Established in 2025 with a gift from the Wilkinson Family, the Myrtle Coker Wilkinson Honors Program offers opportunities for high-achieving and motivated students to participate in unique and exciting learning experiences that complement the College’s whole-person, liberal arts curriculum. Many honors program experiences are delivered through a cohort model, allowing for peer collaboration and leadership opportunities.
Born on a farm in Louisville, Tennessee, in 1915, Myrtle Coker Wilkinson enrolled at Maryville College in 1932 to study elementary education. She had to withdraw after her sophomore year but had enough education to be hired in a local school. Over the next 18 years – while continuing to teach and rear five children with husband Gordon – she worked to complete her bachelor’s degree, earning a diploma in 1953 at the age of 38. In a teaching career that spanned 50 years, she prepared and inspired future community and business leaders. Her legacy is one of steely determination; unwavering belief in the power of an education to transform lives and therefore, communities; and astonishing selflessness.
Eligibility Criteria
- 25+ ACT or 1200+ SAT and 3.5+ GPA
- Demonstrated leadership and/or sustained service experience
- Retention in the program requires a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 3.3, beginning in the sophomore year, with no single semester GPA falling below 3.0.
Eligible high-school students will be invited to the College’s Scholar’s Weekend in January, where they will meet other prospective scholars and honors students, participate in team-building activities, and interview with members of the College community in a panel interview. Selection for the Honors Program will be decided and announced mid-March.
High school students selected to receive the McGill Scholarship or McGill Fellowship are automatically eligible and invited to join the Wilkinson Honors Program.
Opportunities
- Honors-specific courses and seminars*
- Travel-study
- Capstone project with presentation at an annual Honors Showcase
- Annual retreats
- Community-engaged service and scholarship that addresses real-world challenges
- Off-campus enrichment activities
*Honors-specific academic experiences emphasize leadership development, extended scholarship, community-engaged learning, and faculty-student collaboration.
