Director of Honors Program Named

William Wians, Ph.D., professor of philosophy at Merrimack College, has been named director of Merrimack’s Honors Program for a three-year term (beginning 2009).

The Merrimack College Honors Program is comprised of highly academically qualified students who are invited to participate.  To be considered, students must be in the top 10% of their class, maintain a 3.5 GPA or higher consistently throughout their high school career, demonstrate excellent writing and/or mathematics and science skills, and show evidence of leadership and community involvement.  Merrimack’s Honors Program students must serve 15 weeks of community service each semester and are expected to play a leadership role on campus.

“I’m proud to contribute to this important effort and excited about what Merrimack has to offer,” said Dr. Wians. “The Program promises to help attract and retain top students, and put them in contact with some of our best professors from across the College. One of my goals is to make sure the Program fits the needs of all our students.”

Dr. Wians has taught philosophy at Merrimack College since 1997.  In 2002, he was named the Edward G. Roddy Jr. Outstanding Teacher of the Year in recognition of his teaching excellence and his dedication to learning. His new edited book, "Logos and Muthos: Philosophical Essays in Greek Literature", is being published by SUNY Press in October. The project was supported in part by a Ciejek research fellowship.

He received his Ph.D. from Notre Dame, and his undergraduate degree in philosophy and classics from the University of Toledo, where he was a student in the honors program.

“I was accepted into a new honors program at my undergraduate institution, and it allowed me to make my education something special.  I look forward to paying back some of what I owe for having received such an opportunity.”