Academic Recognition
An undergraduate student whose grade-point average for a semester is 3.50 and less than 3.85 will be placed on the Dean’s List. An undergraduate student whose grade point average for a semester is 3.85 through 4.00 will be placed on the President’s List. Students must be enrolled in 12 or more academic credits to be eligible for the above lists and courses in which the department has predetermined with the Satisfactory/Non Satisfactory (S/NS) grading option will count in the 12 credits.
Graduation Honors
The academic achievements of graduating students at the baccalaureate level are formally recognized at the public Commencement ceremony, appear in published lists of graduates, and are recorded on transcripts. Only Gonzaga University credits are used in computing graduation honors. To calculate a student's achieved honors designation, grade point averages are truncated two decimal spaces and are not rounded up.
Students who have earned 64 Gonzaga University credits are graduated Cum Laude with a cumulative grade-point average equal to 3.50 and less than 3.70, Magna Cum Laude equal to 3.70 and less than 3.90, Summa Cum Laude of 3.90 or higher. For recognition purposes at Commencement, eligibility for these honors is determined based on the cumulative GPA as of the end of the fall semester.
Students who have earned at least 48, but less than 64, Gonzaga University credits are graduated 'With Distinction' if the cumulative grade-point average is 3.50 or higher.
University Leadership Programs
Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program: The Hogan Entrepreneurial Leadership Program is a three-year undergraduate minor founded on the Jesuit educational philosophy of educating the whole person. Its purpose is to prepare students to create new ventures that make a positive difference in society. This student-centered program is designed for promising individuals from any major who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, creativity, and a commitment to serve others.
Comprehensive Leadership Program: The Comprehensive Leadership Program (CLP) at Gonzaga University is a formal, for-credit academic leadership program intended to complement students’ academic goals through theoretical study and experiential learning culminating in the Minor in Leadership Studies. The program was inaugurated in 2002 in an effort to support the University mission of creating leaders, in a variety of fields, dedicated to the common good. The CLP offers a unique scholarly environment for students from every major, and provides transformational and reflective experiences focused on three dimensions: self-awareness, relationship with others, and community action for the common good. Undergraduates take the Minor in Leadership Studies in conjunction with their chosen major in any academic field, including business, engineering, nursing, computer science, biology, chemistry, education and the liberal arts. Admission to the Comprehensive Leadership Program (CLP) is competitive and the application takes place during the fall of a student’s first year, and is based on demonstrated leadership and desire to study leadership through written essays, individual interviews, group interviews, and student’s grade point average. The CLP prepares students for real-life leadership as it strives to produce graduates with a deep and holistic understanding of leadership, the meaning of moral character, and an ethic of care and service.
University Honor Societies
Joining an Academic Honor Society at Gonzaga is an esteemed opportunity for students who excel academically, demonstrate exceptional leadership abilities, a commitment to service, and embody strong character traits. These societies serve as communities of like-minded individuals who share a passion for learning and personal development. Membership in a University-Recognized Honor Society enhances a student’s academic journey, provides networking opportunities, and can leave a lasting impact on academic and professional pursuits. Honor Society membership is documented in the student’s graduating year commencement booklet and on their official transcripts.
Alpha Sigma Lambda: Devoted to advancement of scholarship and to the recognition of non-traditional students continuing their higher education. For the non-traditional student, the society stands as an inspiration for continued scholastic growth, a builder of pride through recognition, and an incentive to associate similarly motivated students. Qualifying candidates for Alpha Sigma Lambda are academically in the top ten percent of the non-traditional student population (undergraduate 24 plus years of age), attending Gonzaga University, and who have completed a minimum of 24 credits at Gonzaga University, with a G.P.A of 3.40 or higher.
Alpha Sigma Nu: The national Jesuit honor society for third year and fourth year men and women students of outstanding academic achievement, service, and loyalty to the ideals of Jesuit education. Membership also available for graduate level students.
Beta Alpha Psi: An honorary organization for financial information students and professionals. The primary objective of Beta Alpha Psi is to encourage and give recognition to scholastic and professional excellence in the business information field. Members of Beta Alpha Psi have significant opportunities for service, networking, and personal/professional development. Membership is open to students in accounting, finance and information systems who meet the academic and service requirements. Membership also available for graduate level students. For more information, see https://www.gonzaga.edu/school-of-business-administration/undergraduate-programs/undergraduate/accounting/beta-alpha-psi
Beta Gamma Sigma: The national business honor society. Membership is for the top 10% of the junior and senior-year undergraduate business majors, respectively, and the top 20% of the Master of Business Administration class.
Chi Alpha Sigma: A nonprofit organization established to recognize college student-athletes who excel both on and off the field of competition.
Chi Sigma lota: CSI is an international honor society that values academic and professional excellence in counseling. We promote a strong professional identify through members (professional counselors, counselor educators, and students) who contribute to the realization of a healthy society by fostering wellness and human dignity.
Kappa Delta Pi: The national education honor society where membership is limited to third year and fourth year students enrolled in one of the phases of the education program of the School of Education, and is based on academic and professional abilities. Membership also available for graduate level students.
Lambda Pi Eta: The national communication honor society for outstanding students in any of the communication arts. Membership in Iota Rho, our local chapter, is limited to third and fourth-year students who have achieved high academic achievement, leadership, and service, with a demonstrated commitment to the discipline of communication. Membership also available for graduate level students.
The National Honor Society for Dance Arts honors students of outstanding artistic merit, leadership, and academic accomplishments for those minoring in the art of dance. Membership is limited to senior dance minors who have maintained a 3.5 GPA or higher in academic dance studies and who demonstrate a commitment to the discipline of dance.
The National Honor Society for Collegiate Scholars: The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) is an honors organization that recognizes and elevates high achievers. NSCS provides career and graduate school connections, leadership and service opportunities and gives out a million dollars in scholarships annually. NSCS members are deeply committed to scholarship, leadership, and service and as a result, are impacting their campus and local communities every day.
Omicron Delta Epsilon: This organization is the international honor society in economics. Eligibility requirements for Gonzaga’s Epsilon chapter are the completion of 12 credits of economics courses with a minimum 3.2 average in those courses and a minimum 3.0 GPA in all college courses.
Phi Alpha Theta: Founded in 1921, Phi Alpha Theta is the national honor society in history, whose mission is to promote the study of history through the encouragement of research, good teaching, publication and the exchange of learning and ideas among historians. Since the foundation of the Xi-Gamma Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta at Gonzaga University, hundreds of Gonzaga’s top students in history have joined the 350,000 members in 900 chapters across the U.S.
Phi Beta Kappa: Founded in 1776 at the College of William and Mary. Its mission is to celebrate and advocate for excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. Its campus chapters invite for induction the most outstanding arts and sciences students at America’s leading colleges and universities. Phi Beta Kappa members include 17 U.S. Presidents, 42 U.S. Supreme Court Justices and more than 150 Nobel Laureates.
Phi Sigma lota: Phi Sigma lota recognizes outstanding accomplishment in the study or teaching of any of the academic fields related to foreign language, literature, or culture. These fields include not only modern foreign languages, but also other fields with a significant foreign language component.
Phi Sigma Tau: The national honor society in philosophy founded in 1930 which recognizes philosophy students for their academic achievement. Now an international honor society, it is open to all Gonzaga students who have completed a minimum of twelve philosophy credits and have met particular grade requirements.
Pi Mu Epsilon: Incorporated at Syracuse University in 1914, Pi Mu Epsilon is a national mathematics honor society dedicated to the promotion and recognition of scholarly activity in the mathematical sciences. WA Epsilon, the local chapter at Gonzaga University is one of over 380 chapters throughout the country. Established in 1968, WA Epsilon has been an active chapter since 2014. Events are held throughout the academic year, often in conjunction with other activities in the mathematics department. Students are invited to join WA Epsilon each spring if they satisfy the eligibility requirements. An induction ceremony is held in April of each year.
Pi Sigma Alpha: The national honor society for students majoring in political science at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Gonzaga’s Chapter, Alpha Beta Xi is open to students in the junior and senior year. Membership is attained through academic achievement at the highest level in both the discipline and in overall academic work.
Psi Chi: The national honor society in psychology, founded in 1929 for the purposes of encouraging and maintaining excellence in scholarship, and advancing the science of psychology.
Sigma Tau Delta: The international English honor society. A member of the Association of College Honor Societies, it was founded in 1924 at Dakota Wesleyan University. With over 750 active chapters located in Europe, the Caribbean, and the United States, there are more than 1,000 faculty sponsors, and approximately 8,500 members inducted annually. Sigma Tau Delta’s central purpose is to confer distinction upon students of the English language and literature in undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies.
Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI): This organization is one of the largest and most prestigious nursing organizations in the world. The name of the organization was chosen from the Greek words meaning love, courage, and honor. STTI's mission is to "support the learning, knowledge and professional development of nurses committed to making a difference in health worldwide." As the international honor society of nursing, it recognizes superior achievement, fosters high professional standards and the development of leadership, encourages creative work, and seeks to strengthen commitment to the ideals and purposes of the profession. Membership also available for graduate level students.
Tau Beta Pi: The national honor society for undergraduate engineering (all disciplines) majors of outstanding academic achievement, leadership, and community service.
Theta Alpha Kappa: Established in 1976 in New York for the purpose of recognizing the academic achievements of religion and theology students, Theta Alpha Kappa has grown to more than two hundred chapters nationally in four-year educational institutions ranging from small religiously affiliated colleges to large public research institutions. It is the only national honor society dedicated to recognizing academic excellence in baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate students and in scholars in the fields of religious studies and theology. It publishes the Journal of Theta Alpha Kappa featuring student scholarship, in which former Gonzaga students have been published.
Upsilon Pi Epsilon: Upsilon Pi Epsilon is the International Honor Society for the computing and information sciences. The mission of Upsilon Pi Epsilon is to recognize academic excellence in computer science and engineering at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and is endorsed by the Association for Computing Machinery and the IEEE Computer Society.
University Academic Awards
Each spring the faculties of the University meet in convocation to recognize the academic achievements of individual members of the University community. Among others, these awards include:
The Alumni Association Award: The gift of the Gonzaga Alumni Association to a member of the graduating class who has shown excellence in his or her field of study and involvement in University and student affairs, and who has created an impact on the community of Spokane.
The William A. Garrigan, S.J., Award: The gift of the University in memory of Father Garrigan to the member of the graduating class who has achieved the highest cumulative grade point average for four years of undergraduate work at Gonzaga.
Fourth Year, Third Year, Second Year, and First Year Awards: Each one of the first year, second year, third year, and fourth year awards will be granted to the undergraduate student who had the highest GPA calculated for the fall and spring semesters, and who was enrolled for 30 or more academic credits in the academic year. If there is a tie, the award will be granted to the student who earned the highest (total) cumulative GPA. Only Gonzaga grades are considered in the GPA. Courses predetermined or mandated by academic departments as Satisfactory/Non-Satisfactory (S/NS) grading only will be counted in the 30 credits.