Jonathan Alger, president of James Madison University, reflects on his experience as a student who searched for an honors program in which it was "cool" for students to develop close mentoring relationships with faculty and where students were encouraged to seek both breadth and depth in their education. He realized he was seeking a significant opportunity to participate in an environment marked by high-impact learning practices, a focus on the big issues facing humanity, and lifelong learning. As a university president, he strives to create similar opportunities for the next generations of students. His college honors experience taught him the importance not just of interdisciplinary connections, but also of personal connections and relationships as a key to intellectual stimulation and growth.