August 25, 2021

Honors Wednesday Memo

Opportunities and Information for Honors Students

edited by Lakin Stevens

Volume 5, Issue 2

August 25, 2021

 

Honors College students and faculty,  

Thanks to wonderful private benefactors who support high-quality student-faculty collaboration, the Honors College has funds waiting now to support student research, scholarship, and creative activity mentored by faculty members. Most Honors College funding awards will be in the $500 to $1,000 range, and will be granted on a rolling basis. Larger awards, and second awards for the same or different projects, may be possible.

Students: If you are working together now with a faculty member on research, scholarship, or creative activity, or planning to start soon, please ask them if additional funding would help, and apply!  And YES, you may apply for Honors College research funding even if you are also applying for a URA (Undergraduate Research Assistantship) or have been awarded other funds elsewhere.

Faculty members: If you are working with an Honors College student now, or will be in the future, please reach out to your student and/or to me to start the application process!

Jeff Vahlbusch, Dean of the Honors College

 

 

As part of Welcome Week, Honors College incoming first-year students visited the Sustainable Development Teaching and Research Farm on August 13th where they did service-learning and community-building activities. Photos by Chase Reynolds.

 

Upcoming Opportunities:

Dean Jeff is happy to help you apply; send him an email at vahlbuschjb@appstate.edu.

Honors College Funding for Research, Scholarship, Creative Activity

The Honors College has funds waiting now to support student research, scholarship, and creative activity mentored by faculty members. Awards will range from $500 to $1,000 and will be granted on a rolling basis. Larger awards and second awards may be possible. Students may apply if you are working now or planning to start soon with a faculty member. Faculty members working with an Honors College student now are encouraged to reach out as well. Please click here for further information and our simple application form. Send questions to Dean Vahlbusch.

Engaging with Our Local Latinx Immigrant Community

Faculty and students are invited to attend a virtual lecture titled “Engaging with Our Local Latinx Immigrant Community” on August 26th from 5:00 – 6:30 pm. This presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of the local Latinx immigrant community’s demographics, common challenges faced in the health and education spheres, and how local organizations work to support this community. Featuring guest speakers Melinda Bogardus, Sarah Donovan, and Yolanda Adams. Details here.

Undergraduate Research Assistantship Program 

The Undergraduate Research (URA) Assistantships offer highly motivated undergraduate students the opportunity to work closely with a Faculty mentor on the Faculty member’s research, scholarship, or creative activity. A Faculty member with an undergraduate student is encouraged to apply. All disciplines are welcome. Students can earn up to $2,000 and are encouraged to present their work at the annual Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors. Apply here by August 31st and award notifications will be announced September 16th.

Belk Library and Information Commons’ Student Advisory Board

Belk Library and Information Commons’ Student Advisory Board is accepting applications from undergraduate and graduate students hoping to get a cross section of the student population. On the board, students have the opportunity to be an influential voice in shaping library services, resources, and spaces for student use. Read more about the opportunity here and apply here by September 3rd.

Math & Science Education Center Book Club

The Math & Science Education Center in the Reich College of Education will be hosting a book club to explore “Asked and Answered: Dialogues on Advocating for Students of Color in Mathematics” by Dr. Pamela Harris, associate professor of mathematics at Williams College, and Dr. Aris Winger, assistant professor of mathematics at Georgia Gwinnett College. The book club will be meeting virtually on Mondays from 5:00 – 6:00 pm running September 20th through November 15th. Find details here and register to join here by September 14th at 5:00 pm.

  

Stay in the Know: 

Craft Enrichment Fall Course Registration

The Craft Enrichment Program at Appalachian State welcomes the whole community and students by providing novices, hobbyists, and advanced students with classes led by professional artists and crafts people in facilities with professional level equipment. This Fall 2021 semester is offering several classes including visual journaling and mobile phone photography. Registration opens on August 18th at 12:00 pm. Find more details here.

Participate in Honors thesis survey

Honors public health senior Brianna Richardson is currently seeking survey participants for her thesis research. Richardson’s thesis is titled “Post COVID-19 Analysis of Barrier Method Use and Sex Practices Among Undergraduate Students.”  This project is studying the impact of COVID-19 safety guidelines on the sexual practices of the undergraduate age cohort which is at high risk for engaging in risky sexual behaviors. Students (not specifically App State) 18 years or older are invited to participate here and more information can be found here.

The Appalachian Returns

The Appalachian, Appalachian State’s student newspaper, is resuming monthly printed issues and weekly email newsletters. Find more information on how to stay updated with the Appalachian here.

Business Career Services Professional Develop Series

Business Career Services is offering workshops for undergraduate and graduate students on a variety of professional development topics. Upcoming next at 5:00 pm is Handshake How-tos on August 25th, Interview Skills on September 1st, Networking After a Pandemic at September 8th. For more details and future dates, click here.

Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series Fall 2021

The Fall 2021 Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series will feature readings from the featured writers: Leah Hampton (fiction writer), Ashleigh Phillips (novelist), Matthew Wimberley (poet and 2021 Rachel Rivers-Coffey Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing), and Jacinta White (poet). The events will be held 6:00 – 7:00 pm on September 16thSeptember 30thOctober 21st, and November 18th, respectively. Details found here.

 

In the Honors Spotlight 

App Honors College steers Anna Ruth Carmichael to East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine

 

 

Left photo shows Anna Ruth Carmichael in her new white coat and right photo features Carmichael during East Tennessee State University's Quillen College of Medicine’s white coat ceremony held on July 16, 2021.

Honors alumna Anna Ruth Carmichael ’19 is attending East Tennessee State University's Quillen College of Medicine. Carmichael graduated from Appalachian with both University Honors and departmental Honors in exercise science with a concentration in clinical exercise physiology. She completed her Honors thesis “Estrogen Effects on Cardiovascular Function” with Dr. Rebecca M. Kappus as her thesis director and Dr. Ted Zerucha as her second reader. Carmichael shared that it was her many Honors experiences including: discussion-based Honors College seminars, departmental honors science courses, hands-on experience in the medical field, researching and writing her Honors thesis, and direct involvement in the Honors College community, that led her to medical school.

Read more about what led Carmichael to medical school here

 

Have announcements to share? Submissions can be made to honors@appstate.edu. Any content received by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday will be considered for the following week’s issue. 

Have a story to share? Share what you have done, what you are doing, or what you will be doing by submitting a story here.