Honors Wednesday Memo
Opportunities and Information for Honors Students
edited by Brad Rentz
Volume 3, Issue 18
January 22, 2019
Message from Associate Director of the Honors College, Heather Waldroup
Dear returning and new Honors students:
National Parks are one of our greatest treasures, and not only for recreation: by spending time in these extraordinary places, we learn about our histories, our environments, and ourselves. This past October, a group of Honors College students participated in a service learning trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In this weekend-long experience, students were introduced to concepts espoused by a national Honors initiative, Partners in the Parks (PITP). Week-long PITP programs connect honors students and faculty from colleges and universities around the country. Participants deepen their historical, cultural, and scientific and knowledge of specific parks, learn how specificities of place connect us with broader natural and cultural systems, and engage in stewardship activities.
I encourage you to consider attending a PITP program in 2020. This year’s offerings include an Appalachian Trail-based program within driving distance of Boone. For those of you who have expressed your intentions to thru-hike after graduation, this would be a wonderful opportunity to expand your knowledge of this National Scenic Trail before you embark on your longer journey. There’s also a PITP offering at one of my favorite places, Glacier National Park in Montana; an international opportunity in Costa Rica; and other fantastic options. See here for a full list of 2020 PITP programs.
In addition, you can apply for a stipend (up to $700) from the Southern Regional Honors Council to support your participation in a PITP experience.
Spending time in our National Parks allows us reflect on our pasts and develop new possibilities for our futures. Please consider joining a PITP experience in 2020.
Heather Waldroup, Ph.D. Associate Director of the Honors College, and Professor, Art History
The photo above features Glacier National Park in Montana. Photo by Dr. Heather Waldroup
Upcoming Opportunities:
NCHC’s Partners in the Parks Program
Registration is now open for Partners in the Parks (PITP) program from the National Collegiate Honors Council. PITP projects at national parks across the country offer unique opportunities for collegiate honors students and faculty to visit areas of the American landscape noted for their beauty, significance and lasting value. There are scholarships available for every project sponsored by NCHC! To learn more, visit our website.
Present at the Appalachian Leadership Forum
The Appalachian Leadership Forum (ALF) is ASU’s signature student leadership conference focused on professional development, networking, and leadership learning. This year, ALF will take place on Saturday, February 29th from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm in the PSU. The deadline to submit a proposal this year Is January 22, 2020. For more information, click here.
Become an Appalachian Ambassador
Consider applying to become an Appalachian Ambassador, campus ambassadors represent the university at official functions; help out at events such as Open House and commencements; give tours of campus for prospective students, their parents, and visiting dignitaries; collaborate wonderfully with the Honors College; and much more! The application portal closes on January 24, 2020. For more information, visit our website.
Internship Expo
On January 29, 2020, the Internship Expo will be held in the Grandfather Mountain Ballroom from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can expect to meet large, small, non-profit, government, statewide and national organizations who are looking for interns. To learn more about the expo, click here.
Museum of Outdoor Arts Internship
The Museum of Outdoor Art is seeking interns for the summer of 2020. Applicants with painting, drawing, mural work, illustration, digital projection mapping and/or animation experience are strongly encouraged to apply. The deadline to submit your application is April 3rd. For more information, visit our website.
Stay in the Know…
Don’t forget: Cookies with Jeff today! From 3 to 5 p.m. in Appalachian Hall 285.
Beating the Winter Blues Fest
On Thursday, January 23 from 3 to 7 p.m. in the Blue Ridge Ballrooms of the Student Union, you can enjoy several activities designed to get you thinking about how you can keep your brain and body active during the dark, cold winter months. Drop by the festival to learn some of the strategies to beat the winter blues, hang out with therapy dogs, and much more! To learn more and explore the full schedule, click here.
Feelin’ Good Workshops
The Counseling Center’s Feelin’ Good Workshops are back this semester with several events! These workshops free, drop-in, and open to all students. There is a workshop Today, from 5:30 to 6:30 in the Beacon Heights room 417 of the Student Union. To find out when the remaining workshops are for the spring, visit our website.
Math Colloquium Series
On Friday, January 24, from 3 to 4 p.m. in Walker Hall room 103A, speaker Thomas R. Cameron
will present on a rankability measure that is based on a spectral-degree characterization of acyclic tournament graphs. Cameron is a visiting assistant professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Davidson College. To learn more, click here.
Physics and Astronomy Colloquium
On Friday, January 24, from 3:30 to 4 p.m. in Garwood Hall room 107, there will be a presentation on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. The mission of the telescope will be explained and discussed, as well as an in-depth examination of the instruments that are on board the JWST. For more information, visit our website.
The Schaefer Center Presents…
The Schaefer Center continues its 2019-20 season beginning on February 1 with Lyle Lovett & his acoustic group. The Schaefer Center is bringing a stellar lineup of music, dance, and theater performances this spring. For a complete list of the performances, click here.
In the Honors Spotlight
Judith Brodsky and Ferris Olin Present at Appalachian
The photo shows Ferris Olin (left) and Judith Brodsky (right) in their joint public lecture, "Junctures in Women’s Leadership: The Arts." Photo by Jody Servon.
With sponsorship from the Honors College, Professor Judith Brodsky and Dr. Ferris Olin, distinguished professors emerita at Rutgers University, presented a series of programs to Honors students and the public in November. The programs focused around the publication of their recent book, Junctures in Women’s Leadership: The Arts (Rutgers University Press, 2018).
For the complete story by Dr. Heather Waldroup, click here.
Gabrianne Ivey awarded the 2019-20 George Williams Garrett Memorial Scholarship
Top photo of Honors sophomore and Chancellor’s Scholar Gabrianne Ivey, the 2019-20 George Williams Garrett Memorial Scholarship award winner.
Congratulations to Honors sophomore and Chancellor’s Scholar Gabrianne Ivey, who has been awarded the 2019-20 George Williams Garrett Memorial Scholarship. Ivey is a biology major pursuing a double minor in chemistry and mathematics. Ivey is working in the research labs of Dr. Darren Seals and Dr. Maryam Ahmed, both associate professors in the Department of Biology. This scholarship is to support Ivey’s research study of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) towards a therapeutic for breast cancer.
To read more on this story, visit our website.
To Stay in the Know and Learn About All Opportunities in Honors, please visit https://honors.appstate.edu/announcements
Appalachian State Honors College on Social Media!
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Have news to share? Submissions to the Honors Wednesday Memo can be made by emailing honors@appstate.edu. Any content received by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday will be considered for the following week’s issue.