Big Ambitions Require Big Opportunities

The Largest Honors College in Tennessee

Nowhere else in the state will top academic performers find a richer, more diverse experience than at the Helen Hardin Honors College at the UofM. Memphis is the epicenter of culture, commerce and creativity. It's a city that has moved the world in more ways than one, and you, too, will be driven to do more.

The Helen Hardin Honors College has a wonderful reputation for attracting the brightest students. They come largely because of our extraordinary professors, small classes, and never-ending opportunities to do research in a variety of disciplines. Our students are award winners, having won the Truman, Goldwater, Fulbright, and Rotary scholarships in recent years, as well as major campus awards. And that is what the Helen Hardin Honors College is about — providing intellectual challenge and opportunities for outstanding students.

Our Namesake, Helen Hardin

Helen Hardin was passionate about the city of Memphis. She and her husband, Jabie Hardin, were also longtime supporters of the University of Memphis. Before her death at the age of 95, Helen Hardin gave a significant gift to the University for the benefit of honors students; in recognition of her generosity, the program was named the Helen Hardin Honors College. In both life and death, Helen Hardin helped shape a better Memphis. As co-founder of wholesale food distributor Hardin's-Sysco, Hardin was known for her entrepreneurial spirit, and she was the perfect role model for honors students. The Hardin legacy lives on in this honors-only academic environment that encourages hard work, rigorous study and high expectations.