edited by Kistler Hunt
Volume 7, Issue 17
Greetings Honors students!
Last week was an interesting one; I hope you are using this week and its relatively warmer temperatures to settle into your routine for the semester. As you do that, try to search for opportunities to learn and grow outside the classroom; this memo is full of them. These include summer research and internship opportunities, opportunities to engage with the High Country community and beyond, and opportunities to collaborate with your fellow Mountaineers through the MLK dinner conversation, state-wide book club, community-engaged service, and more. I am a natural introvert and sometimes it takes energy on my part to join new groups and try new activities. In the end, expending that energy has always been worth it. I have expanded my circle and typically had a great time doing it. If you would like to explore these or other ways to engage beyond the classroom, talk with your Honors faculty and Honors academic mentors. We are eager to connect our great students with great opportunities.
Best wishes,
Vicky
Upcoming Opportunities:
Interim Dean Vicky is happy to help you apply; send her an email at klimavw@appstate.edu
NC Space Grant Undergraduate Research Scholarship
Applications are now open for the North Carolina Space Grant Undergraduate Research Scholarship. The Undergraduate Research Scholarships are awarded to students who are pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines that support the Mission Directorates of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Students must complete research in STEM that is applicable to the NASA Mission Directorate, inclusive of commercial space and/or at the U.S. National Lab on the International Space Station. This research will take place over a 12-month period, starting on June 1, 2024, and ending on May 31, 2025. In order to apply, students must be a full-time student throughout the 2024-2025 academic year and have a 3.0 GPA or higher. In addition, the NC Space Grant Scholarship will be hosting three information sessions to gain more information on the scholarship on January 26 at 12:00 p.m., February 9 at 12:00 p.m., and February 19 at 12:00 p.m. Applications are due at 5:00 p.m. on March 15. To learn more about the scholarships, register for an information session, and to apply, click here.
Alternative Service Experience Lottery
The Office of Community-Engaged Leadership will lead five alternative service experiences (ASE) during the Spring 2024 spring break. Each program provides a unique opportunity to serve alongside local communities, engage in discussions about important social issues, and connect with other App State students. To sign up for a particular trip, a lottery night will be held on January 29 at 8:00 p.m. in the Price Lake ballroom of the Plemmons Student Union. For more information about the lottery and each ASE, click here.
United Arts Council Internship
The United Arts Council is accepting applications for its paid summer internship, IDEAL (Internship for Diverse and Emerging Arts Leaders). IDEAL places students from underrepresented backgrounds in arts administration with arts organizations in Wake County to guide them in their personal and professional growth throughout the summer. The internship will take place from June 3 to August 2. The deadline to apply is February 1. For more information about the internship program, click here. For any questions, contact Kelly Schrader.
ECU Biomedical Summer Research Program
East Carolina University’s (ECU) Brody School of Medicine is now accepting applications for its Summer Biomedical Research Program (SBRP). The program provides a unique opportunity for undergraduates to engage in basic science research. Students will have exposure to faculty conducting research in: anatomy and cell biology, biochemistry and molecular biology, microbiology and immunology, pathology, pharmacology and toxicology, physiology, health disparities, and clinical research, preparing students to address scientific questions using cutting-edge experimental approaches. Students will be paired with one faculty at ECU based on mutual interests. The deadline to apply is February 16. For more information and to apply, click here.
Gilman Scholarship Applications
Applications are now open for the Gilman Scholarship. Offered through the Department of State, the scholarship gives students up to $5,000 to study or intern in a foreign country and gain skills important to national security and economic prosperity. Students interested in the Gilman Scholarship must be recipients of a federal Pell Grant or provide proof that they will receive a Pell Grant during their time abroad. The deadline for the scholarship is March 8 at 2:59 a.m. Eastern Time. For more information the Gilman Scholarship, click here. To set up an appointment with the Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships to discuss this opportunity further, click here.
Stay in the Know:
MLK Day Dinner and Conversation
The Offices of Diversity and Intercultural Student Affairs will be hosting a “Dinner and Conversation” on January 25 in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The event will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Solarium and dinner will be served. Dr. William T. Lewis, author of “Sweet Potato or Pumpkin Pie: Conversations with My White Friends about Race,” will be facilitating the event and following discussion, as well as a book signing. Registration is required. For more information and to register, click here.
Online Cooking Class Series
Off-Campus Student Services, the Office of Sustainability, and the College of Arts and Sciences will be hosting a four-part cooking class series starting February 6 at 5:30 p.m. The classes will showcase meals that are nutritious and inexpensive, while still following the principles of sustainability. For more information and to sign up for a class, click here.
State-wide Book Club
The Office of Diversity, University Libraries, and North Carolina Humanities will be hosting their second annual NC Reads Book Club. NC Reads is a statewide book club that features five books that explore issues of racial, social, and gender equality and the history and culture of North Carolina. There are limited hard copies available at Belk Library. The book club will meet online once a month, with the first session on February 27 at 6:00 p.m. For more information and to register for the book club, click here.
CEL Mobilize the Mountains Day of Service
Throughout the Spring 2024 semester, the Office of Community Engaged Leadership (CEL) will host several days of service where those interested can volunteer for a day with local nonprofits. On February 24 from 9:00 – 2:00 p.m., CEL will host its “Building Up Boone” service day. Those interested are able to volunteer with several nonprofits of their choosing, including Volunteers in Parks, Springhouse Farm, Grace Woodlots, Wine to Water, Spirit Ride, and Habitat for Humanity. For more information and to register, click here.
Visiting Writers Series Presentation
The Department of English is hosting its Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series, which features renowned authors who present about their work. The first presentation for the spring semester will feature poet Keith Wilson and his collection of poems, “Fieldnotes on Ordinary Love.” The event will be held on February 29 with a craft talk and reading occurring from 3:30 – 4:45 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., respectively. For more information, click here.
In the Honors Spotlight
Appalachian Honors Association builds bridges
Photo shows VIP High Country Volunteers (two far left and two on bottom right) with Honors students (left to right) Gavin Weidner, Kelsie Peck, Grace Carter, Grace Guevarra, and Ella Watt building bridges on the Price Lake Loop Trail during AHA’s service trip. Photo by Ken Carpenter with VIP High Country Volunteers.
The Appalachian Honors Association (AHA!) worked with VIP High Country Volunteers (VIP HCV), a National Park Service (NPS) volunteer group, to complete a service trip at Price Lake on October 21, 2023. VIP HCV supports the High Country section of the Blue Ridge Parkway National Park. Together AHA! and VIP HCV demolished and rebuilt two old and rotting footbridges on the Price Lake Loop Trail. They completely replaced one bridge and replaced boards on the other. AHA! service chair, Ella Watt, coordinated this event. In total, nine Honors students participated including: Grace Carter, Kelsie Peck, Jasper (Vedvy) Gonzalez, Grace Guevarra, Mafer Yzaziga, Gavin Weidner, Celia Merrifield, Hannah Schulze, and Ella Watt. About this experience, Schulze shared,
“Participating in this trip allowed me to meet more Honors students from different years and majors…My favorite part about the trip was being able to work with both peers and the older volunteers who work at Price Lake often. We were able to bounce ideas off each other, think collaboratively, and learn a lot from each other, as not many of us had ever built a bridge before. I'm hoping that once all of this snow and ice have cleared-up we'll be able to volunteer with the Parkway service again, and hopefully get even more Honors students involved.”
Click here to read more about AHA’s service work and further opportunities to get involved.
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!