Douglas Honors College at CWU to celebrate 50 years (part 2)

For many Central Washington University students, college or university is a place to pursue a degree and explore new interests.

But what’s out there for those who are looking to push themselves a little more? Where can students find something on campus that is more meaningful than just academic accomplishment?

The William O. Douglas College (DHC) is one of those special places that does more than simply help students earn their degree.

DHC students are taught to discover their strengths and potential, and enhance their critical thinking skills while embracing multiple viewpoints and discovering personal growth.

By offering a supportive educational environment, with a close mentorship and discussion-oriented curriculum, the DHC helps CWU students build their networks, investigate multiple global issues, and research a variety of topics with the multi-dimensional mindsets.

Along with providing students with mentorship and guidance in a challenging yet collegial environment, the DHC also prides itself on coaching its students and helping them discover their individual strengths while developing expertise in a variety of academic disciplines.

Focusing On Students' Strengths

Executive Director Dr. Christina Denison explained that when students enrolled in the honors college, they are asked to complete the Gallup CliftonStrengths evaluation so the faculty can identify their "signature themes" and primary strengths.

Denison and her colleagues understand that all people face challenges, but rather than concentrating on those, the DHC team directs students to focus on their strengths.

"We don't want to dismiss the fact that we have weaknesses, but we want to mitigate our weaknesses by focusing on our strengths," Denison said. "Taking that viewpoint has helped our students be more successful."

This is a defining feature of the DHC. Not only does the curriculum help furnish students with an insightful reservoir of knowledge; it also helps students to consolidate what they already possess as they seek to reach their full potential.

By the same token, Denison noted that this approach helps many first-generation students become confident in themselves and motivates them to keep pushing forward in their academic and professional pursuits.

"When you change that perspective, that student becomes successful, that student is more likely to persist, and that student is more likely to graduate," she said.

The DHC’s objective is not to make students dwell on their weaknesses or compare themselves to other students. Instead, the faculty wants students to be able to identify the problems, apply critical and strategic thinking to resolve the issue, elevate their leadership, and build strong relationships with their peers.

"I want students to be able to answer, ‘what are your strengths?’ authentically so that a future employer really hears this, like, ‘oh this person really does understand their strengths and knows how to apply them in multiple contexts.’" Denison said.

Self-Worth Isn’t Tied to Grades

The majority of students enrolled in the honors college possess impressive academic records, which means anything below an "A" is often viewed as a failure.

Denison noted that this type of reaction is not abnormal when students transfer from high school or community college to CWU. She explained that good students tend to perceive academic excellence as the measurement of their self-value or personal success.

Consequently, receiving a "B" can feel like a substantial setback to them. Some students are less affected and will strive for better results next time. However, some students are affected more significantly and that could have a negative impact on their effort and academic performance.

"I jokingly say that I want them to learn to be spectacular failures," Denison said with a smile. "When you can learn to fail well is when you will find your greatest success."

Nevertheless, her encouraging approach does not teach students to settle for poor performance. What she wants DHC students to do is transform obstacles into opportunities for personal development.

Fortunately, the DHC faculty is always supportive and encouraging towards their students, often scheduling conversations with students with those who need help as a way to motivate them.

"I so appreciate our faculty here that they are able to have those conversations with our students to help them start to see their education and separate the knowledge that they are gaining from the grade that they’re earning," she said.

Denison confronted the same issue as her students when she was studying for her doctorate. She was an outstanding student in her master’s degree programs, but the tables turned when she took a statistics class. That experience presented a tremendous challenge for her, and although she struggled at times, she reminded herself to take the advice she used to offer to her students: prioritize learning instead of centering grades.

"I needed to tell myself what I told my students, and I needed to quit internalizing my grades as a measure of how successful I am," she said.

Vision for the Next 50 Years

Looking towards the DHC’S 50-year milestone in the upcoming academic year, Denison hopes that the honors college will continue to preserve and enhance its lasting legacy. She also hopes future generations will remember it not solely as a place for academic excellence, but as a place where students can seek support, discover their dreams, find purpose, and build connections.

"I want students to remember the honors college as a place that challenged them to be the best version of themselves while providing the support that they needed to get there," she said. "I really want students to think about how they transform during their time here"

Denison’s hope is that honors college alumni will reflect on their time in the program and realize how much they have grown, both academically and personally.

"I want them to remember that the faculty, the staff, and their peers were all here for their collective success, that it was a community that they felt actually saw who they were and celebrated them," she said.

Over the last five decades, the William O. Douglas Honors College has conserved the tradition of encouraging students to learn with curiosity, ask insightful questions, welcome various perspectives, and cultivate their knowledge with an open mind.

As the DHC embarks on a new era, the values shaped by its success are not merely about the number of honors students or scholars who graduated. The most important thing is that the college does its part to help all students become reasoned thinkers, engaged learners, and talented leaders whose impact and contribution will help make the world a better place.

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• Part 1 of the Douglas Honors College 50th anniversary story was published on July 16, 2026.
• Tran Pham is a student writer in the Office of Marketing Communications who will be working with the Strategic Communications team during the upcoming academic year.