Honors Wednesday Memo
Opportunities and Information for Honors Students
edited by Lakin Stevens
Volume 4, Issue 18
January 27, 2020
Message from Dean Jeff Vahlbusch
Many of you have heard me say "Honors at Appalachian is Honors done differently." This is both a fact and a continuing exciting goal. In the Honors College, we aim to be a center for educational innovation, a locus for extraordinary high-level collaboration among students and faculty, and thus a unique asset for our students, our faculty, and our great university.
One major difference is our approach to Honors College admissions. We practice holistic admissions, considering all the information we have about applicants, and giving much more attention and weight to application essays and letters of recommendation than to the always problematic numbers: test scores, rank in class, GPA. And we read every word of every single Honors College application. We are thus able to do real justice to each of our Honors College applicants: this year it is more than 1200!
All students who apply to our Honors College thus have equal chances of being invited to join. And those who aren't invited? We invite them to apply again after a successful semester at Appalachian, and/or apply to one of our more than 30 great departmental or Walker College of Business Honors programs across the university.
And here's a secret: reading university and Honors College applications, like teaching and working with current university and Honors College students, is a terrific way to strengthen hope for the future of our state, our country, and our world.
Yours,
Jeff
Honors students show off what they have been cooking, baking, and eating! From left to right and top to bottom, we have Jonathan Layton’s chorizo and potato stew, Lillian Hlavin’s vegan chocolate pie, Hannah Joyner’s vodka and cheese sauce penne, and Sam Duggan’s vodka sauce gnocchi. Follow us on Instagram and be on the lookout for more themed photo calls so we can share with the rest of the Honors community! Photos can be submitted to honors@appstate.edu.
Upcoming Opportunities:
Dean Jeff is happy to help you apply; send him an email at vahlbuschjb@appstate.edu.
Health Professions Advising Sessions
The Health Professions Advising Office is hosting Planning Prescription Sessions to help pre-health students. Upcoming session focused on medical, dental, pharmaceutical, optometry, and veterinary held on February 2nd at 3:00 pm. The next AT, OT, PA, and PT focused session will be held on February 3rd at 1:00 pm. Find more information and register here.
Jeopardy! National College Championship
Jeopardy! is currently casting for an all-new competition featuring 15 colleges across the country. Set aside at least 15 minutes to take the Jeopardy! College test to see if you could be the new college champion. Take the test here.
De-Stress with Mindfulness Classes
Feeling stressed? Wellness and Prevention Services is offering Koru Mindfulness classes that can help relieve stress, improve sleep and focus, and decrease self-judgement. Classes are open until all spots are full. The upcoming classes start dates are Mondays starting February 1st and Thursdays starting February 4th. Register here.
Accepting Submissions for Southern Regional Honors Council Annual Conference
Proposals are now being accepted for the Southern Regional Honors Council (SRHC) Annual Conference being held virtually on April 8-10, 2021. This conference themed “Crossing Divides” aims to highlight shared presentations and co-created conversation that is important to regional, racial, religious, global, and many more human divisions. Apply with this form and submissions are due by February 15th.
NAACP Marshall-Motley Scholarship Program
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s (NAACP) Legal Defense Fund (LDF) announced its new Marshall-Motley Scholarship Program (MMSP). This program will support 50 aspiring civil rights lawyers over the next five years by providing full law school tuition, summer internships at LDF, a two-year postgraduate fellowship, and access to special trainings. For more details on the scholarship, click here. Applications due by February 16th.
Stay in the Know:
Honors June 2021 Seminar: Rhythm & Revolution
This summer the Honors seminar Rhythm & Revolution: Cuba is being offered. In this program, Honors students will earn 6sh of credits for both HON 2515 and HON 3515 seminars. Students will learn about Cuba’s history from a Spanish colony to a Marxist-Leninist state through a virtual immersion in Cuba and its culture. No knowledge of dance or Spanish necessary. Read more here and contact faculty instructors Emily Daughtridge or Joseph Gonzalez with any questions.
Schaefer Center Presents Spring 2021 Virtual Season
The 2021 season of the Schaefer Center presents its virtual lineup for spring running from February 4th to March 25th. The first event is An Evening with Anna Deavere Smith “Reclaiming Grace in the Face of Adversity” at 8:00 pm on February 4th. To view all upcoming events and free registration, click here.
Lunch-and-Learn for Future Caring Professionals
Dr. Chris Osmond, associate director of the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership, and associate professor in the Department of Leadership and Educational studies, is offering a series of ten lunch-and-learn conversations on burnout prevention and sustainable practice for future caring professionals. These one-hour sessions are stand-alone and will include a short introduction of a concept, time for individual written reflection, and a group conversation. View the upcoming sessions and curriculum here, with the next session being Thursday, January 28th. Email Dr. Osmond to register.
Career Development Center: Career. Connect.
For Spring 2021, the Career Development Center is launching a series of career programming and recruitment fairs throughout January and February called Career. Connect. The next upcoming events include the Internship Expo on January 27th, Arts & Design, Media & Communication Career Fair on February 3rd, and Management Trainee and Leadership Development Career Fair on February 4th. Learn about all the upcoming events and find more details here.
A Virtual Conversation, “Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis”
The Creative Justice Institute and Climate Stories Collaborative present the virtual conversation “Truth, Courage, and Solutions for Climate Crisis” with Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, marine biologist, policy expert, and leader/cultivator of the climate movement. Join in at 7:00-8:30 pm on February 11th and learn more here.
In the Honors Spotlight
Honors Students Participate in Webinar with Dr. Jane Goodall
Photo features Dr. Jane Goodall (left) and Honors student Jessica Navarro-Luviano. Submitted by Jessica Navarro-Luviano.
Honors students Claire Funderburk, a junior sustainable development major, and Jessica Navarro-Luviano, a junior sustainable technology major, were two of four students who participated in the live, interactive Zoom webinar with the world-renowned conservationist and humanitarian, Dr. Jane Goodall. The webinar titled “Reasons for Hope: A Virtual Discussion with Dr. Jane Goodall,” took place on November 18, 2020. Funderburk and Navarro-Luviano worked with their professors to develop questions to interview Dr. Goodall. Both described the experience of meeting and interacting with Dr. Goodall as life-changing.
To read more on this story, click here.
Have news to share? Submissions 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.
To stay in the know, learn about opportunities, and take part in the Honors community, find us below!