HC IMPACT Week of Service

HC IMPACT is an annual opportunity for incoming first-year Honors College and Academic Scholars Program (ASP) students to experience their new community through service with various community organizations.

HC IMPACT logo; text reads HC IMPACT Honors College Week of Service. In the logo, HC is bold and ACT from 'HC IMPACT' is bold and within a green circle for emphasis on taking action.

I loved the variety of service projects we were able to do through HC IMPACT and the variety of lessons we could pull from them. Between the people and the experiences, I was reassured I made the right choice to leave my home state and come to MSU. 

MAURA CULLER, FORMER HC IMPACT PARTICIPANT AND MENTOR

An infographic titled "HC IMPACT: Honors College Week of Service." It highlights achievements from the week with the following information: "56 Students" with an icon of small silhouettes representing the number; "Students From 16 States" with an outline map of 16 U.S. states shaded white; "12 Colleges" listed as Social Science, JMC, LBC, Vet Med, Broad, RCAH, CANR, CAL, ComArtSci, Education, NatSci, EGR; "1250 Community Engagement Hours Completed in Fall 2024" with an icon of three people connected; "853 Service Week Hours" with an icon of a clock; and "7 Community Partners" listed as Able Eyes, Allen Neighborhood Center, Edgewood Village, GLFB Garden Project, Homeless Angels, Pattengill Biotechnical Magnet School, Refugee Development Center. At the bottom, there is a photo of a large group of students wearing green shirts, posing in front of a colorful mural. Below the photo is the text, "Thank you to our major sponsors:" followed by the names Kim & Judith Swanson and logos for Michigan State University's Student Life & Engagement, Center for Community Engaged Learning, MSU Federal Credit Union, and the Honors College. The color scheme includes green, dark green, and white.

Benefits

Participating in the HC IMPACT program helps incoming first-year Honors and ASP students:

  • Develop an MSU community before the semester starts
  • Connect with local service organizations and make a difference
  • Work closely with Honors College faculty, staff, and classmates
  • Earn two credits with a connected fall semester course
  • Get acquainted to campus with an early move-in date

Field Experience

HC IMPACT (August 16-20, 2025), the Honors College’s service week, is open to 50 incoming Honors College members and 10 incoming ASP members. They will be introduced to a variety of focus areas related to social inequity and inequality (such as poverty, health, education, and environment) through service with various community organizations in the Greater Lansing area. Each day will conclude with engaging reflective discussions to connect the day’s materials, as well as social activities to connect with your new community.

Classroom Experience

A large group of students stand smiling in front of Eustace Cole Hall.

The program will extend into the academic year with an Honors first-year seminar course (UGS 201H) and an Honors Writing course (WRA 291H). The first-year seminar is a two-credit course in the fall semester focusing on topics covered during the summer program. Students will be provided that change to continue the service experience with a community organization of their choice that addresses social inequity in the city of Lansing.

For HC members, the Writing class may serve as an Arts & Humanities (IAH) substitution. For ASP members, UGS 201H and WRA 291H are eligible to serve toward the first-year experience requirement and the two Honors experiences required by the end of the academic year.

While enrollment in both courses is strongly encouraged, participants will work with an ASP/HC academic advisor during New Student Orientation to determine if WRA 291H is needed based upon AP/IB/dual-enrollment credits.

Participant Eligibility & Timeline

The 2025 application deadline was Sunday, May 11. 2026 HC IMPACT is open to any first-year student whose first semester in the Honors College or ASP is Fall 2026. Please note, any student needing to participate in New Student Orientation activities from August 17-19, 2026 cannot participate in HC IMPACT due to schedule conflicts; for students who pay their acceptance fee to MSU by July 1, there should be no orientation conflicts with HC IMPACT.

  • March 1, 2026: Applications open (applications must be submitted via the Google Form)
  • May 10, 2026: Applications close
  • June 2026: Applicants will be notified of their status via their MSU e-mail account

Download the 2025 HC IMPACT Participant Application Preview for a preview of the application.

Mentor Eligibility & Timeline

Mentor applicants for the 2026 program must be planning to enroll for classes at MSU at least through Fall 2026.

  • December 2025: Applications open (must be submitted via Google Form)
  • January 25, 2026 @ 11:59 p.m. ET: Applications close and résumés due
  • February 9-13, 2026: Interviews
  • Late February/early March 2026: Mentor candidates notified of selection

As a mentor, it’s been so rewarding to guide all these other students to seeing those connections and having that service-learning experience where they really integrate themselves with these incredible organizations and non-profits that are doing such incredible work.

ELI FLIKKEMA, FORMER HC IMPACT PARTICIPANT AND MENTOR

Event Coverage

2024

2023

2022

2019-2021

Please direct any questions about HC IMPACT to Program Coordinator Erika Crews.

 

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