Big things are happening at the Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandel Honors College at Cleveland State, and in just a few short weeks, the hustle and bustle will be louder than ever.

That’s all thanks to an uptick in every category of admissions for the Fall 2024 semester, including double the usual number of incoming first-year students, plus a 28 percent increase in transfer admissions for upper-division Honors students.

Maybe the most impressive of all, the Mandel Continuing Scholars transfer cohort hit a peak of 29, surpassing the previous high-water mark of 22 and overall blowing away goals for the Mandel grant-funded program.

So, what gives?

“When I took over as dean in 2022, I was asked to expand Honors at Cleveland State to give more students the opportunity to benefit from an Honors education; we therefore changed the scholarship model to spread the benefits to more students,” said Dean of the Honors College Dr. Rachel Carnell.

“We also changed the admissions model to welcome not only students who have already demonstrated high achievement (through grades and test scores), but also students who show high potential for college achievement. Additionally, our Program Manager Dr. Adrienne Pounds collaborated with CSU Admissions recruiters to meet students in high schools from which we had not previously had many applicants to help spread about the Mandel Honors College at Cleveland State.”

Part of the allure of the Mandel Honors College is that it encourages students to become their best selves and future leaders in the region. According to Dr. Carnell, Honors education is geared toward presenting an engaged and experiential learning, which students are embracing after the isolating experience of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Honors designation also helps elevate the cachet of a Cleveland State degree, which stands out to prospective employers and gives students a leg up in applications for internships, summer jobs and graduate degree programs.

“Our students have their own special small classes in the core curriculum and opportunities to do research in their major with the best professors in their department and in labs at the Cleveland Clinic,” added Dr. Carnell.

Since becoming dean, Dr. Carnell has worked with students and Honors Academic Advisors to develop what she calls the five attributes of Honors students. The mission is simple: to nurture CSU students to grow into their roles as inquiring humans, creative collaborators, interdisciplinary problem solvers, empathetic listeners and, most importantly, future leaders.

“When students really start viewing themselves as future leaders, you see a spark in their eyes. You see their passion to make a difference in the world,” Dr.Carnell said.

The Mandel Honors College is also celebrating its 10th anniversary while the Honors Program at CSU overall will mark its 20th year. There will be student service activities to commemorate that milestone, and Honors alumni will be welcomed back to campus for a special panel taking place during the homecoming ceremonies in November.

But wait, there’s more!

“In recognition of the 10th anniversary of the Mandel Honors College, we are also sponsoring a City Club event in October for students and alumni and the general public,” said Dr. Carnell. “It’s to celebrate the power of humanistic narrative (or storytelling) for effective leadership--underscoring the Mandel Foundation’s belief in using the humanities to nurture students 'with the values, ability, and passion to change the world.' ”

Last year, the admissions deadline was extended to give students who only found out about Honors after the Jan. 15 deadline an opportunity to apply. It worked so well that from now on, there will now be three admission review cycles each year for three deadlines: Nov. 15, Jan. 15 and March 15.

“For students who haven’t already heard about the Mandel Honors College from their high school guidance counselor or a family member by January, they’ll have time to learn about the advantages of an Honors education and still submit an application in March for the following fall semester,” Dr. Carnell explained.

She added:

“The Mandel Honors College is thrilled to be starting this academic year with the largest and cohort of new students ever!”