Honors Wednesday Memo
Opportunities and Information for Honors Students
edited by Kistler Hunt
Volume 6, Issue 16
January 18, 2023
Dear students and friends of Honors education,
An old German proverb declares that "aller Anfang ist schwer" (all beginnings are difficult). But yesterday and today, at the start of my 43rd spring semester beyond the bachelor's degree, I remember the excitement of all those first days, and relish the promise of the learning and relationship-building and collaborations to come.
And, yes: even experienced professors get happy butterflies on the first day of a course. I love my jitters on a classroom's threshold, and then the quick step through the door into a constellation of people and potential relationships that are unique in the cosmos. There's nothing like learning and teaching in such groups, and nothing I would rather do. Except maybe being a dean collaborating with students, faculty, staff, and sometimes other administrators to build a terrific Honors College, and still teaching a little on the side.
Sending my best wishes to all for this new semester!
Jeff
Top photo features Honors College Student Worker Abby Becker at the Parque Guell in Barcelona, Spain in the Summer of 2022. Becker is a freshman from Grayson, Georgia, majoring in sustainable development with a concentration in environmental science and a minor in recreation management. In her role as a student worker, Becker is responsible for responding to messages from prospective Honors students and their families, keeping the spaces in Appalachian Hall clean, and “[making] the lives of the wonderful counselors and Honors staff a little easier.” She hopes to continue incorporating her love for the environment in her future work after graduation. Photo submitted.
Upcoming Opportunities:
Dean Jeff is happy to help you apply; send him an email at vahlbuschjb@appstate.edu.
Spring 2023 Undergraduate Research Assistantship Program
The Office of Student Research is currently accepting Undergraduate Research Assistantship (URA) applications for the Spring 2023 semester. URAs offer highly motivated undergraduate students the opportunity to work closely with App State faculty on the faculty member’s research, scholarship, or creative activity. The faculty member, in consultation with their selected undergraduate student, are encouraged to apply. The URA Program is open to all disciplines at Appalachian State. Applications are due January 19 at 11:59 p.m. For more information about the program and to apply, click here.
Office of International Education and Development Scholarship Applications
The Office of International Education and Development (OIED) is now accepting scholarship applications for students studying abroad between February 15, 2023 and February 15, 2024. Students can receive $250 to $2000 in funding. Students do not have to be committed to a study abroad program at the time of the application deadline, but if they are awarded scholarship funding, they must commit to a program within four weeks. Applications are due January 20. For more information and to apply, click here.
Southern Regional Honors Council Conference Presentation Applications
Students are invited to apply to present at the Southern Regional Honors Council Conference, titled “Honors in Transition,” which will be held in Charlotte from March 30 – April 2. Honors College students are invited to apply to present oral presentations, poster presentations, student organized panels, creative works or performances, and roundtable conversations. Students must apply by January 30. Transportation and lodging are available through the Honors College. To learn more about presentation applications and to apply, click here. To learn more about the 2023 Southern Regional Honors Conference, click here. For any questions, contact Dean Jeff or Dr. Heather Waldroup.
International Volunteer Service Application
The Action Reconciliation – Service for Peace (ARSP) is accepting applications for their international volunteer program in Germany. Volunteers will live in Germany for a year, working at Holocaust memorial sites, social service providers, and civic educational institutions. They will also take part in seminars and engage in activities that embrace German culture. Applications are due January 31. For more information and to apply, click here. For any questions, please contact Monika Moyrer.
Fulbright UK Summer Institutes Application
Current first and second year students are encouraged to apply to the Fulbright UK Summer Institute program. The UK Summer Institute allows students with little-to-no travel experience outside of North America to explore life in the UK while studying at a university in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, or Wales. Students will spend about three to four weeks abroad. The deadline to apply is February 7. For more information and to ask questions, contact Johnna Reisner.
Stay in the Know:
Winter Club Expo
All students are invited to attend the Winter Club Expo, which will be held in the Plemmons Student Union on January 24 from 11:00 – 2:00 p.m. Winter Club Expo allows students to explore all of the ways they can be involved on campus, whether that be through a club, working with a campus office or department, or a Community-Engaged Leadership (CEL) non-profit. For any questions, contact Jesse Vinson.
UTSA Data Science Business Plan Competition
The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is hosting its inaugural Draper Data Science Business Plan Competition. Students with business ventures that use data science to create value and solve problems are encouraged to participate. The competition will be held on April 21 in San Antonio, Texas. The deadline to apply is January 27, with a virtual information session being held on January 20 at 3:00 p.m. This competition will also celebrate the opening of UTSA’s School of Data Science. For more information and to apply, click here.
Belize: Coral Reef and Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Conservation Information Session
Students interested in the environmental conservation of coral reefs and tropical rainforests are encouraged to participate in a faculty-led trip during Summer Session 1. The course, titled “Belize: Coral Reef and Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Conservation,” will be co-taught by Dr. Shea Tuberty, professor in the Department of Biology, and Dr. Todd Jackson, lecturer in the Department of Biology. Drs. Tuberty and Jackson will be holding information sessions in the coming weeks for students to learn more about the course. The first information session will be held on January 23 and the second information session will be held on January 31. Both information sessions will take place in Rankin Science West Room 156 from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. For any questions and to express interest in the information sessions, please contact Dr. Shea Tuberty.
A Year on Antisemitism Presentation
The Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies is hosting its “A Year on Antisemitism: What It Is and Why We Care” series throughout the 2022-2023 academic year. Its upcoming presentation will feature Rachel Lang with the Anti-Defense League to talk about the manifestations of antisemitism in society. This free event is open to the public and will take place on February 15. For more information, click here or contact the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies.
Schaefer Center Presents: Mavis Staples
As a part of the “The Schaefer Center Presents” season, the Schaefer Center will be hosting Mavis Staples on February 25 at 7:00 p.m. Staples is a pioneer of soul music, having won a Grammy award, and is a member of the Blues Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Staples will be performing songs from her new album, We Get By. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
In the Honors Spotlight
Honors College alum Rebecca-Eli Long awarded prestigious Wenner-Gren Dissertation Fieldwork Grant
Photo features Rebecca-Eli Long with her service dog, Tizzy. Photo submitted.
Honors College alum Rebecca-Eli Long ‘16 ‘20 has been awarded the prestigious Wenner-Gren Dissertation Fieldwork Grant for their research at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Long began work towards dual Doctorate of Philosophy degrees in anthropology and gerontology, also with a concentration in applied anthropology at Purdue in August of 2020. The Dissertation Fieldwork Grant is one of the most prestigious grants in the field of anthropology, and the Wenner-Gren Foundation is a leader in providing support for research that advances anthropological knowledge. Long’s dissertation research “challenges social injustices, while also contributing to understandings of neurodiversity, ableism, the life course, and possible futures for humanity.”
To read more about Rebecca-Eli’s story, click 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.
To stay in the know, learn about opportunities, and take part in the Honors community, find us below!