Recognizing and encouraging excellent scholarship

Since the 1950s, the University of Illinois has encouraged outstanding undergraduate students by offering participation in the Edmund James Scholar Program. Each college has a James Scholar undergraduate honors program. The programs are named for the fourth president of the University of Illinois, Edmund J. James. He believed scholarship and research are fundamental to human progress, and in the years of his presidency (1904 – 1920), he brought world-class scholars and researchers to the campus, developed many new graduate programs, and fostered a sense of community among faculty and students. His achievements helped to transform the University of Illinois into a campus of international importance.