The Honors College

Honors Wednesday Memo

Opportunities and Information for Honors Students

edited by Kelly Dancy

Volume 1, Issue 13

December 13, 2017 

Message from Dean Jeff Vahlbusch

Gratitude, Hope, Best Wishes.  My first semester as dean of our Honors College has blazed by in a long flash of deep learning and listening, good meetings, great conversations. Thanks to you—all Honors students, faculty, and staff—for helping me make the transition to Honors at Appalachian. Thank you for your patience in teaching and guiding me, and for investing and enriching the Honors College and Honors education at this extraordinary university with your presence and involvement, advice and criticisms, ideas. Keep them coming, please!

I am full of hope for our future. Together we will build an Honors College that can measure itself against the best in the country for the quality of what we do in all aspects of Honors education:  curriculum and reflection, support for the thesis process, advising and mentoring, community building and residence life, extra- and co-curriculars, professional development, support for applying to major fellowships and employment, graduate, and professional study, and more.

Warm wishes to all for a successful conclusion to this fall semester, and for a relaxing and rewarding break.

Yours,

Jeff

Upcoming Opportunities: 

Dr. Vahlbusch will be delighted to assist with applications! 

Baltimore Health Immersion: Pre-Health Program 

Applications to the Baltimore Health Immersion five-week summer program on psychological and social foundations of health are due by February 25^th. The program offers integrated course work, a service-learning internship, and networking opportunities. For more information, visit https://honors.appstate.edu/baltimore-health-immersion-pre-health-program.

Tech4Teach Fair

The 2018 Tech4Teach Fair will be held on Friday, February 16^th from 12:15 to 6:00 p.m. The T4T Fair offers a platform to encourage more faculty and students to do, share, and learn about a wide range of topics related to teaching and technology. You are encouraged to submit an E-Poster proposal to share your efforts to enhance student engagement and learning. The deadline for submission is December 18^th. For more information, please visit https://honors.appstate.edu/2018-tech4teach-fair.

INTERSECT Social Justice Retreat

The 2018 INTERSECT Social Justice Retreat will take place from January 26^th-28^th. Participant applications close on Wednesday, December 20^th at midnight. The retreat will take place at the Blowing Rock Conference Center, and there is a $10 fee. For more information, visit https://honors.appstate.edu/2018-tech4teach-fair.

W.H. Plemmons Leadership Medallion

Nominations for the W.H. Plemmons Leadership Medallion are currently being accepted through February 9^th, 2018. The award was created to recognize the time, energy, skills, and commitment of students, faculty, student development educators and staff who exceed their peers in providing leadership that enriches the quality of student life and advances the education of students. For more information, visithttps://honors.appstate.edu/w-h-plemmons-leadership-medallion-0.

The Peace Corps

Peace Corps applications are due by January 1^st for departure in Fall 2018. There is also currently a high need for Maternal and Child Health and HIV/AIDS Educators in Zambia.

Upcoming Events:

 WE COACH is Here to Help

Members of WE COACH are here to help and support you with time management, stress management, friendship tensions, feeling blue, eating better, and more. For more information and to schedule an appointment, visit https://honors.appstate.edu/we-coach-here-help.

Driving Domestic Alternative Service Experience

Need plans for spring break? Save the date for the lottery on Monday, January 29^th to sign up for a Driving Domestic ASE. For more information about the lottery and this year’s programs, visit https://ase.appstate.edu/pagesmith/10.

Banff 2018 Tickets Now on Sale

Tickets for the 2018 Banff Film Festival are now on sale at the Schaefer Center for Performing Arts. Tickets are $8.00 for ASU students and $12.00 for all others. Show times for the festival are Friday, March 23^rd at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 24^th at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit https://honors.appstate.edu/banff-2018-tickets-now-sale.

Honors Alumni Spotlight 

Honors alum (Spring ’17) and former Chancellor’s Scholar Devin Hoffman won the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program award for graduate research at any accredited university! Devin is currently attending Virginia Tech University, where he is pursuing a doctorate in the Department of Geosciences. Devin’s research is focused on the link between mass extinctions and vertebrate evolution. Congratulations are owed to Devin on this amazing achievement and opportunity! For more information about Devin’s accomplishments, please visithttps://honors.appstate.edu/news/devin-hoffman-wins-nsf-graduate-research-fellowship-program-award.

Honors Student Spotlight

Kelly Dancy (HWM editor) here. This is my last week as the editor of the Honors Wednesday Memo, a responsibility that I have truly enjoyed and will dearly miss. I’ll be student teaching next semester, so I no longer have the privilege of sitting at the desk in the Honors College and speaking with you all as you come by. Dr. McDowell and the Honors College staff were gracious in writing a little something about me, so I hope you will read and enjoy: https://honors.appstate.edu/news/kelly-dancy-honors-superstar.

Best wishes for a restful winter break and a rewarding spring semester,

Kelly

Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook at Appalachian Honors: https://www.facebook.com/Appalachian-Honors-482157301971520/.

Submissions to honors@appstate.edu should be received by 5:00 p.m. on Thursdays for the following week’s issue.