CONFERENCE

The annual GPHC conference is a student-centered event designed to showcase and recognize student scholarly work in a formal academic format, with competitive awards. It's also a chance to get to know our member institutions - their campuses, communities, and the local culture and history of the host region.

The Great Plains Honors Council serves collegiate honors programs in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. Working alongside the National Collegiate Honors Council, GPHC promotes the exchange of ideas, fellowship, and professional encouragement among its member programs. The spring conference puts students at the center - emphasizing their presentations and the tradition of exploring the host region as a living text.

HOSTS

Lone Star College Honors

The Honors College at Lone Star College serves academically motivated students across the greater Houston area, offering enriched, discussion-based coursework, undergraduate research, and a close community of scholars. Our courses engage and challenge students inside and outside the classroom through small classes and close interaction with dedicated faculty. Opportunities to enrich the total college experience while at The Honors College include domestic and international travel, off-campus educational and cultural events, service learning opportunities, leadership development program, conferences and special seminars. We also offer the Global Scholars program, a language and culture pathway housed within The Honors College designed to provide dynamic, intercultural learning experiences and an International Studies core-course curriculum.

Elliott T. Bowers Honors College

The Elliott T. Bowers Honors College at Sam Houston State University, established in 1987, challenges high-achieving undergraduates through interdisciplinary seminars, faculty-mentored research, and a supportive scholarly community in Huntsville, Texas.  Our mission is to offer a unique and intellectual academic environment that emphasizes undergraduate research and personal growth. Besides the innate value of being part of a community of like-minded students, the program also offers flexible credit options, scholarships, advising and support services, Honors housing, study abroad opportunities, and research/conference/symposia funding.
 

Region

The 2027 conference takes place in The Woodlands, a green, master-planned community just north of Houston. Greater Houston pairs bold ambition with creativity: NASA's Johnson Space Center, the world's largest medical center, and a global energy hub sit alongside acclaimed museums, a celebrated food scene, and the bayous and beaches of the Gulf Coast. It's a fitting home for a conference themed “Launching Ideas, Landing Solutions” — a region that has always turned big challenges into new ideas.

Check out the Visit The Woodlands website for more valuable information regarding the area!