First-Year Honors Program in Hawaii
Jan Term 2026
First-year students admitted with honors to Whitworth are invited to apply for an extraordinary honors program in Hawaii for Jan Term 2026. This off-campus program, available only to first-year honors students, provides a unique opportunity to live, learn and explore in one of the most beautiful places in the world with two outstanding Whitworth professors. Through three related courses (a 1-credit class in the fall and 3- and 2- credit courses in Jan Term), students will explore Hawaii's unique cultural context as both a singular place and as part of the United States. These courses will help students progress toward completing the honors program, shared curriculum courses required for graduation and a U.S. cultural studies minor.
Faculty Leaders
Stacy Keogh, Ph.D.
Stacy Keogh is an associate professor of sociology. Keogh will lead students in an introduction to cultural anthropology with a particular focus on cultural preservation of the Hawaiian people. This includes intersectionality of race and class, socioeconomic impact of tourism, and an analysis of Western culture on the Hawaii islands.
Bert Emerson, Ph.D.
Bert Emerson is the director of the Whitworth Honors Program and an associate professor of English. Emerson’s specialization in literature, history and political culture will aid students on this program as they explore dimensions of power on display in this historically rich site.
Location
Students will travel to Oahu where they will stay at Camp Mokule'ia, operated by the Epispocal Church of Hawaii, 45 minutes from Honolulu, where we will learn more about the making of the state of Hawaii. The main buildings of the camp look out upon beautiful Kaiahulu Bay, a secluded inlet for year-round swimming and exploration of the bountiful sea life that gave the area its name, Mokule'ia, "place of abundance." Behind the camp rises Mount Ka'ala, the highest point of the Waianae Mountains, accessible via nearby biking and hiking trails.
Academic Programs
Cultural Anthropology in Hawaii
This course provides an in-depth introduction to the critical study of culture, with a particular emphasis on the traditions of Hawaiian culture. Students will examine key theories and concepts in cultural anthropology, while exploring aspects of indigenous cultural preservation through active participation in language learning, farming, food and other cultural practices. The course will also address the influence of Western culture on Hawaii and consider the ways in which culture is continuously evolving.
Honors Introduction to Cultural Studies
This course introduces and acquaints students with the critical study of social identities and inequalities in the United States. The ideas and analysis presented here emerge from interdisciplinary perspectives. At its core, the course/field asserts that one cannot fully understand or analyze U.S. society without a well-developed awareness of the complexity of our social identities. The course will be broken down into a 1-credit prep course in the fall and a 2-credit course on-site in Hawaii.
Program Cost
Participants are responsible for round-trip airfare and an estimated $3,960 to cover travel expenses on the islands, including housing and meals and other program expenses. Participants are also responsible for the $385 university Jan Term fee. Instruction and credits are included with no additional cost. All accepted participants who have completed a FAFSA will be considered for a $500 need-based off-campus programs travel grant. The $500 trip deposit is due on April 10 and is refundable through May 1. Installments of $740 are due on June 15, July 15, Aug. 15, Sept. 15 and Oct. 15. Participants accepted to the trip after April 15 will have their trip deposit deadline extended (please check your email for more information).
Questions? Contact the Whitworth Admissions Office at admissions@whitworth.edu or 509.777.4786.