Lewis Honors College

By the Numbers

100% Experiential Education Participation

96% First-Year Retention Rate

90% Employment or Graduate/Professional School

Mission in Action

Explore Your Purpose

Honors advisors and the Center for Personal Development counselors partner with students in their exploration of purpose to cultivate well-being, leadership, and career readiness.

Savannah King with her Honors Thesis Showcase poster

Honors at Kentucky has a long and proud history, dating back to 1959, and thousands of students have passed through our program, exploring themselves and the boundaries of thought with outstanding faculty.

Jacqueline Coleman, Christian Brady, Laura Bryan, Conner Brumley

Lead With Integrity

Providing leadership development opportunities enables students to fulfill their experiential credit while bolstering lifelong skills to apply as a graduate student or employee.

The Honors classes I took my freshman year exposed me to ideas that I would not have otherwise thought deeply about. The topics we discussed have allowed me to engage with current events and the social sciences more than I would have been able to otherwise.

Asa O'Neal '25

NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Barry M. Goldwater Scholar, Astronaut Scholar

Maddie Duff waving with other graduating students walking

Why Honors?

Honors Residential Experience

Tamika Tompoulidis with student during EXPO

Center for Personal Development

Internship, Research, Education Abroad, Service-Learning Opportunities

Dr. Kenton Sena with HON 152 students outdoors

Dedicated Honors Faculty

Take a Virtual Tour
Schedule Your Visit
Explore Admission Criteria
Apply for Housing
Register for Orientation

News and Events

Support your local blood center, UK HealthCare at upcoming campus drives

By Eric Lindsey

Apr 3, 2026

University of Kentucky students, staff, faculty and the community can support Kentucky Blood Center (KBC) and UK HealthCare by donating blood at upcoming drives on campus. The drives, scheduled for April 6-10, are the final opportunities of the 2025-26 academic year to give blood on UK’s campus.

UK’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter inducted 49 new members in 2025-26. The chapter inducted 12 members in December and 37 members March 24.

UK’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter inducts 49 new members

By Adrienne Clarke

Mar 27, 2026

The University of Kentucky’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter inducted 37 new members into the prestigious academic honor society March 24, and 12 new members in December 2025. This year’s induction ceremony in the Lewis Honors College Scholars Lounge featured a keynote address from Ana Franco-Watkins, Ph.D., dean of UK’s College of Arts and Sciences.

Introducing the newest cohort of Gaines Fellows as they begin their fellowship journey.

12 UK students named Gaines Fellows amid record number of applicants

By Ryan Girves

Mar 27, 2026

Twelve University of Kentucky students have been selected as the newest Gaines Fellows, representing nine colleges across campus and marking a record number of applications for the highly competitive program.

View all news

KY Blood Center Drive

Apr 09, 10:00 am - Apr 10, 5:00 pm

Lewis Scholars Lounge

420 Hilltop Ave, Lexington, KY

CANCELED - Cooking & Community

Apr 09, 11:00 am - Apr 09, 12:30 pm

The Food Connection in The 90

Plant a Tree with Me!

Apr 17, 8:00 am - Apr 17, 5:00 pm

View all events