edited by Kistler Hunt
Volume 6, Issue 33
July 12, 2023
Dear Honors community,
I am honored to be writing my first top-text of the (nearly) famous Honors Wednesday Memo. I will miss Dean Jeff terribly, but am confident that we—the Honors College faculty, staff, students, and friends—will continue to move the college forward together.
This past month I’ve worked closely with two students who exemplify our college’s cohesive spirit. Katherine Buchanan, our 2023 Honors College Student Orientation Undergraduate Leader (SOUL), spent most of her June days introducing incoming students to App State and the Honors College. Katherine is an Honors College junior majoring in history with a minor in classical and Mediterranean civilizations. Her knowledge is impressive, but her passion is even more so. Her excitement was contagious and her advice was spot-on—listen and learn from one another. This was a perfect balance to Dean Jeff’s advice—teach us who you are. We would all do well to heed both calls.
Have you emailed honors@appstate.edu recently? If so, you’ve met Sydney McDonald, front office worker and this summer’s student voice of the Honors College. Sydney is an Honors College sophomore double majoring in gender, women’s, and sexuality studies, and psychology, and the director of the Honors College peer mentor program. As part of our summer honors “Tour and Talks,” Sydney consistently shares with prospective students our college’s focus on collaboration, not competition. We offer one another unconditional academic, personal, and professional support.
In the next year, I promise to proceed as Katherine advised, listening and learning from students, faculty, staff, and supporters. I will strive to continue positioning the college as Sydney described, a place of collaboration, not competition, a place where we can learn and grow together. Please stop by my office early and often.
Looking forward to a wonderful year together,
Vicky
Upcoming Opportunities:
Interim Dean Vicky is happy to help you apply; send her an email at klimavw@appstate.edu
Rosen Symposium
The Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies is currently hosting its 21st annual Martin and Doris Rosen Symposium. Guided by their 2023 theme, “The Holocaust and Lessons for Today,” the Symposium features various workshops surrounding the Holocaust, as well as proper strategies to educate others about the Holocaust. Future presentations include author Amy McDonald, presenting “Word Smugglers: A Story of Resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto,” on July 13 from 9:15 – 10:30 a.m. For more information and to view the full schedule of events, click here.
Korean Studies Symposium Call for Papers
The Asia Research Institute at the University of Buffalo is now accepting paper submissions for its second annual Korean Studies Symposium. Themed “K-pop and the West: Media, Fandom, and Transnational Politics,” The symposium aims at creating an opportunity to think about research, pedagogy, and methodologies in the critical study of K-pop in the Western Hemisphere. The Symposium will take place from October 27 – 28 in Buffalo, New York. Possible paper topics include globalization, fandom, gender and sexuality, K-pop pedagogy, race and racial politics, and Western media and Orientalism. Proposals must be submitted by July 15. For more information and any questions, contact Stephanie Choi or Bruce Acker.
App Elite Event Team
The App Elite Event Team is a newly created university-wide event staff that is housed under the Holmes Convocation Center. App Elite staff will be responsible for working events hosted at the Holmes Convocation Center, home football games, and this year’s App Summer Fest Concert, featuring country music artist Darius Rucker on July 29. Those interested in joining the team will assist with security responsibilities, ushering, ticket taking, checking bags, and other event screening measures. Students will be paid for their time. For more information and to express interest, contact Jason Parker.
Global Symposium Call for Proposals
Presentation proposals are now being accepted from students, faculty, and staff for the 11th annual Appalachian Global Symposium to take place during International Education Week on November 15. The Appalachian Global Symposium highlights the global education activities of Appalachian faculty, staff, and students by providing a platform for the sharing of recent activities that contribute to the university's global mission. The deadline for submissions is October 9. For more information and to submit a proposal, click here.
Fulbright US Student Awards Competition
Fulbright Canada is now accepting applications for its Fulbright US Student Awards Competition. The awards invite American students to take up an academic year (9 months) of study at any college, university, think tank, or government agency in Canada. Students interested in pursuing graduate school are especially encouraged to apply. Students can explore a wide range of scholarly issues, including important contemporary issues relevant to Canada, the United States, and the relationship between the United States and Canada. If awarded the Fulbright award, students will begin their studies in September 2024. The deadline to apply is October 10. For more information and any questions, contact Iman Abdulmoneim.
Stay in the Know:
Appalachian Summer Festival
The Office of Arts and Cultural Programs will be hosting their annual Appalachian Summer Festival from June 24 to July 29. The festival will host various types of events, including music groups, dance companies, art showcases, and more. For more information and to view the full schedule of events, click here.
University Libraries Citation Workshops
Librarians from University Libraries will be hosting workshops on how to use citation managers Zotero and EndNote on July 12. These workshops will give an in-depth view into the software, as well as educate students, staff, and faculty on how to use each software. Workshops for Zotero will be at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., and the EndNote workshop will be at 12:00 p.m. For more information, contact John Wiswell.
Cannon Music Camp Recitals
The Hayes School of Music will be hosting various recitals for its Cannon Music Camp from July 13 – 15. Cannon Music Camp is a three-week long summer camp for high school students to learn about music performance and theory. The upcoming recitals will feature choirs, ensembles, and orchestras, and are composed of Cannon Music campers. For more information, click here.
Turchin Center Open Studio Workshops
The Turchin Center is currently hosting open studio workshops from now until the end of July. These workshops allow participants to come to the Turchin Center and make art using a variety of materials that the Turchin Center has to offer. The Turchin Center will host the workshops from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. every Friday. For more information, contact Shauna Caldwell.
Volunteering with App Builds a Home
App Builds a Home and Watauga Habitat for Humanity are partnering together to build homes for families in need. Anyone is welcome to volunteer, and no construction skills are needed to assist with projects. Upcoming dates to volunteer are July 14, July 18, and July 19. To sign up for a shift, click here. For any questions, contact Misty Mayfield.
In the Honors Spotlight
Introducing Dr. Vicky Klima, Interim Dean of the Honors College
Interim Dean Vicky Klima teaching her son Jack during the pandemic. Photo submitted (right).
With great enthusiasm, we introduce Dr. Vicky Klima as the interim dean of the Honors College, effective July 1, 2023. Dr. Klima holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics and economics from Erskine College and a Master of Science and Ph.D. specializing in algebra from North Carolina State University. She joined App State’s faculty in the Department of Mathematical Sciences in 2003. In 2019, she became the Honors College academic mentor for students majoring in STEM, after serving for 13 years as the Honors Director for the Department of Mathematical Sciences. She also became Graduate Program Director for the mathematical sciences department in 2022. For the upcoming academic year, Interim Dean Klima has outlined plans to: strengthen relationships with alumni through a speaker series; foster innovative, interdisciplinary teaching with the support of CETLSS; and create the Honors Student Advisory Council from the four Honors student organizations to help guide the mission of the college.
To read more about Interim Dean Klima including a full description of her planned initiatives and her personal introduction, 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!