The Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College at Wichita State University has been named a Partners in Peace institution, a new distinction awarded in partnership with the Nobel Peace Center in Norway and the National Collegiate Honors Council. This recognition highlights the college’s commitment to fostering global citizenship, peaceful dialogue, and leadership among its students, and it places Wichita State among a select group of institutions that champion peace-focused education.

The Partners in Peace initiative celebrates honors programs and colleges that illuminate the work of Nobel Peace Prize laureates through dedicated curricula and hands-on learning experiences. By examining the lives and accomplishments of individuals and organizations that have promoted peace since the Nobel Peace Prize was first awarded in 1901, students are encouraged to engage with both historical and contemporary issues impacting peace.

“When we heard about this national honors initiative, we immediately saw the value of a topic that engages students across disciplines. Peace is something we can experience as close to us and as large, complex, far away, big, bold and ambitious. As such, we use the concept of peace to introduce first-year students to skills and content that help them think about how they might interact in a complex, global society. As we developed our proposal, we realized the equally exciting opportunity to connect across academic colleges,” said Dr. Kimberly Engber, dean of the Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College.

The Cohen Honors College “Peace Across the Curriculum” initiative is centered within the year-long Honors Colloquium, a first-year experience that includes required readings and reflection. This year, students are reading “Those Who Listen, Change the World” published by the Nobel Peace Center as a common read that deepens their understanding of dialogue and collaboration. First-year honors students will reflect on their development of scholarly identities through e-portfolios, integrating their personal learning goals with insights from the Nobel Peace Center publication.

Additional partner courses in political science and leadership will expand students’ perspectives on peace and leadership. For example, students in POLS 220: Introduction to International Relations Honors will examine the accomplishments of Nobel Peace Laureates through simulations, research and reflective essays. In HNRS 351: Survey of Leadership, students will apply leadership theories to analyze Nobel Laureates’ lived experiences and impact, while engaging in dialogue with Wichita State alumni working on international peace initiatives.

“I was excited to learn about the Partners in Peace initiative as I could see natural connections to the dialogue and leadership skills that we are focused on across the honors curriculum,” Assistant Dean Dr. Chelsea Redger-Marquardt said. “This initiative will help us bring together dynamic academic campus partnerships. Faculty interested in including a peace module in their course in future years are welcome.”

Wichita State’s participation in the Partners in Peace initiative will be formally recognized at the NCHC's 59th annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri, on Nov. 1, where the Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College will receive an award from Jørgen Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. Institutions completing their peace-focused projects over the coming academic year will be fully recognized at the 2025 NCHC Conference in San Diego, California.

Other institutions recognized in the Partners for Peace initiative are Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Ball State University, California State University-Los Angeles, Columbia College, Elmhurst University, Georgia State University-Perimeter College, Hutchinson Community College, Oregon Institute of Technology, San Jacinto College, Shippensburg University, Stockton University, The Citadel, Thomas Jefferson University, University of Central Arkansas and Western Carolina University.

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Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.

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