Global Experiences

The University Honors Program encourages all students to have authentic intercultural experiences at home or abroad. Whether you travel overseas or participate in a program in the United States, you’ll be learning about what shapes the people, places, and events of our world.

Take an Honors Seminar Abroad

In 2024, Honors will offer faculty-led programs, giving students the opportutnity to earn 3 Honors credits for UHON 298H. Program options tentatively include:

Czech Republic: Freedom, Belonging and Hope
January 1-19, 2024
Dr. Hana Waisserova (hwaisserova2@unl.edu)
Examine the region's cultures and patterns of immigration and democracy

Costa Rica: Striving for Affordable, High-Quality Healthcare for All
May-June 2024 (2-3 weeks)
Dr. Erin Sayer (erin.sayer@unl.edu) & Dr. Didier Mena (dmena2@unl.edu)
Observe, compare, and analyze the Costa Rican & U.S. healthcare systems

Earn Honors Hours for Experiential Learning Abroad

By enrolling in UHON 99H: Honors Experiences during your term abroad, you can earn 3 Honors hours for a pre-approved experience. Strengthen your initiative and independence, problem solving, communication, and global awareness through guided critical reflection and intentionally crafted assignments, and create a tangible product that showcases the value of your experience (i.e. guidebook, blog, podcast, or video). To pursue UHON 99H, your experience must be University-approved for 3+ academic credits and you must engage in at least 120 contact hours of learning abroad.

Find a Program & Apply for Funding

Visit the Global Experiences Office (GEO) website, catch a Huskers Abroad 101 presentation, attend the Global Experiences Fair, or schedule an appointment with the Global Experiences Coordinator for your college.
Enroll in UHON201H: “Huskers Abroad 201H: Choose It, Pitch It, Own It” to explore options alongside fellow Honors students, or schedule an appointment with an Honors staff member to discuss how study abroad and Honors intersect.
Apply for up to $1,500 through the Dr. Patrice Berger Student Experience Fund for Honors students, as well as other college, campus, and national funding opportunities.

Distinguish Yourself Abroad

Many Honors students seek to challenge themselves through long, rigorous, and/or independent experiences abroad, during and after their undergraduate careers. If you wish to push and distinguish yourself through a global experience, you might explore:

Spending a long summer, full semester, or academic year abroad.
Enrolling at a foreign university, through an exchange or direct enroll program.
Intensively studying a foreign language.
Pursuing an internship or research experience abroad.
Studying abroad alongside other high-achieving, honors, or Big Ten students.
Earning a nationally competitive scholarship such the Critical Language Scholarship, Gilman (Pell Grant recipients), or Boren (students interested in public service in national security).
Applying for a post-graduation fellowship abroad such as Fulbright or Marshall.

Engage in Global Learning in Lincoln

#NCLUDE Learning Group: Join a discussion group for students, faculty and staff to grow your knowledge, skills, and awareness in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). In Fall 2023, Honors staff are co-anchoring a group to read Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World.
Peace Corps Prep: Open to all Nebraska undergraduates, Peace Corps Prep is a program that combines university coursework, hands-on experiences and professional development opportunities to prepare students for working in international development. Benefits include mentorship, intercultural and professional resources, and study abroad scholarships. The program coordinator is also part of the Honors staff and is easily accessible in Knoll.
E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues: Administered by the Honors Program, this series features national and global speakers around an annual theme. Some speakers visit with Honors students prior to their evening lecture and one Honors student serves as the Forum’s social media and events intern.
Cooper Conversations: Facilitated by Honors Program staff and students, each conversation focuses on an important topic related to community building and civic engagement, tied to the annual theme of the E. N. Thompson Forum.
Programs & Courses with a Global Focus: Add a major or minor with a global focus to deepen your expertise. You may also opt to take individual courses focused on global, regional, or global/local issues, above and beyond your ACE 9 requirement. Several Honors seminars incorporate these themes.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Scholars Program: Earn a digital badge around one of four SDGs. Explore your passions while expanding your knowledge, skills and local and global professional networks, plus develop a unique portfolio item you can share with prospective employers.
Global Institutes: Explore internship, networking, and learning opportunities through the Yeutter Institute of International Trade and Finance, Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, and more.