In 1986 a campus-wide Honors Program was put in place (Knoll 1995, p. 177). After years of recruiting National Merit Scholars, the university began a program for the university’s brightest students (Connie Sue Gaskill Gulick). That first fall for the Honors Program in 1986, 100 students were admitted (Daily Nebraskan, August 20, 1986). These students had to fill out a more detailed application including an essay, recommendations and a transcript; those identified to even apply were those who had at least a 29 Composite ACT score, were in the upper quarter of their high school classes, and had GPAs between 3.5 and 4.0 (Loretta T. Johnson). Once in the honors program, the students were to take honors seminars, and in their senior years, write theses. Many had high hopes for the new honors program; director Dr. Patrice Berger, stated that “their presence will be of benefit not only to themselves but to the entire UNL community. Both our faculty and students outside of the honors program will be stimulated and enriched by their presence” (Daily Nebraskan, August 20, 1986).