Message from the Director

Welcome to the Liberal Arts Honors Program!

I’m Michael Topp, the Director of the Liberal Arts Honors Program. This makes me very happy, and very proud. I founded the LAHP in 2012, and served as its first director until 2018. Now I’m back again, and I’m trying to make the LAHP absolutely as good as it can be for our students. I want the LAHP to make as many of the best possible opportunities on this campus, and beyond, available for the very best and most ambitious and most creative and hungriest students in Liberal Arts. When I’m pitching this to administrators, I say I want to offer students the benefits of a small liberal arts college at a large public university. For you, for students, it means that I want to help you be as successful as you can be—whatever that looks like.

As you’ll see elsewhere on this website, the LAHP has a lot to offer. We have our own academic honors minor to enable you to get the most out of your undergraduate education. We offer lots of mentorship in various ways. We offer ways for you to grow professionally, and even personally if you’d like. We offer a sense of community for you with other LAHP members. We offer perks like a lounge and early registration, and funding for potentially life-changing experiences. We offer you the opportunity to present your research, and acknowledgment of your honors work on your transcript and at graduation.

If you want to make the most of your undergraduate education, and if you want to get yourself ready for your next set of goals after graduation, the LAHP is the organization for you.

If you’re already a member, I hope you find what you’re looking for on this website. If not, let me know!.

If you’re thinking about joining, I hope that you apply. Please just ask me if you have any questions.

Dr. Michael Topp
Liberal Arts Building 315
mtopp@utep.edu
(915) 747-7053