edited by Kistler Hunt
Volume 7, Issue 33
July 31, 2024
Greetings, Honors community!
Can you believe that the fall semester is only weeks away? We’ve been busy planning events to welcome our newest Honors Mountaineers.
Many of you have had enriching summer experiences, engaging locally and globally, exploring academic interests, connecting with your communities, and learning more about yourselves. I’m always impressed by the ways you support and encourage each other. Share your stories with our new students to continue this tradition of support.
I’m proud of your openness to new opportunities and excited to see what the next year holds for you. Enjoy the last days of summer and get ready for an amazing start to the semester!
Best wishes,
Vicky
Upcoming Opportunities:
Interim Dean Vicky is happy to help you apply; send her an email at klimavw@appstate.edu
North Carolina Honors Association Annual Conference Proposals
The 2024 North Carolina Honors Association (NCHA) conference will be held from September 20 – 21, 2024 at Western Carolina University. Applications for proposals for oral and poster presentations, panel discussions, or creative works are now open, and the deadline for submission is August 30. The early bird deadline to register for the conference is September 13. For more information and to register, click here. Honors College students submitting proposals should contact Interim Dean Vicky to learn about Honors College opportunities of support for attendance, including the possibility of funding for transportation and lodging.
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 publication. Honors students are encouraged to submit, but students do not have to be enrolled in an honors program to submit a work for consideration. The deadline for submissions is September 1. For more information and to submit works for consideration, click here. For any questions, contact UReCA’s editor-in-chief.
Fall Break Alternative Service Experience
The Office of Community-Engaged Leadership will be holding two Alternative Service Experiences (ASE) over fall break from October 11 – 15 to Providence and Pittsboro, North Carolina. ASE programs provide a service and learning experience in the Boone community and beyond. Experiences are led and created by trained student Peer Leaders and involve service alongside community partners, purposeful reflection, and new experiences within the local community. An information session will be held on September 4 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. For more information, click here.
Asian Focus NC Writing Contest
Asian Focus, a North Carolina-based non-profit dedicated to the support of Asian Americans and immigrants, is holding its first ever essay contest. The essay contest, which awards a monetary prize to its winners, is focused on depicting the Asian American experience in North Carolina. North Carolina residents and students at a North Carolinian school or college are welcome to submit a work for consideration. The deadline to submit an essay is midnight on September 16. For more information about the contest and how to submit, click here.
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. Sign-ups are open and will close September 20, or when all spots are filled. An information session will be held on September 4 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. For more information, click here.
Stay in the Know:
High Country Humanities Event
High Country Humanities, with support from North Carolina Humanities, will be presenting “Stereotypes of Mountaineers and Frontiersmen: Pre-Performance Remarks” on August 9 from 7:00 – 7:45 p.m. at the Daniel Boone Amphitheatre at 591 Horn in the West Drive in Boone. Dr. Katherine Ledford, professor in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, will share her expertise prior to the performance of Horn in the West. For more information, click here.
App Builds a Home Summer Volunteering
App Builds a Home is seeking volunteers to assist with its summer construction projects in August and September. Volunteers can assist for half a day or for an entire day and must sign up at least 24 hours in-advance. For more information and to sign up, click here.
Artmaking at the Turchin Center
The Turchin Center is hosting a free artmaking event on August 1 from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. Open to all skill levels, the event provides the space for participants to create art in a place that is welcoming and casual. For more information, click here.
Boone Farmers Markets
Throughout the summer and leading into the fall, two farmers markets are held in Boone. The first is held weekly on Tuesdays from 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. at the Watauga County Social Services building. The second is held weekly on Saturdays from 8:00 – 12:00 p.m. at Horn in the West. For more information about the Tuesday farmers market, click here. For more information about the Saturday farmers market, click here.
Jones House Summer Events
The Jones House currently hosts two weekly events for Boone community members to enjoy. The first, titled “Downtown Getdown Drum Circle,” takes place weekly on Wednesdays from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. This event provides a safe space to collectively improvise to drum music. For more information, click here. The second event, titled, “Old-Time Acoustic Jams,” takes place weekly on Thursdays from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. This event is an opportunity for community fellowship while listening to old-time music. For more information about this event, click here.
In the Honors Spotlight
Honors College students embark on faculty-led study abroad trip to Cuba
Photo features students on the Honors College faculty-led study-abroad trip: Cuba Libre, summer 2023. Photo submitted.
Dr. Joseph Gonzalez, associate professor in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, and Emily Daughtridge, professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance, led students to Havana and Viñales, Cuba from June 9 – 21, 2023. While abroad, students engaged in a variety of experiences, including: salsa dance classes, visiting a Santeria neighborhood (a popular religious practice in Cuba), visiting a tobacco farm, horseback riding, and much more. With this trip, each faculty instructor taught a separate three semester hour course, and students earned a total of six semester hours of credits for HON 2515: Cuba Libre, and HON 3515: Rhythm and Revolution in Cuba. Prior to their trip, students were engaged in discussions regarding Cuban history, the Cuban experience, and its relationship with the United States. Both faculty leaders described this learning as necessary background that allowed students to immerse themselves in Cuban culture while in the country.
To learn more about the Summer 2023 faculty-led trip to Cuba, click here.