthly.
- Project Plan (due Feb 6). Detailed outline of what mentee responsibilities will be and projected outcomes for semester.
- Mid-semester assignment (due March 13). This can be an outline of the final project, a presentation, or some other deliverable that demonstrates progress along project plan from beginning of the semester.
- Attendance at the Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (April 16). Students are encouraged to present at the Symposium, but not strictly required. Students should attend to hear presentations from their peers in the First-Year Honors Mentor Program.
- Final Synthesis (due May 8). This final assignment can be a presentation at the Symposium, a written report, a poster, a presentation to the lab, or some other format deemed suitable by the faculty mentor.
Honors will collect:
- Final Evaluation Form. Signed by student and mentor after meeting at the end of the semester to verify work done (Satisfactory/Fail). This is to have a more complete record alongside the Final Grade submitted in Workday.
- Mid-semester check-in, to see how students are doing in their project assignments
- Final Survey. Sent out to students at the end of the semester to reflect on their experience with the program.
Create Profile
Students can create application profiles and faculty can create project profiles at the link below.
First-Year Honors Mentor Program Matching Portal
The matching portal is open to students October 1–12. Create your profile and rank five faculty projects in which you are interested.
The matching portal is open to faculty until September 30 to post project profiles, and October 13–19 to rank interested students.
