The honors programs at HCC emphasize rigorous academic coursework alongside opportunities like study abroad, faculty-led research, service learning, and career development, which help prepare honors students for career success and transfer to many of the nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities.

Support from donors and contributions raised through the Columbia 50th Scholarship Forest Endowment helps fund pathways to success and has an extensive history of preparing students for continued study beyond HCC.

Named in honor of James Wilson Rouse, an American businessman and founder of The Rouse Company in Columbia, Maryland. This program is designed for graduating high school seniors. With a cohort of other Rouse Scholars, students progress together through a four-semester sequence of seminars emphasizing academic research, civic and community engagement, and leadership development. Students in the Rouse Scholars program may also be invited to join national honors societies such as HCC’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa.

Rouse Scholar first-year students are matched with mentors to help identify their passions through career exploration. After being paired with a mentor, students are required to spend a minimum of five hours with them. Many do more. Then, the students present their experience and talk about how it impacted their career direction.

Read more HERE.

In 2017, Howard Community College was excited when Howard County Government donated 50 trees in honor of Columbia’s 50th birthday to create a Scholarship Forest at the college. The funds raised from the naming of the trees will be placed in the Columbia 50th Scholarship Forest Endowment and awarded to students in the James W. Rouse Scholars program who are Howard County residents and have financial need.

Education can be the key to a better career, a brighter future, and fuller life. As James W. Rouse said, “The most successful community would be that which contributed the most by its physical form, its institutions, and its operation to the growth of people.”

By naming a tree in HCC’s Scholarship Forest, you can continue to honor James W. Rouse’s vision and help Rouse Scholars grow as students and citizens in our community. Each tree is eligible to be "named" with a gift of $1,000, which can be made through a one-time donation. Benefactor recognition includes your name being placed on a donor wall shaped like a 7 ft. tree in Duncan Hall, located by large windows overlooking the scholarship forest.