Bluffton University's Honors Program will introduce the Bluffton Centre for Academic Excellence, the program's new campus home in Ropp Hall, at an open house from 9:30 a.m. to noon Friday, March 18.

Consisting of two rooms on the first floor of Ropp, the centre is the first space dedicated to the Honors Program at Bluffton. Having a space where honors students can meet enables Bluffton to more fully comply with guidelines for honors programs set by the National Collegiate Honors Council, said Dr. Trevor Bechtel, director of Bluffton's Honors Program.

Bechtel envisions one of the centre's two rooms hosting Honors Program and other campus events. The assistant professor of religion also plans to teach the junior honors seminar course in the same room each fall. The room will include a lounge space for honors students' use.

The other room will serve more like an office, with computers and lockable filing cabinets for senior students' use as they work on their departmental honors projects.

Bechtel is in his second year as director of the program, which currently includes about 60 students.