Honors Wednesday Memo
Opportunities and Information for Honors Students
edited by Kistler Hunt
Volume 6, Issue 17
January 25, 2023
Dear students in the Honors College and Honors students across the university in any of our 36 departmental Honors programs, dear friends of Honors and colleagues and coworkers,
After such a long introduction, my Wednesday Memo message today is blissfully short:
All the snarly, freezing wind gusts and snow and ice of late might incline us to forget: we call this Spring semester, not Winter. And thus, every exam and paper written, every problem solved and email answered, every meeting attended and Memo read is bringing us closer, and quickly, to the glories of another High Country spring.
Warmly,
Jeff
Top photo features Honors senior Aaron Lubkemann presenting at the Joint Mathematics Meetings on January 6 in Boston, Massachusetts. Lubkemann presented his research, titled, “Radial Basis Function – Finite Difference Method,” as a part of the undergraduate poster session. Lubkemann majors in mathematics with a concentration in physical sciences and minors in physics and entrepreneurial studies. Photo submitted.
Upcoming Opportunities:
Dean Jeff is happy to help you apply; send him an email at vahlbuschjb@appstate.edu.
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.
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 final information session will be held on January 31. This information session 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 session, please contact Dr. Shea Tuberty.
Appalachian Scholarship Application Portal (ASAP) Deadline
The Office of Financial Aid and University Scholarships invite students to apply for scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year. Students can apply for these scholarships through the Appalachian Scholarship Application Portal (ASAP). Various types of scholarships are available, including general university scholarships, departmental and major-specific scholarships, club scholarships, and student employee scholarships. The deadline for all scholarships is February 7. For any questions, contact the Office of Financial Aid or University Scholarships. To access the ASAP, click here.
Fulbright Week
The Office of International Education and Development is hosting its annual Fulbright Week from February 14 – 16. Fulbright Week allows for students and faculty to learn about opportunities available through the Fulbright program, ask questions about Fulbright, and to develop a strong application. Throughout the week, various events for both students and faculty will be held, both in person and virtually. Registration is required for both faculty and students. To register for faculty workshops, click here. To register for student workshops, click here. To view the schedule of events, click here.
Marian Drane Graham Scholars Program
Applications for the Marian Drane Graham Scholars Program are now open. The Marian Drane Graham Scholars Program is an eight-week summer program offered through the UNC system designed to provide students the opportunity to develop leadership skills and gain a better understanding of issues facing public higher education. Rising juniors and seniors can apply for the program, which will involve working in a state government agency. Students will receive a stipend of $3,000 and housing as a part of the program. The deadline to apply is February 20. In addition to submitting an application, students must submit a cover letter, resume, unofficial transcripts, and a reference letter to Kimberly Mitchell. To submit an application, click here. For any questions, contact Kimberly Mitchell.
Stay in the Know:
Black in Appalachia Presentation
The Common Reading and Appalachian Studies programs will host, “Black in Appalachia,” on January 30 at 6:00 p.m. in the Parkway Ballroom of the Plemmons Student Union. This presentation will feature Dr. Enkeshi El-Amin and William Isom II who will be discussing their work which documents the history and living stories of vibrant African American communities in Appalachia, including in Watauga County. This presentation will also build on discussions from the 2022-2023 Common Reading selection Junaluska. For any questions, contact either Dr. Don Presnell or Dr. Julie Shepherd-Powell.
Francophone Film Screening Presentation
University Libraries and the Department of English will host several film screenings as a part of its “Féroce et Formidable: A Francophone Film Festival” series. The next screening will be held on January 31 at 6:30 p.m. and will feature the film Benedetta, which tells the story of a Plague-era nun whose religious visions have a wide impact on a convent. Future screenings will be held on February 21 and March 21. For more information, click here.
Spring Sustainability Film Series
The Office of Sustainability will host its annual Spring Sustainability Film Series, which will feature a variety of films throughout the semester, on January 31 at 6:00 p.m., featuring the film The Ground Between Us. This film features debates around the threat to public land and the perspectives that people have on public land usage. For more information, click here.
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.
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.
In the Honors Spotlight
Dy’Quan Kearney awarded Garrett Scholarship to support research on the role of insulin signaling in diabetic neuropathy
Top photo features Dy’Quan Kearney. Photo submitted.
Honors College senior Dy’Quan Kearney has been awarded the 2022-23 George Williams Garrett Memorial Scholarship. Kearney reflected on winning the scholarship: “I know this scholarship is just one step in my future. I plan to work just as hard, if not harder, to ensure that selecting me was no mistake.” Kearney majors in cellular/molecular biology with a minor in chemistry. He is working with Dr. Andrew Bellemer, associate professor in the Department of Biology, as his research mentor and thesis director. Dr. Bellemer shared, “Dy'Quan is a talented undergraduate scholar. His project arises from his own interest in pain and anesthesiology, and I think that the training he is receiving here at Appalachian is going to prepare him well for further training in medicine.” The George Williams Garrett Memorial Scholarship provides $1000 support to students in the Honors College at Appalachian pursuing careers in scientific research with preference given to students who are planning to work in medicine or medical research.
To read more about Kearney’s awarding of the Garrett Memorial Scholarship, 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!