The University of Texas at Austin Tower will shine with orange lights tonight (Saturday, April 16) in celebration of Honors Day.

Introduced in 1948, Honors Day is the occasion when students who have achieved academic excellence are honored by administrative officials, academic deans and members of the faculty.

Serving as an important prelude to Commencement, the Honors Day Convocation includes ceremonial elements such as an academic procession, orange and white honors cords worn by students, heraldic banners, inspirational messages and celebratory music. The ceremony reflects the inspiration, talent, and sustained collaborative effort that lie at the heart of undergraduate education at a great university.

During the ceremony, the university honors students who have earned the designation College Scholar or Distinguished College Scholar. For the 2016 Honors Day program, there are 4,169 honorees, of which 3,427 qualified as College Scholars and 742 qualified as Distinguished College Scholars.

On behalf of the university, we congratulate all of this year’s honorees and look forward to celebrating their success.