The University of Utah Honors College has always excelled at providing students an elite academic experience, but until now, it has remained unlisted on most rankings. This year, the college made a jump from unlisted to achieving top 20 status on Road2College.

This elevated position is a national recognition of the changes the Honors College has made as part of the Advancing Honors Project under the direction of Dean Monisha Pasupathi.

“The ranking is a welcome acknowledgment of the quality of what we have to offer students, and it definitely feels like a reward for the work of the past several years,” Pasupathi said.

While the college has made changes in nearly every area, one accomplishment stands out as a main contributor to creating an exceptional student experience. Over the last two years, the Honors College has worked collaboratively with every major on campus to create honors opportunities within every program. This project has been a huge undertaking, as it required every program to create or identify nine credit hours that students could use toward gaining their honors degree.

The process involved substantial time and effort, but the completed project means students have an equal opportunity to complete an Honors degree, regardless of which major they choose. Pasupathi said, “Students began benefitting from this work in January of 2026, and I think the full campus deserves to be celebrated for the effort to make that happen!”

Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Mitzi Montoya said, “I have enormous gratitude for the work done by all colleges across campus to strengthen the Honors program. Their combined efforts opened the door for more students to elevate their academic experience.”

Cross-campus collaboration, first-year experience programs, global travel options, unforgettable courses and experiential learning opportunities all contribute to creating the academically rigorous environment noted in the Road2College ranking.

Pasupathi looks forward to continuing efforts to provide students with an unparalleled experience in the Honors College.

“I am most excited about our efforts to ensure that more honors students are able to reap the rewards of doing a thesis,” she said. “We are working on how to provide central support from the Honors College to students doing thesis work in nearly 100 different programs—support that gets students over the hard parts and also makes sure they know how to leverage the thesis experience for their next step.”

As changes continue to roll out, the college expects to increase its ability to attract, recruit and retain highly motivated and driven students. “As an alumnus of the college, it’s incredibly meaningful to see the Honors College recognized on a national stage,” said U President Taylor Randall. “I’m grateful for the collective effort across our faculty to elevate the student experience and earn this distinction. What’s most exciting is what comes next, as we create even more pathways for honors students to challenge themselves and lead.”