edited by Kistler Hunt
Volume 7, Issue 1
August 23, 2023
Notes from Interim Dean Vicky and Honors Wednesday Memo Editor, Kistler Hunt:
Greetings, Honors family!
This past Monday was one of my best days. I didn’t know how much I missed the energy of students on campus until you arrived to brighten our halls and animate our workdays. Thank you! As you get wrapped up in academic life, don't forget to spend time together, and as you do, encourage each other to engage. Audition for that play, present at that conference, step out onto ice, even if you're not an expert skater yet. Celebrate each other's successes and be there to support each other through the challenges. You are a team and together you are going to do great things this semester.
With gratitude,
Vicky
Dear Honors students,
Happy first week of classes! If you’re anything like me, you’re enjoying getting back into the routine that school provides, among other things — going to class, structuring your day, seeing friends you haven’t seen in a while, and participating in extracurriculars. Whether this is your first year at Appalachian or your last, I hope you never lose the excitement that comes with a new school year and new semester.
All the best,
Kistler
Upcoming Opportunities:
Interim Dean Vicky is happy to help you apply; send her an email at klimavw@appstate.edu
Fall Undergraduate Research Assistantship Application
The Office of Student Research is now accepting applications for Undergraduate Research Assistantships (URA) for the Fall 2023 semester. URAs offer highly motivated undergraduate students the opportunity to work closely with an App State faculty member on their research, scholarship, or creative activity. The faculty member, in consultation with their selected undergraduate student, are encouraged to apply. Applications are due by September 1 at 11:59 p.m. For more information and to apply, click here.
Center for Asian Studies Symposium
The Center for Asian Studies at the University of Arizona will be hosting its inaugural “Sustainability and Resilience in East Asia” Symposium on November 11 from 12:00 – 6:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. The hybrid symposium will take place in Tucson, Arizona. Students are encouraged to submit their proposals for consideration in the symposium. Students can be from any discipline, and can discuss topics surrounding the scientific, social, and cultural dimensions of the environment and sustainability in East Asia. The deadline to submit a proposal is September 4. For more information, click here.
North Carolina Honors Association Conference
The Whitehurst Family Honors Program at Barton College will be virtually hosting the North Carolina Honors Association (NCHA) annual conference November 3 – 4. Its theme, “Infinite Possibilities: Sharing Innovations in Honors Education,” will welcome works that define and demonstrate the meaning of honors education. Students and faculty are encouraged to submit their works to be shared at the conference and to attend. The deadline for proposal submissions will be late September or early October. The registration deadline for the NCHA conference will be mid-to-late October. For more information, click here.
Department of Philosophy and Religion Research Opportunity
Dr. Randall Reed, professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion is seeking students interested in joining his research group. His project, titled “Digital Jesus,” uses artificial intelligence to create images of Jesus that were found in the Bible, as well as other gospels that are not included in the Bible. These artificially created images will then be used to converse with one another. Students can receive one to three hours of credit that can be used towards their Honors requirements or within the Religious Studies program. For more information and any questions, contact Dr. Randall Reed by August 25.
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 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:
Craft Enrichment Classes
The Craft Enrichment Program at Appalachian will be offering community craft classes throughout the Fall 2023 semester. There are various classes available, including pottery, woodturning, beekeeping, stained glass, water coloring, and more. The meeting dates and times vary by class, and registration for the class will remain open until one week before the class starts or when the class is full, whichever occurs first. For more information about the classes, click here.
Department of Biology Greenhouse Plant Sale
The Department of Biology is hosting its annual fall greenhouse plant sale on August 25 and 26. On August 25, the event will be held from 7:00 – 3:00 p.m., and on August 26, the event will be held from 7:00 – 1:00 p.m. A variety of plants will be available to choose from, including tropical plants, smaller plants, as well as larger plants. For more information, contact Jerry Meyer.
King Street Farmers’ Market
The King Street Farmers’ Market, powered by Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, is open for the 2023 season, occurring every Tuesday from now until October 31 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Within walking distance of campus, the King Street Market offers a wide array of local goods including produce, meats, flowers, bread, eggs, crafts, and more. For more information, click here.
2023 Morgan Science Lecture Series: Dr. Richard Alley
The College of Arts and Sciences will be hosting their annual Morgan Science Lecture Series, which stimulates scientific understanding and research among the sciences by bringing innovative and prominent researchers to Appalachian State University's campus. The Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences will host this year’s lecture, with Dr. Richard Alley, the Evan Pugh University Professor in the Department of Geosciences at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Alley’s lecture, titled “Finding the Good News on Climate and Energy,” will take place on October 26 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. For more information, click here.
App Builds a Home: Build and Bowl
App Builds a Home (ABAH) is currently seeking volunteers to help build the Winebarger family home. Volunteers do not need prior construction experience and are able to work individually or with a team. In addition, throughout the month of August, ABAH is accepting donations at High Country Lanes. Rounding up a purchase serves as a donation to ABAH. To volunteer, click here. For more information, contact App Builds a Home.
In the Honors Spotlight
Colleen Choate ’17 awarded Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship
Photo features Colleen Choate at the Taj Mahal in Agra, India in February 2020. Photo submitted.
Honors Alumna Colleen Choate ’17 has been awarded the Fulbright-Nehru English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) in support of her travel to Chennai, India, to teach at a women’s college from July 2023 to March 2024. Choate shared how the Honors College prepared her for the Fulbright program: “My Honors classes at App State really taught me to look at subjects from an interdisciplinary perspective and to draw connections between subjects, interests, and outcomes. That has been key to my thinking post-college, and it helped me put together a well-rounded and holistic application. I also took multiple short-term faculty-led abroad trips through the Honors college, and those were absolutely essential in forming my approach to being a good student and respectful visitor in foreign countries, and ultimately led to my interest in living and learning abroad.”
To learn more about Choate’s experiences leading to the Fulbright ETA, 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!