Through a transformational outdoor experience that brings lessons in the classroom to life, Reaud Honors College participants help develop a park experience that is more reflective of the American population, creating connections for our next generation of explorers and environmental stewards.

Coordinated by the National Collegiate Honors Council, Partners in the Parks equips Reaud Honors College participants with skill sets that empower them to explore areas of the American landscape known for their beauty, vibrant culture and rich history, and engage in critical conservation and preservation efforts. These skill sets include: 

• Critical Thinking
• Problem-Solving 
• Creativity
• Social Competency

These adventures in our nation’s natural areas of significance give Reaud Honors College students a lush space where they can grow from unpredictable learning moments that require creative and innovative initiatives and leadership.

Through Partners in the Parks, you will conduct scientific research, learn about maintenance and management, engage in deliberative dialogue on controversial issues and perform service projects. Being out in nature, you will come across unconventional “teachable moments” that heighten your ability to apply personal experiences with your chosen fields of study and attain broader perspectives through nightly group reflection.  

As vibrant living laboratories that enrich learning, our country’s National Parks become an ideal place for you to think critically about how your direct experience and focused reflection relate to and affect your individual life and how that unique assessment can help your community. 

One of the original participants in the Partners in the Parks program, the Reaud Honors College is proud to offer financial support to Honors students in good standing through McMaster Honors Grants.