Innovations in Honors Application

How to apply to the Innovations in Honors Program

Apply for Admission to UTC

Step 1: Apply for admission to UTC OR Be a currently enrolled and continuing student at UTC

Transfer Students: You must apply for admission to UTC to be considered for the program. You do not need to wait for your admission decision from the Undergraduate Admissions Office, but you must initiate that application process (including paying the required admission fee) in order to be considered for the Innovations in Honors program.

Step 2: Access the Innovations in Honors program application

To apply, click the “Apply to the Innovations in Honors Program” button above. This will take you to the UTC Application Portal, where you will need to login.

• Transfer Students: Use the same email address and password to login that you used to complete your admissions application to UTC
• Currently Enrolled Students: Use the email address (UTC or personal) that you check most frequently. This may entail creating an account or using the email address that you used when previously applying to UTC.

Once logged in, select the blue button that says “Other Applications” and select the “Innovations in Honors” application from that drop-down menu.

Step 3: Complete and submit the application

Provide your information and responses to all elements of the application (described below) and submit your application. The application is used to determine admission to the Innovations in Honors program and awarding of the Innovations in Honors Scholarship. Please remember that you are applying to participate in a program and not only receive a scholarship.

For consideration, all application materials (including your recommendation) must be received by June 1. Completed applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. If you are interested in living on campus in the Honors Residential College, please indicate so and submitted your complete application by March 1.

Elements of the Innovations in Honors Application

In addition to providing your information, your application will include: (1) short answer essay responses and (2) a recommendation from a teacher or supervisor/coach/mentor.

Short Answer Essay Prompts

Within the application portal, on the tab labeled “Requirements” you will find the short answer essay prompts (listed below). The responses you provide to these prompts are your opportunity to describe yourself to the UTC Honors College staff as a person, student, aspiring professional, and community member. Your responses will help us to understand your interests, skills, and ambitions, as well as how you might fit into the collaborative, solution-oriented, and community-embedded culture of the program. For each prompt you are allowed a maximum of 250 words (1300 characters).

Prompt One: Creative Solutions

Please propose a potential strategy to address a societal challenge about which you are passionate. You should describe the scope and significance of the challenge, as well as the key characteristics, objectives, and possible consequences of your proposed strategy.

Prompt Two: Collaborative Leadership

Please describe an example of how you have worked as part of a team to overcome a challenge. You should explain the situation and setting for this example, your role and actions in it, and the outcomes to which your efforts contributed for the group.

Prompt Three: Learning Experiences

Please describe the ways that you like to learn and a meaningful learning experience that has shaped who you are. You should explain both how and why you like to learn in certain ways, as well as the impacts your previous experiences have had on who you hope to become.

Prompt Four: Community Engagement

Please describe one activity in which you have contributed to your community and then propose one action in which you would like to participate as part of the UTC and Chattanooga communities. You should detail what you did and would like to do, with whom, and the outcomes or objectives that you had and have in mind for your efforts.

Prompt Five: How are you an innovator?

For this response, we want you to think outside of the box and demonstrate one way that you are innovative or have designed an innovative way to think about or do something that is meaningful to you and the world around you. You must submit: (1) an “innovation example” via a hyperlink (e.g., Google Drive shared file that you ensure the access has been set to anyone with the link can view, a YouTube video, etc.) and (2) a brief description of your example and how it demonstrates your innovation abilities.

Recommendation Guidelines 

A recommendation is required for completion of your application. Your application will be considered incomplete and ineligible for review until your recommendation is received.

The recommendation can be provided by someone who fits into one of the following areas:

• A teacher who can best speak to your academic ability, the way you think and process information, and how you function as a member of an academic community.
• A supervisor/coach/mentor who can provide a holistic picture of you as a student and person. This recommender cannot be a family member or family friend.

If your recommender encounters any difficulties, please have them email [email protected] for assistance.