edited by Kistler Hunt
Volume 7, Issue 28
Greetings, Honors students!
Can you believe that the last day of classes is just two weeks away? Time has flown by this year, and I’m exceptionally grateful for everyone’s support during my year as interim dean of the Honors College. I’m always telling prospective students about our focus on community in Honors, and you all have made that real to me this year with your encouragement and eagerness to help. Thank you! I’m writing today to remind you about something that Sydney McDonald, our Honors Wednesday Memo assistant editor, told me during my first week in the Honors office: the Honors College is about cooperation, not competition; we build each other up. That is so true! Don’t forget to build each other up and to lean on the support of others during these busy last weeks of the semester. As the semester comes to a close, I’m excited to celebrate as many students as I can at their thesis defenses. I’m also very excited to celebrate Phoebe Atkins’ and Mac Wiggs’ performances in Carrie: The Musical, which I’ll get to experience next Friday evening. I hope that during this busy time, you will continue to find many ways to celebrate each other.
Best wishes,
Vicky
Upcoming Opportunities:
Interim Dean Vicky is happy to help you apply; send her an email at klimavw@appstate.edu
Teach for America Ignite Fellowship Information Session
Teach for America’s Ignite Fellowship will be hosting a virtual information session regarding their program on April 18 at 7:00 p.m. The Ignite Fellowship is a virtual, part-time, paid position where current undergraduates and recent college graduates will lead virtual small group learning workshops in elementary and middle schools across the country. The deadline to apply is April 24. For more information about the fellowship, click here. To register for the information session, click here.
Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors
The Office of Student Research will host its 27th annual Celebration of Student Research and Creative Endeavors on April 18 from 8:30 – 4:00 p.m. The event showcases App State student research and creative activities, with several Honors students presenting their work. For more information about the event, click here.
UNC System Cure Summit Proposal Deadline
The UNC System will be hosting its CURE (Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences) Summit on May 15. Focused on integrating research into the undergraduate curriculum, the event targets the design, sustainability, and impact of CUREs. Applications are currently open for proposals for the summit and are due April 23. The deadline to register for the conference is May 3. For more information on the summit and how to submit a proposal, click here.
Artist Michael Rakowitz Visit
The Art and Visual Culture program, with generous support from the Department of Art’s Smith Gallery and the Honors College, along with grants from the Office of Diversity and North Carolina Humanities, will host Iraqi-American artist Michael Rakowitz from April 23 – April 25. Rakowitz will present on his renowned work, which focuses on themes of activism, as well as his experiences and expertise in his field. A public lecture will be held on April 23 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. In addition, Rakowitz will be a part of a panel discussion coordinated by the students in HON 3515: Ancient Art & Visual Culture in Contemporary Contexts on April 24 from 2:00 – 3:15 p.m. For more information, click here or contact Dr. Erin Peters.
Wellness and Prevention Services: Take the Night
In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Wellness and Prevention Services will be hosting events throughout the month of April. Their final event, “Take Back the Night,” will provide the space for survivors of sexual violence to share their stories and form a network of strength with one another. The event will take place on April 24 from 7:15 – 8:30 p.m. For more information, click here.
Upcoming Thesis Defenses:
Interim Dean Vicky urges, “Support your fellow Honors College students and faculty by attending Honors thesis defenses! You'll marvel, learn, and grow. With each defense you attend, you'll make your own easier.”
Anna Bryant
April 18, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Garwood Hall, Room 421
Presenting “The Expression and Purification of DMS Monooxygenase from its Native Source, Arthrobacter globiformis”
Lindsey Stack
April 18, 2:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Virtual, contact the Honors College for the link
Presenting “Investigation of Benzodiazepines Detection in Biological Matrices Using Drug Test Strips”
Emiley Nance
April 18, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Virtual, contact the Honors College for the link
Presenting “Unraveling Semantic Ambiguity: Sentence Disambiguation Disparities between Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Older Adults (OA)”
Emily Horvath
April 19, 11:00 – 12:00 p.m.
Sanford Hall, Room 108
Presenting “Little Chicago’s Big Problem: Prohibition in Johnson City, Tennessee”
Katelyn McHale
April 19, 11:00 – 12:00 p.m.
Appalachian Hall, Room 185
Presenting “Cultural Responsiveness of Speech-Language Pathologists in North Carolina”
Caleb Brown
April 19, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Appalachian Hall, Room 186
Presenting “Rooted in Place: The High Country Foodway in Action”
Jordan Randall
April 19, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Anne Belk Hall, Room 351A
Presenting “Public Opinion and the Supreme Court: An Analysis of Confidence in the Court Post-Dobbs”
Madelyn Crawford
April 22, 11:00 – 12:00 p.m.
Beasley Media Complex, Room 225
Presenting “The Impact of Disclosure: Exploring Public Perceptions of AI-Assisted Journalism in News Reporting”
Samantha Oleschuk
April 22, 11:00 – 12:00 p.m.
Belk Library Conference Room, Room 421
Presenting “Sharing the Creative Aging Impact Story: Navigating Barriers, Pursuing Sustainability, and Dreaming into the Future”
Abby Turner
April 23, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Rankin Science South, Room 210B
Presenting “Effects of Elevation on Morphological Traits in a Vulnerable Salamander: Plethodon welleri (Weller’s salamander)”
Caroline Kuhn
April 24, 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Appalachian Hall, Room 161
Presenting “A Historical Analysis of Music’s Role in Shaping Cuban Resistance from Batista to Castro”
Stay in the Know:
Music Humanities Conversation Series Presentation
The Hayes School of Music, as a part of its Music Humanities Conversation Series, will host Dr. Julie Shepherd-Powell, assistant professor in the Appalachian Studies program, on April 18 from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Her presentation, titled “Embodying Culture: Community Dances in Rural Appalachia,” will focus on dance as a form of culture and the embeddedness of traditional music and dance in places like Appalachia. For more information, click here.
Visiting Writers Series: Jason Mott
The Department of English is hosting its Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series, which features renowned authors who present about their work. The final presentation of the Spring semester will feature novelist and National Book Award-winning author Jason Mott. Mott will present on his book “Hell of a Book,” which focuses on how racism and violence are prevalent in society today. A reading will be held on April 18 at 6:00 p.m. For more information, click here.
Institute for Health and Wellness Presentation
The Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness will be hosting a presentation, titled “Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine: A Focus on Family-Centered Care,” on April 19 from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. The presentation will feature Dr. Joshua Vova, chief of physiatry at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and will discuss his approach in family-centered care, as well as strategies that help to enhance the quality of life of children with disabilities or neurological conditions. For more information and to register, click here.
RIEEE Webinar: High Country Economy and Workforce
The Research Institute for Environment, Energy, and Economics (RIEEE) will be hosting a virtual webinar on April 19 from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. The webinar will provide an overview of and the current economic and workforce development priorities for the regional economy and highlight the work of local governments to develop the High Country. For more information, contact RIEEE. To join the webinar, click here.
University Forum Lecture Presentation
University College, as a part of its University Forum Lecture Series, will host Helen Anne Curry, professor of the history of technology at Georgia Tech, who will present on “Garden, Granary, Genebank: The Science and Politics of Seed Keeping.” The presentation will occur on April 23 at 6:00 p.m. For more information, click here.
In the Honors Spotlight
Honors College students star in upcoming musical production
Photo features Mac Wiggs (left) and Phoebe Atkins (right). Photo submitted.
Honors College students Phoebe Atkins and Mac Wiggs have landed lead roles in the upcoming Department of Theatre and Dance production of Carrie: The Musical. Atkins is a junior theatre performance major and Chancellor’s Scholar. Wiggs is a first-year interdisciplinary studies/theatre education major. According to Atkins, one of the most exciting parts of her Honors education is the availability to participate in co-curricular opportunities in theatre. “This show is important in gaining experience from the perspective of an actor. Beyond this perspective, however, lies the opportunity for observation and understanding of the many people who are working on this musical in different roles, allowing myself and other students to build relationships with peers and professors who focus in different areas of the craft.” Wiggs adds, “I’m able to apply the things I have learned in my classes throughout all aspects of my work on the show.” Performances are April 24 – 27 at 7:00 p.m. and April 28 at 2:00 p.m. in Valborg Theatre.
To learn more about Wigg’s and Atkin’s performance in “Carrie,” click here to read the story by Kevin Warner, professor, Department of Theatre and Dance. To purchase tickets for the show, 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!