Advisor Information
The course, UHP 289: Grand Challenges: Exploring the Problem, introduces students to a complex problem within one of the thematic areas in K-State's Opportunity Agenda: Community Health and Well-Being, Sustainability, Global Food Security and Biosecurity, and Enabling Technologies.
The complex nature of these challenges invites interdisciplinary and transdisiplinary collaboration in the search for solutions. Through case studies, independent research, guest speakers, and interaction with community partners, students will, through an interdisciplinary lens, explore the roots, scale, and impact of a significant societal challenge, including how that problem manifests within communities.
2027 Focus
The 2027 cohort will ask students to explore the question, “What Makes a Community Healthy?” This question is directly connected to a broad topic identified in K-State’s Opportunity Agenda: Community Health and Well-Being and offers a rich opportunity for investigation by students from many different majors.
UHP 289: Health, Well-being, and the Community
Led by Dr. Drew Pearl, the course will be offered in Spring 2027 at 1:05-2:20 p.m. on Tuesday/Thursdays. This course is designed for Honors students who hold a 3.5+ GPA, are currently enrolled in or completed UHP 189, and complete the application process. Participants will receive a $1,000 scholarship and will be invited to enroll in UHP 389 for the following semester.
UHP 389: Engaging with Grand Challenges
Designed as a community-engaged research experience, students will collaborate with a community organization concerned with issues of health and well-being. UHP 389 is designed as an Applied Learning Experience (ALE) course, subject to approval by the ALE course team.
UHP 389 will be offered in Fall 2027. Students must complete UHP 289 before taking UHP 389. Participants will receive an additional $1,000 scholarship if they choose to enroll in UHP 389.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Grand Challenges courses (UHP 289 and UHP 389) offer Honors students an opportunity to learn about a societal problem from multiple disciplinary perspectives and then work with a community partner to research, develop, and execute a project that will seek to adress an aspect of that problem. The sequence provides applied, community-based, and transdisciplinary learning. The foundation of the course, regardless of the topic, will teach transdisciplinary problem solving, critical thinking, and how to ethically and effectively work with community partners. The topic changes every year and relates to one of the opportunity agenda areas in the K-State strategic plan: community health and well-being, enabling technologies, global food and biosecurity, and sustainability. By engaging with a real-world problem and working with community partners early in their education, they learn how their field of study intersects with other disciplines, and how multiple fields and provessions play a role in addressing social challenges. Students learn how to effectively communicate with multiple community stakeholders. Finally, they build community by being part of a transdisciplinary cohort of engaged and motivated students. They will satisfy two of the four honors courses required of UHP students. UHP 389 is also designed as an Applied Learning Experience (ALE) course, subject to approval by ALE course team. The scholarships will help offset the cost of tuition. No. Honors students are not required to take either course, and only a small percentage of students will be able to. Interested students will apply to be part of the cohort. To ensure that the course is both transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary, with faculty from different programs and colleges, each course is taught either with a team-teaching model (at least 2 instructors) or a "round robin" model (one instructor of record coordination a rotation of instructors, each one introduction students to their disciplinary perspective over the course of a few class periods). A team of nine faculty from across campus (5 colleges as well as Extension and Leadership Studies were represented). All faculty had expertise in community-engaged learning and/or applied learning. At the time of application, students must hold a 3.5+ cumulative GPA in addition to current enrollment or completion of UHP 189. No! We encourage interested students to apply regardless of experience or academic discipline. At maximum enrollment, the class will have 25 students. We hope students will take 389, but it is not required. Students can apply via a short application available on the University Honors Canvas page. If a student does not have access to the UHP Canvas page, have them reach out to the program for assistance.
University Honors Program
Boyd Hall
1306 Petticoat Ln.
Manhattan, KS 66506