Publications of the Honors College at Marshall University
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Bridging Heritage and Innovation: The Marshall University WV–Ireland Transatlantic Partnership
Brian Hoey
This presentation was delivered by Brian A. Hoey, Ph.D., Dean of the Honors College at Marshall University, to the West Virginia House and Senate Joint Committee on Education on October 5, 2025. The presentation outlines the development of the Marshall University WV–Ireland Transatlantic Partnership, an initiative connecting West Virginia institutions with partners in Ireland through student mobility, faculty collaboration, and interdisciplinary academic programming.
The partnership originated through collaboration between Marshall University and Dundalk Institute of Technology and includes a consortium model with BridgeValley Community and Technical College designed to expand access to international learning opportunities for students who are often underrepresented in study abroad, including rural, STEM, and first-generation students.
The presentation situates this partnership within broader efforts to strengthen educational, cultural, and workforce connections between West Virginia and Ireland, includingthe work of the West Virginia–Ireland Trade Commission. It highlights how transatlantic academic partnerships can support regional innovation, workforce development, and global engagement while building on shared cultural connections between Appalachia and Ireland.
The presentation is part of the Marshall University WV–Ireland Transatlantic Partnership initiative. Learn more about the initiative at Marshall WV–Ireland Transatlantic Partnership.
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Honors College Policy Handbook, v. 11-2025
Marshall University Honors College
This handbook offers basic information about the policies and practices of the Honors College at Marshall University. The information here is subject to periodic revision. Because all students in the Honors College are students of the University, the Honors College operates under policies and guidelines as set for all undergraduate students at Marshall University.
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Inclusive Excellence in Honors Education
Brian A. Hoey
The author outlines a vision for enhancing the honors college experience at Marshall University, focusing on initiatives that benefit all students while aligning with principles of academic excellence and leadership development. The manuscript details initiatives that emphasize creative and critical inquiry, which supports the cultivation of well-rounded, innovative thinkers prepared for complex societal roles. Strategic enrollment management is highlighted as a key to attracting a diverse cohort of high-achieving students, enriching the academic and social environment for all. The author advocates for pedagogical strategies that encourage active learning and community engagement, preparing students to lead with integrity in a global society. These initiatives, presented with an understanding of the broader societal context, aim to strengthen the honors college by fostering an community of scholars dedicated to achieving excellence through honorable action and lifelong learning. This approach not only elevates the honors education model but also ensures it contributes positively to the university's mission and the greater good, embodying values of merit, character, and leadership that resonate across the academic spectrum.
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Strategic Plan for the Honors College at Marshall University, 2023
Honors College and Brian A. Hoey
Beginning with a consideration of our broader institutional and communal contexts and informed by wide-ranging internal and external data collection and analysis, the first five-year strategic plan of the Honors College at Marshall University sets overarching priorities and defined goals that together are intended to deepen community connections, expand recruitment efforts, support greater access and inclusion while increasing retention, develop a more engaging, flexible, and valuable curriculum, and through securing greater material and human resources, to raise the college’s ability to serve as an equal partner in the provision of service to other units on campus. Our overarching goal is to build a successful future for the college that aligns most productively with institutional priorities.
