The Honors College Celebrates Move to Achauer House Aug. 17

The Honors College at the University of Central Missouri will celebrate its relocation to the Achauer House during a grand opening on Aug. 17.  

WARRENSBURG, MO – With roots that date back to 1958, the University of Central Missouri Honors College is celebrating a new milestone in its history with a change in location. The grand opening at the Achauer House, 314 S. Holden St., Warrensburg, is planned for 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17, and all members of the university community and other interested individuals are invited to attend.

The event includes barbecue, lawn games, facility tours and the formal dedication of the building as the new home for The Honors College. UCM President Roger Best will offer remarks, and will be joined by Peter Viscusi, a professor emeritus and former dean of The Honors College; Lynn Alkire, professor emerita and former dean of the College of Health, Science and Technology; and Bruce Uhler, a university alumnus, local historian and member of the Warrensburg City Council.

Jennifer Carson, professor of criminal justice and director of The Honors College, said the move into the facility from the college’s current location in the James C. Kirkpatrick Library began earlier in the summer with a goal to officially launch operations at the Achauer House this fall. The Achauer House is the former residence of longtime UCM supporter Maurine Achauer, who passed away in 2009 having gifted the structure to the university through her estate. UCM began refurbishing the home in 2012, and it was used for several years as a host site for alumni events and provided office space. The beautiful Victorian home was built in the late 1800s, and while owned by Achauer became a prominent gathering spot for Warrensburg community members, area leaders and sometimes dignitaries who visited the community and the campus.

Carson expressed her appreciation to the Achauer family for their donation and to President Best for the opportunity to utilize the facility. She noted that it will become a place for The Honors College students and faculty to "engage in intellectual discourse."

“The gift of this house by the Achauer family and its reassignment to The Honors College by President Best is an absolute game changer for the program. Now, The Honors College students have a place of their own for studying, socializing, and hosting events. All of our classes will also be moved into Achauer House,” Carson said. “We hope that The Honors College at the Achauer House becomes a place for students and faculty to gather and exchange ideas in an informal environment."

The Honors College at UCM is considered the second oldest program of its kind west of the Mississippi River. Its   students engage in high-impact learning in a collegial environment that adds significant value to their academic and social experience at UCM.  Learn more about The Honors College by visiting its website.