Honors College ‘moving in the right direction’ with inaugural dean
Zeb Baker has worked with honors education at Miami since 2013
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Published
Zeb Baker has been named the inaugural dean of Miami University's Honors College.
Honors College ‘moving in the right direction’ with inaugural dean
•
Published
When Zeb Baker completed his work as a consultant to the faculty group designing the University of New Mexico’s honors college in 2013, he began looking for a way to transition full-time to honors education.
An opportunity soon presented itself at Miami University. Good timing – for Baker and the university.
Under Baker, Miami launched its Honors College in 2021, and it has quickly developed into one of the best of its kind in the United States. In March, Baker will begin a new role as the inaugural dean of the Honors College.
“I like to think this is a vote of confidence in the total Honors College project,” said Baker, who currently serves as the college’s executive director. “We’ve been trying to move the Honors College to a place where it can accomplish the goals that were set out for it in the original MiamiRISE plan, which was a rigorous academic enterprise that would be attractive to students from Ohio and around the country.
“The Honors College is moving in the right direction.”
After replacing Miami’s Honors Program, the Honors College profile has risen nationally. The program was ranked No. 6 in the 50 Best Honors Colleges – 2024 by College Transitions, which helps prospective students in their school search.
College Transitions praised the Honors College for its unique courses, study abroad opportunities, faculty mentorship, and residential experience.
“Zeb has done an outstanding job in creating the Honors College,” said Elizabeth Mullenix, Miami’s provost. “In a short time, the college has achieved national recognition and continues to grow, both in reputation and in the number of students enrolled. The Honors College is, and will continue to be, a crucial component in bringing top students to Miami.”
Faculty involvement will be a key element for the Honors College moving forward, Baker said, as will aligning the college’s priorities with MiamiTHRIVE, the university’s strategic plan.
Baker is also looking toward the 75th anniversary of honors education at Miami, which will be celebrated in 2035.
“I want to convene a working group of faculty and staff from across campus to think through not only what the next five years of the Honors College look like, but also what do the next 25 years look like?” Baker said. “By fall of 2027, we are going to have close to 2,700 students in the Honors College. We need to think through how we continue to make the Honors College a differentiated learning experience for students at that scale.”
A strong Honors College staff and buy-in across campus in the program have been instrumental in the college’s success.
“My team does a lot, and they work very hard,” Baker said. “We have been able to maintain a great deal of continuity in our team because we make it an environment where people can do their jobs effectively, and they are also empowered to do important work with a great deal of latitude and encouragement. And we’ve been very fortunate at Miami that the divisions themselves have been very supportive of honors education.
“I’ve been very proud of the quality of students we’ve been able to attract to Miami and the ways in which they are not just thought leaders in the classroom but also leaders in our campus community.”
An opportunity soon presented itself at Miami University. Good timing – for Baker and the university.
Under Baker, Miami launched its Honors College in 2021, and it has quickly developed into one of the best of its kind in the United States. In March, Baker will begin a new role as the inaugural dean of the Honors College.
“I like to think this is a vote of confidence in the total Honors College project,” said Baker, who currently serves as the college’s executive director. “We’ve been trying to move the Honors College to a place where it can accomplish the goals that were set out for it in the original MiamiRISE plan, which was a rigorous academic enterprise that would be attractive to students from Ohio and around the country.
“The Honors College is moving in the right direction.”
After replacing Miami’s Honors Program, the Honors College profile has risen nationally. The program was ranked No. 6 in the 50 Best Honors Colleges – 2024 by College Transitions, which helps prospective students in their school search.
College Transitions praised the Honors College for its unique courses, study abroad opportunities, faculty mentorship, and residential experience.
“Zeb has done an outstanding job in creating the Honors College,” said Elizabeth Mullenix, Miami’s provost. “In a short time, the college has achieved national recognition and continues to grow, both in reputation and in the number of students enrolled. The Honors College is, and will continue to be, a crucial component in bringing top students to Miami.”
Faculty involvement will be a key element for the Honors College moving forward, Baker said, as will aligning the college’s priorities with MiamiTHRIVE, the university’s strategic plan.
Baker is also looking toward the 75th anniversary of honors education at Miami, which will be celebrated in 2035.
“I want to convene a working group of faculty and staff from across campus to think through not only what the next five years of the Honors College look like, but also what do the next 25 years look like?” Baker said. “By fall of 2027, we are going to have close to 2,700 students in the Honors College. We need to think through how we continue to make the Honors College a differentiated learning experience for students at that scale.”
A strong Honors College staff and buy-in across campus in the program have been instrumental in the college’s success.
“My team does a lot, and they work very hard,” Baker said. “We have been able to maintain a great deal of continuity in our team because we make it an environment where people can do their jobs effectively, and they are also empowered to do important work with a great deal of latitude and encouragement. And we’ve been very fortunate at Miami that the divisions themselves have been very supportive of honors education.
“I’ve been very proud of the quality of students we’ve been able to attract to Miami and the ways in which they are not just thought leaders in the classroom but also leaders in our campus community.”
Established in 1809, Miami University is located in Oxford, Ohio, with regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown, a learning center in West Chester, and a European study center in Luxembourg. Interested in learning more about the Honors College? Visit the website for more information.
