NSU Establishes New Farquhar Honors College

Don Rosenblum, Ph.D., dean of NSU’s Farquhar Honors College

FORT LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla. – Highly motivated, high-achieving undergraduate students entering Nova Southeastern University (NSU) this fall will have a new option to enhance their college experience: participation in the Farquhar Honors College.

The college offers all qualifying NSU undergraduate students the opportunity to take unique Honors courses and workshops, write and defend an Honors thesis, engage in and present multidisciplinary research, study on location domestically and abroad, gain access to visiting distinguished speakers, and benefit from the new Scholars Program—all complemented by mentorship from select faculty members from across the university.

Alumni, members of NSU, and the greater community are welcome to attend the college’s Distinguished Speakers Series lectures and the annual Undergraduate Student Symposium showcasing student research, creative projects, and films.

While NSU has offered an academic Undergraduate Honors Program since 2003, the new Honors College expands the breadth and reach of Honors initiatives to include additional opportunities and support for high-achieving students not enrolled in the Honors Program, Honors alumni, as well as members of the greater community.

NSU is now one of only 200 U.S. universities to house an Honors College. This addition advances the university’s goal to engage with the local community and attract some of the best and brightest undergraduate students from around the world.

“Over the past five decades, NSU has developed a premier reputation based on our diverse, challenging curricula, and professors who are leaders in their respective fields,” said Dr. George L. Hanbury, president. “The Farquhar Honors College will take us to an even more prestigious level in undergraduate education for years to come.”

President Hanbury named Don Rosenblum, Ph.D., dean of NSU’s Farquhar Honors College. Previously, Rosenblum served as dean of the former Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences for 11 years. Through an academic realignment, which became effective on July 1, 2015, the undergraduate degree programs previously offered by the college of arts and sciences now reside within other NSU colleges that house their corresponding graduate and professional programs in related disciplines. All NSU colleges with undergraduate degree programs will offer qualifying students pathways to participate in the Honors College.

“These top students are often extraordinarily gifted in one discipline,” said Dean Rosenblum. “Our goal is to give them much greater breadth of classroom-based and experiential learning opportunities.” Honors Program students must complete a supplemental application to the Honors College. Consideration for admission includes review of past grades, test scores, and essays. Once admitted, they will be expected to maintain a 3.5 GPA to continue in the Honors Program.

“The Farquhar Honors College will foster an inclusive, multidisciplinary environment of intellectual and cultural exploration for all who engage with our programs and events,” said Rosenblum.

For additional information about NSU’s Farquhar Honors College, please visit http://honors.nova.edu/.

# # #

About NSU’s Farquhar Honors College:NSU’s Farquhar Honors College provides a rich educational experience for highly motivated and high achieving undergraduate students through curricular and co-curricular activities. Students in the Honors College engage in unique, thought-provoking programs and courses; benefit from the mentorship of Honors faculty; and become part of an active network of current students and college alumni. For more information, please visit http://honors.nova.edu/.

 About the Honors College Namesake: James Farquhar, namesake of the Honors College, is often referred to as “Mr. Nova,” as the university may not have survived without him. Former NSU President Abraham Fischler explained, “James Farquhar served for 10 years in the most difficult 10 years the university ever had. On many occasions, he put up his own land as collateral [for the university] to borrow money” (Sun Sentinel, 1997). President emeritus Ovid Lewis fondly remarked that James Farquhar saw NSU as his “baby” (Miami Herald, 1997).

Farquhar served as chairman of the board of trustees for both the South Florida Education Center (SFEC) and Nova University of Advanced Technology. He served on Nova’s board until 1976.

Soon after moving to Davie, Florida, in 1945, the Farquhar family purchased thousands of acres on which they grew sod. According to a Sun Sentinel article published in 1997 following his death, James Farquhar donated 100 acres to the budding university, a gift whose value exceeded $500,000.

In 1969, the university was faced with the possibility of having to close its doors, so Farquhar donated $750,000 (Sun Sentinel, 1979). The Farquhar family independently donated 15 to 25 million dollars to NSU during and after James Farquhar’s life (Sun-Tattler, 1979).

About Nova Southeastern University:Located in beautiful Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic research institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and first-professional degree levels. A private, not-for-profit institution with more than 24,000 students, NSU has campuses in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Miramar, Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa, Florida, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico, while maintaining a presence online globally. For more than 50 years, NSU has been awarding degrees in a wide range of fields, while fostering groundbreaking research and an impactful commitment to community. Classified as a research university with “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU is 1 of only 37 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification, and is also the largest private, not-for-profit institution in the United States that meets the U.S. Department of Education’s criteria as a Hispanic-serving Institution. For more information, please visit http://www.nova.edu/

Media Contact
Marla Oxenhandler | Office of Public Affairs
954-262-5315 (office)
954-770-9204 (cell)
moxenhandl@nova.edu