edited by Kistler Hunt
Volume 7, Issue 30
May 1, 2024
Dear Honors students,
We’ve made it to the last day of classes. I’m grateful for the many ways that you have supported each other and me this year. Recently, I’ve seen this support first-hand at our Honors College students’ thesis defenses. I’ve enjoyed attending, learning from, and celebrating our graduating seniors. I have been uplifted by the number of familiar faces in the audiences. Thank you all for coming out to encourage your fellow students. This is the Honors community. As we wrap up this academic year, let's continue this spirit of collaboration and support. It will make all the difference as you face an intense finals week.
In just over a week, the strain of finals will be behind you and we will be celebrating our graduates! They have nurtured our Honors community throughout their time at App and it is a privilege for me to recognize each of them at the Honors College graduation ceremony next Thursday.
Best wishes,
Vicky
Upcoming Opportunities:
Interim Dean Vicky is happy to help you apply; send her an email at klimavw@appstate.edu
AHA! Bonfire
The Appalachian Honors Association (AHA!) will be hosting their final study break on May 2 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. AHA! will be having a bonfire on Sanford Mall, where students can enjoy smores, ice cream, and fellowship with one another. To RSVP, click here. For any questions, contact Anna Carroll.
Journal for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Submission Deadline
The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (UReCA), sponsored by the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC), is now accepting submissions for its 2024 edition. As the only undergraduate research journal backed by NCHC, UReCA is solely composed of undergraduate work, and is also edited by undergraduate students. Students of any discipline can submit their work to be considered for publishing. The deadline for submissions is September 1. For more information and to submit works for consideration, click here. For any questions, contact the editor-in-chief.
Honors Wednesday Memo Editor-in-Training
The Honors College is seeking an Honors Wednesday Memo editor-in-training to begin August 19, 2024, for the Fall semester 2024 transitioning to editor of the Honors Wednesday Memo in the Spring semester 2025. The position pays $13 per hour and the person hired would work approximately 5 hours per week. The editor-in-training will work closely with Dr. Garrett McDowell, Honors College communications officer, who assigns tasks, and Kistler Hunt, the current editor, under whom you will train in order to take over the position for Spring semester 2025. The editor-in-training will shadow the HWM editor in order to master all steps involved in the production of the weekly HWM. They will serve as part of the HWM editorial team editing and proofreading for the HWM. The editor-in-training will source, propose, develop, write, and edit at least six news stories per semester for inclusion in the HWM. Click here for a full job description and instructions on how to apply before August 1. Email Interim Dean Klima to send in applications. For any questions related to the position, contact Dr. Garrett McDowell.
Winter Alternative Service Experience
The Office of Community-Engaged Leadership will be hosting three alternative service experiences (ASEs) over winter break. These include trips to the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, each focusing on community partnerships in the respective areas. Sign-ups will open in late July and will close September 20, or when all spots are filled. An information session for both fall and winter break ASEs will be held on September 4 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. For more information, click here.
North Carolina Honors Association Annual Conference Proposals
The 2024 North Carolina Honors Association (NCHA) conference will be held on September 20 – 21, 2024 at Western Carolina University. Applications for proposals for oral and poster presentations, panel discussions, or creative works are now open. The deadline for proposals is August 30. The early bird deadline to register for the conference is September 13. For more information and to register, 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.”
Hannah Kodadek
May 2, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Rankin Science West, Room 279
Presenting “Camera Trapping in the Southern Appalachians: Quantifying Trap Effort for Conservation Applications”
Kate Tuberty
May 2, 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Rankin Science West, Room 293
Presenting “Major Export Pathway of Phosphorus through Agricultural Products in the High Country of North Carolina”
Luke Rose
May 2, 9:25 – 9:45 a.m.
Rankin Science West, Room 293
Presenting “Quantitative analysis of fossil lungfish (Sarcopterygii dipnoi) tooth plate morphology from the Upper Triassic of the American Southwest and Lower Triassic of South Africa”
Grant Fox
May 2, 10:45 – 11:45 a.m.
Rankin Science West, Room 293
Presenting “Utilization of Particle Size Variability and Geochemical Signatures in Tracking Coal Ash Release in Hyco Lake, NC”
Ashley Berry
May 2, 11:45 – 12:00 p.m.
Rankin Science West, Room 293
Presenting “Exploring the relationships between short-term changes in diatoms and coal ash contamination within Hyco Lake, North Carolina”
Lanie Sorrow
May 3, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Belk Library, Room 219
Presenting “Exploring the unknown: the whats and whys of Cryptozoology”
Pruett Norris
May 7, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Beasley Media Complex, Room 309
Presenting “Dueling Banjos: Exploring the Thematic Canon of Appalachian Film”
Stay in the Know:
Student Learning Center Finals Week Workshop
The Student Learning Center will be hosting a workshop on May 1 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. to help students prepare and study for finals. Their PEAK (Personal Excellence through Academic Knowledge) Workshop will teach students various studying strategies and ways to combat test anxiety. For more information, click here.
Craft Enrichment Program Craft Sale
The Craft Enrichment Program will be hosting a craft sale on May 2 from 8:00 – 3:00 p.m. At the craft sale, a variety of handmade items made by both students and faculty will be for sale. For more information or questions, contact the Craft Enrichment Program.
First Friday Art Crawl
On the first Friday of each month, the Turchin Center hosts an art crawl, where visitors can come to the Turchin, view the galleries, and meet with the artists who made the pieces displayed in the Museum. The First Friday art crawl for the month of May is May 3 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. For more information, click here.
Climate Stories Photography Event
Students in IDS 3230: Photography as a Social Critique, as a collaboration with the Office of Community-Engaged Leadership, will be hosting their culminating final research project, an image that highlights climate change and its impact on communities. The event will take place on May 3 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. in the Plemmons Student Union. For any questions, contact Gaea Polanik.
Office of Sustainability Free Store
The Office of Sustainability will be hosting their free store and free food pantry on Sanford Mall on May 28 from 11:00 – 1:00 p.m. Those interested can browse the free store and food pantry, as well as drop off items for donation. For more information, click here.
In the Honors Spotlight
Honors College supports four faculty-led study abroad trips during Summer 2023
Photos above feature the four, summer 2023 Honors College faculty-led study-abroad trips: (top left) Austria, (top right) Guatemala, (bottom right) Cuba, and (bottom left) the United Kingdom.
The Honors College provided four faculty-led study-abroad trips over the summer of 2023, to Austria, Guatemala, Cuba, and the United Kingdom. Students in these seminars not only explored interdisciplinary topics from a variety of perspectives, but they experienced them together as a community of learners. Click here to read more about the Honors College’s international education requirement, and the overview of Honors College summer 2023 faculty-led study-abroad programming.
Stay tuned to the summer Honors Wednesday Memos upcoming on May 29, June 19, and July 24, and the first of the Fall 2024 semester on August 21, to learn about the individual Honors College faculty-led trips from summer 2023. The Honors College looks forward to hearing about and sharing future stories from students traveling on its summer 2024 faculty-led study-abroad trips to Mount Everest Base Camp in Nepal; Ireland and Northern Ireland; Rome, Italy, and Paris, France; and Guatemala.
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!