Honors Wednesday Memo
Opportunities and Information for Honors Students
edited by Lakin Stevens
Volume 4, Issue 19
February 3, 2021
Message from Dean Jeff Vahlbusch
Dear Honors students, colleagues, friends,
Students now wonderfully back in our residence halls; gorgeous fresh snow and bracing air in Boone; the great conversations of Scholars Day last weekend, where selected applicants interviewed for Appalachian's merit scholarships; everyone on campus and off trying their best to make Zoom-learning and Zoom-socializing work well and work better: this semester, in and beyond the Honors College, is beginning to buzz!
I spent Scholars Day in a ‘Zoom Room’ where finalists for the Chancellor's Scholarship could drop by to relax, get interview tips and pep talks, meet current Scholars, debrief. Of course I talked some, but mostly I listened to the conversations—and marveled at the students’ love for this place and all the good that it is and does. Despite the trials of living and studying remotely, our current and future students are still strongly motivated by and strongly believe in Appalachian’s special mission and special community. And they believe in, and are working hard, for our better future.
It is an honor to be part of this.
Jeff
Snow much snow in Boone! On the far left, Honors student John Poston shares a snowman named Dave; Front and center, features a snow fort created by students (back to front, left to right) Allie Tippin, Francine Ollila, Rylee Strassner, Matthew Mair, Amanda Halbert, Allie Suddreth, Lindy Kuchenbecker, Connor Ranes, Seth Wells, and Skyler Strzelecki. And on the right (left to right), Matthew Mair, Rylee Strassner, and Amanda Halbert pose with their snowfriend in front of the Honors College! All photos submitted.
Upcoming Opportunities:
Dean Jeff is happy to help you apply; send him an email at vahlbuschjb@appstate.edu.
Courageous Conversations
As a part of Black Lives Matter at School Week, join students, faculty, staff, and community members from the Walker College of Business and the Reich College of Education for a Courageous Conversation on topics like diversity justice, inclusion awareness, and representation. Register for the event here and attend the Zoom at 2:00 pm on February 4th.
“If They Should Come For Us” Poem Discussion
Small and Mighty Acts community group is celebrating Black History Month with events all month long that ask us to look deeply at racism and our place within it. Upcoming next, join Brittany Twitty, who currently is pursuing her masters of social work at Appalachian State, for a discussion of the poem “If They Should Come For Us” by Fatimah Ashgar. Register for February 4th from 6:00 - 7:00 pm and learn more here.
Health Professions Advising Sessions
The Health Professions Advising Office is hosting Prescription for Success to help pre-health students. These workshops are focused on medical, dental, pharmaceutical, optometry, and veterinary and will be held each Friday on different topics. The next workshop will be about “application timelines” on February 5th from 11:00 – 11:45 am. Find more information and register here.
“Genocide from Below: Rewriting the Holocaust at First-Person Local History” with Dr. Omer Bartov
The Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures (DLLC) will be hosting its 3rd Annual International Speaker Series on February 8th from 7:00-9:00 pm. This event will feature Dr. Omer Bartov, John P. Birkelund Distinguished Professor of European History from Brown University, presents his lecture titled “Genocide from Below: Rewriting the Holocaust at First-Person Local History.” Attend this free, public event here. Additionally, from 11:00 am – 12:30 pm on the same day, Dr. Bartov will participate in a research colloquium discussing topics like the Holocaust in Eastern Europe and the Jewish-Palestinian conflict. Register here.
Documentary Screening of Trail Magic: The Grandma Gatewood Story
As a part of the University College’s University Lecture Series, “Trail Magic: The Grandma Gatewood Story” tells the story of Grandma Emma Gatewood, the first woman to hike the Appalachian trail in 1955. View on February 16th at 6:00 pm with a Q&A session after the film at 7:00 pm. Learn more here.
Stay in the Know:
University Writing Center Spring 2021
The University Writing Center is open for the spring semester offering synchronous Zoom appointments for students, staff, and faculty working on any project. Visit here to make an appointment. Their hours are 9:00 am – 9:00 pm Monday through Thursday, and 9:00 am -12:00 pm on Fridays.
Spring 2021 Group Teletherapy
The Counseling Center continues to offer a variety of group teletherapy options for students this semester. There are quick access groups which are workshop-style groups allowing students to get started quickly and focus on building coping skills for common mental health concerns. Each group is offered weekly and students are encouraged to attend 3-4 consecutive weeks. Short-term skills groups are designed to help students learn skills, connect with others of similar goals, and build compassion and these groups meet weekly for 5-6 consecutive weeks. Lastly, there are full-semester therapy groups which meet weekly throughout the semester, allowing students to build connections, make progress towards goals, and discuss a range of mental health topics. For a full list and description of these groups, click here.
Spring 2021 Sustainability Film Series
The Office of Sustainability presents its Spring 2021 virtual film screenings. RSVP on Engage here for the link/password to join each screening. Up next, the film Kiss the Ground looks at the soils of modern agriculture. View on February 16th at 7:00 pm.
Career.Connect. Career Fairs
The Career Development Center’s Career.Connect. programming hosts the Arts & Design, Media & Communication Employer Panels and Management Trainee and Leadership Development Center Career Fair. Both of which, are opportunities to meet employers and land a job or internship. The employer panels will be February 3rd from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm with hour dedicated to a specific career field. Click here to learn more and register for this event. The career fair will follow on February 4th from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. Register and learn more here for this event.
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 Student Awarded Sigma Xi Grant in Aid of Local Hydrogeology Research
Photos above feature Tschoepe’s study site in the Clawson-Burnely wetland (left) and Skye-Anne Tschoepe (right). All photos submitted by Skye-Anne Tschoepe.
Honors sophomore Skye-Anne Tschoepe has been awarded $1,000 for the Grant in Aid of Research from the Scientific Research Honor Society Sigma Xi—the international honors society of science and engineering. For her research, Tschoepe is working with Dr. William Anderson, professor and chair of the Department of Geologic and Environmental Sciences, to investigate two stormwater management systems in Boone. Tschoepe explained that “this project will deepen our understanding of how to protect our water quality as Appalachian State and Boone continue to develop.” Last year, in support of this same research project, Tschoepe was also awarded an Honors College Special Research Grant sponsored by a wonderful donor who has asked to remain anonymous. She plans to build this research into her Honors thesis, the culminating requirement for the completion of University Honors.
To read the full story on Tschoepe’s research, 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!