The Ohio State University Honors & Scholars Center

What The Ohio State University Honors & Scholars Center does

The Ohio State University Honors & Scholars Center is an administrative academic enrichment unit within The Ohio State University (a public research university in Columbus, Ohio). It serves motivated undergraduate students through an integrated suite of programs: the University Honors Program (founded 1985, celebrating 40 years in 2025) which provides academic enrichment, priority scheduling, smaller classes, and Honors thesis/research distinction options across all majors; the Ohio State Scholars Program, comprising 16 themed living-learning communities (Business, Arts, Biological Sciences, Engineering, Humanitarian Engineering, Health Sciences, Law and Society, International Affairs, Mount Leadership Society, STEM Exploration, and others) housed in dedicated residence halls such as Blackburn, Barrett, Baker Hall West, and Smith-Steeb; the Stamps Eminence Scholarship Program, Ohio State's premier full cost-of-attendance scholarship with substantial enrichment grants, supported by a $6.5 million donation from the Stamps Scholars Program received in May 2023; and the President's Ohio Scholarship Program for perfect-SAT/ACT-scoring Ohio residents. Supporting infrastructure includes the ePortfolio digital platform, the Honors and Scholars Workbook, and dedicated Program Managers, faculty advisors, and student leadership councils for each Scholars track.

The Center does not develop or sell proprietary technology products. Its "products" are academic and community programs delivered through cohort-based residential learning, first-year seminar courses, mentorship, research opportunities, and national fellowship preparation (Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater, Fulbright, Knight-Hennessy, Schwarzman, Samvid, Astronaut, Udall, Beinecke, Paul & Daisy Soros, and Gaither Junior Fellows). Programmatic technology is limited to the ePortfolio platform and university digital channels (Instagram, X/Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, weekly newsletter, and the Honors and Scholars news/blog) used for community engagement and prospective-student recruitment. There are no disclosed patents, AI capabilities, or commercial integrations.

The Center is funded through The Ohio State University's institutional operating budget, general student tuition and fees, donor giving (Honors and Scholars giving fund), and external philanthropy (notably Stamps Scholars Program grants). No tuition or program-specific fees are charged to students. The Center is not a revenue-generating entity; it operates as a public-good academic unit, with its principal outputs measured in student outcomes (national fellowships, graduate-school placements, leadership development) rather than commercial revenue. The Center is part of the State of Ohio's public higher education system and has no venture capital or private equity ownership.

Name

The Ohio State University Honors & Scholars Center

Legal name

The Ohio State University Honors & Scholars Center

Website

https://honors-scholars.osu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Ohio State University Honors & Scholars Center is an academic enrichment unit serving motivated undergraduate students at Ohio State through the University Honors Program, 16 themed living-learning Scholars communities, and the Stamps Eminence Scholarship. It operates as a publicly funded administrative program, not a commercial entity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Academic Enrichment

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Enrichment Programs for Gifted Learners (STEM, Humanities, Arts) (EDAKALAE)

Keywords

• Academic enrichment programs
• Undergraduate honors education
• Merit scholarship programs
• Living-learning communities
• University research distinction

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. University-funded academic program: The Honors and Scholars Center is a publicly funded university program within The Ohio State University. It is supported by Ohio State's institutional operating budget, student tuition and fees (general university), donor giving (Honors and Scholars giving fund), and enrichment grants for students. No commercial revenue is generated. Programs such as the Stamps Eminence Scholarship provide full cost-of-attendance awards funded by the Stamps Scholars Program (external philanthropy).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Ohio State University Honors & Scholars Center delivers academic enrichment programming to motivated undergraduate students at The Ohio State University through three integrated offerings: the University Honors Program (enhanced curriculum, priority scheduling, smaller classes, honors thesis, research distinction), the Ohio State Scholars Program (16 themed living-learning communities such as Business Scholars, Arts Scholars, Biological Sciences Scholars, and ACES with residential components, seminar courses, and program managers), and the Stamps Eminence Scholarship Program (Ohio State's premier full cost-of-attendance award with enrichment grants). All programs are accessible to admitted Ohio State students without additional tuition.

Product overview

The Ohio State University Honors & Scholars Center offers an integrated suite of academic enrichment programs centered on a unified platform of living-learning communities. The core offerings include the University Honors Program (providing academic curriculum enhancement), the Ohio State Scholars Program (16 theme-based residential communities), the Stamps Eminence Scholarship Program (premier full-cost scholarship), the President's Ohio Scholarship (merit-based for perfect test scores), and the ePortfolio digital platform. The Scholars Program includes specialized tracks such as Business, Biological Sciences, Arts, ACES, and others, each combining academic focus with residential community and professional development opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• University Honors Program: Academic enrichment program with minimum 3.0 GPA requirement, offering priority scheduling, smaller classes, and honors thesis opportunities.
• Ohio State Scholars Program
• Stamps Eminence Scholarship Program

Products and services

• University Honors Program An academic enrichment program that intentionally enhances students' academic curriculum through priority scheduling, smaller classes, honors thesis opportunities, research distinction, and access to faculty mentorship, available across all majors. Requires minimum 3.0 GPA.
• Ohio State Scholars Program A suite of 16 themed living-learning communities (including Business, Arts, Biological Sciences, Engineering, Humanities, Law and Society, International Affairs, Environment and Natural Resources, Mount Leadership Society, Health Sciences, ACES, and others) offering first-year residential community, seminar course, student leadership council, and minimum 3.0 GPA requirement.
• Stamps Eminence Scholarship Program Ohio State's premier full cost-of-attendance scholarship program providing financial support for tuition and a substantial enrichment grant for academic experiences beyond the classroom (research, global study, service, professional development). Membership in the national Stamps Scholars network. Class of 2030 selected 52 students from 800+ applicants across 37 states.
• President's Ohio Scholarship Program Merit-based scholarship awarded to new first-year Ohio residents who achieve a perfect ACT or SAT test score.
• ePortfolio An online platform that provides a central location for enrolled Honors and Scholars students to showcase their academic and professional achievements, including the Honors and Scholars Workbook.
• Business Scholars Program A two-year immersive scholars program for high-achieving undergraduate students passionate about business, offering experiential learning, leadership training, teambuilding, and professional development in partnership with the Fisher College of Business. Housed at Blackburn House.
• Biological Sciences Scholars Program A living-learning community engaging undergraduate students in community activities centered on biological sciences and research, preparing them for career opportunities and graduate programs through mentoring and research engagement. Housed at Barrett House.
• Arts Scholars Program A themed scholars program enabling select undergraduate students with strong interest in art, music, theatre, dance, design, fashion, and creative writing to collaborate in an arts-focused community for intellectual, social, and civic development. Comprises approximately 200 students from various majors and offers need-based event scholarships.
• Advocates for Communities and Education Scholars (ACES) A living-learning community providing an atmosphere of support and active participation focused on exploration, discussion, community service, and educational events for undergraduate students from various career paths. Housed at Smith-Steeb Hall.

Quantifiable outcome

• 16 prestigious national/international scholarships earned by Stamps Eminence Scholars (Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Udall, Goldwater, Fulbright, Knight-Hennessy, Samvid, Schwarzman, Astronaut, Truman, Beinecke, Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship, etc.)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Fisher College of BusinesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Business Scholars Program is partnered with Fisher College of Business, which provides faculty and staff for workshops, leadership training, teambuilding activities, and professional development. Business Scholars students have access to Fisher College of Business facilities, alumni network, and career resources. The program also encourages participation in the Fisher Citizenship Program for student engagement activities.
• Samvid PhilanthropiesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSamvid Philanthropies founded the Samvid Scholar Program in 2021 to support mission-driven graduate students through leadership development, community engagement, and financial support of up to $100,000. Ohio State alumnus Anitvir Singh Taunque was selected as Ohio State's first Samvid Scholar (one of 20 from 1,000+ applicants, sixth cohort).

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Indiana University Honors College: Midwest public university honors college providing residential learning communities, academic enrichment, and premier scholarships. Comparable institutional setting, student demographics, and program structure.
• University of Florida Honors Program: Large public university honors program serving motivated undergraduates with enriched curriculum and residential options. Comparable in scale, applicant volume, and national recognition.
• University of Virginia Echols Scholars Program: Top-tier university honors program offering enriched curriculum and advising for high-achieving undergraduates. Comparable in selectivity, prestige, and Rhodes/Marshall/Truman scholarship outcomes.
• Penn State Schreyer Honors College: Honors college at a large public research university offering enhanced academic curriculum, residential learning communities, and premier scholarship programs. Directly comparable in mission, structure, and student profile to Ohio State's Honors & Scholars Center.
• University of Michigan LSA Honors Program: Premier honors program at a top public research university serving high-achieving undergraduates across majors. Comparable in scale, selectivity, and national scholarship outcomes, and also a Stamps Scholars partner institution.
• Michigan State University Honors College: Honors college at a Big Ten public research university. Directly comparable in structure, residential learning communities, and recruitment funnel for in-state and out-of-state high-achieving students.
• Purdue University Honors College: Honors college at a large STEM-focused public research university. Comparable in scale, themed residential communities, and STEM scholarship outcomes (Goldwater, Astronaut).
• University of Wisconsin–Madison Honors Program: Honors program at a top-tier public research university with a similar Big Ten institutional setting. Comparable in academic enrichment mission, advising model, and fellowship pipeline.
• Cornell University Honors Program: Selective honors program at a top-tier research university, also a Stamps Scholars partner. Comparable in selectivity, residential learning, and national scholarship outcomes for high-achieving undergraduates.

Others

• Stamps Family Charitable Partners: Network of premier multi-year scholarship programs at top U.S. universities (including Ohio State, Georgia Tech, MIT, Rice, Vanderbilt, U-M, UVA, Cornell). Directly comparable as the umbrella organization that funds and benchmarks the Stamps Eminence Scholarship Program.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OSUHonorScholar
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCz11wdIOibE8PTAXTDJgF8A
• Instagraminstagram.com/osuhonorsscholars
• TikToktiktok.com/@osuhonorsscholars?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-ohio-state-university-honors-&-scholars-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Ohio State University Honors & Scholars Center