Academic Catalogs

Garrison Honors Center

The Garrison Honors Center (GHC) is home to the OCC Honors Program and sixteen academic honor societies. Located at the geographical center of the campus near the Planetarium and the Global Engagement Center, GHC study and meeting facilities are available for use by students enrolled in any of the honors organizations at OCC, as well as their guests.

The GHC invites over 7,000 students each semester to obtain a report concerning their Honors eligibility.  Applications for Honor Society memberships are accepted in the intersession/spring and in summer/fall. The Honors Program accepts applications until August 31 of the year in which a student will apply for transfer to a UC or CSU. Honors Counseling is recommended prior to submitting an application. Read more about the Honors Program: Go to https://catalog.cccd.edu/orange-coast/student-services/co-curricular-programs/honors-program/ or visit the website:   https://orangecoastcollege.edu/academics/honors/

Active honors organizations participate at campus-wide and all-honors events including Pirate Involvement Fair, Coast Day, and Honors Open Houses, where students can meet current members and elected student leaders, pick up informational materials, and learn about the organizations' activities, scholarly and social events, volunteer opportunities, and scholarships.  

Academic Honor Societies

After completing 12 units of letter-graded coursework at OCC, current OCC students who attained minimum cumulative GPAs of 3.0 or higher are invited to explore their honor society eligibility. Memberships are not automatic but are available to students who meet the minimum academic requirements and who wish to apply. Be sure to submit applications and fee payments* by established deadlines: March 15 in spring semester and October 31 in the fall semester. Permanent memberships will be notated on official transcripts and entitle the student to Honors recognition at graduation. Associate degree and certificate candidates may be recognized by their colorful displays of honors accessories (cords, stoles, medallions or tassels) worn with OCC’s navy cap and gown at the spring commencement ceremonies.

Active participation in Honor societies is strongly recommended but never required. Some of the benefits of honor society membership are:

  • Opportunities to meet other hard-working students (great for forming study groups and networking about other aspects of the college experience)
  • Provides leadership training and perhaps an elected or appointed position in your honors organization. Makes a great addition to a resume, transfer application, scholarship application
  • Puts classroom studies to practical use.  Skills and knowledge may be directly applicable to the needs of an honors organization (e.g., business majors might like the chance to work with real-world budgets and financial processes; art and fashion majors might like to design logo items for the organization like t-shirts, hats, decals, etc.)
  • Strengthens an application for scholarships
  • Event planning and hosting activities that attract attendance by members, the college community, and the public. Learn how a large institution (our college and our District) function to encourage student engagement while protecting the institutions from certain risks and legal exposure
  • Participate in environmental, social, and other kinds of service efforts to solve problems and create a healthier, happier future for us all

EACH HONOR SOCIETY REQUIRES AN APPLICATION AND MEMBERSHIP FEE PAYMENT. Some student support programs may pay for some or all honor society memberships for their enrolled students, including EOPS, Student Equity, CalWORKS, and Guardian Scholars. Please check with the Garrison Honors Center or your program for details about the requirements for obtaining your payment benefit.

OCC has established chapters of the following honor societies:

  • Alpha Beta Gamma – International Business Honor Society
  • Alpha Gamma Sigma – California Scholastic Honor Society
  • Alpha Mu Gamma – Foreign Language Honor Society
  • Eta Eta Omicron – OCC Marine Science Honor Society
  • Mu Alpha Theta – National Mathematics Honor Society
  • Mu Delta Rho – OCC Pre-Health Professions Honor Society
  • National Technical Honor Society – STEM and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs
  • Omega Psi Sigma – OCC Pre-Law and Political Science Honor Society
  • Phi Alpha Mu – OCC Social and Behavioral Sciences Honor Society
  • Phi Theta Kappa – International Honor Society of the Two-Year College
  • Pi Rho Sigma – OCC Music Honor Society
  • Pi Tau Epsilon – OCC Film and Visual Arts Honor Society
  • Psi Beta – National Psychology Honor Society
  • SALUTE – National Veterans’ Honor Society
  • Sigma Chi Eta – National Communications Honor Society
  • Sigma Kappa Delta – National English Honor Society

To learn more about and to apply for membership in any of the 16 Honor Societies at OCC, visit the Academic Honor Societies' webpages:   https://orangecoastcollege.edu/academics/honor-societies  or stop in at the Garrison Honors Center located near the Planetarium and Global Engagement Center.  

To contact us by phone/email: 714-432-5601, garrisonhonorscenter@occ.cccd.edu.