edited by Kistler Hunt and Kaylie Morales
Volume 8, Issue 13
November 20, 2024
Dear Honors community,
I am still processing that this is my last message to you with Kistler Hunt as editor of our Honors Wednesday Memo editor. She will say goodbye on December 4 in our next and final Memo of the semester. Kistler’s leadership has connected and inspired our community. She has been a rock for me from my first weeks as interim dean through today. I value her advice and perspective. Fortunately, Kistler will be in Boone this spring for her public health internship. Even though I don’t have to say goodbye, I will deeply miss our weekly conversations. I know she will excel in her internship and look forward to supporting her at her thesis defense this spring.
I am also excited to welcome Kaylie Morales as our new editor. She brings an enthusiasm for storytelling and our Honors community that I know will foster engagement and collaboration. I look forward to seeing the new ideas and energy she will bring to the Honors Wednesday Memo. Stay tuned!
Best wishes,
Vicky
Upcoming Opportunities:
Interim Dean Vicky is happy to help you apply; send her an email at klimavw@appstate.edu
HWM Assistant Editor Call for Applications
The Honors College invites applications for an assistant editor of the Honors Wednesday Memo, to begin January 13, 2025. The person hired will work approximately 5 hours a week and be paid $13 per hour. The assistant editor will work closely with editor Kaylie Morales, Dr. Garrett McDowell, and Honors College Interim Dean Vicky Klima. Tasks may include gathering opportunities, sourcing news, writing spotlight stories, writing announcement blurbs, editing, proofreading, and working with our social media accounts. For more information, a full job description, and instructions on how to apply, click here. Applications should be submitted to Dr. Klima no later than 11:55 p.m. on Wednesday, December 4. For any questions related to the position, contact Dr. Garrett McDowell.
Peer Mentor Friendsgiving
The Peer Mentor Program will be hosting a Friendsgiving event on November 25 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. in Appalachian Hall, Rooms 186 and 187. Mentors are encouraged to attend with their mentee. There will be team trivia and crafts, and food will be served potluck style. To sign up to bring food, click here. To RSVP, click here.
American Heart Association Summer Research Experience
The Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at North Carolina State University is hosting a research experience supported through the American Heart Association. This experience provides students with a broad background in areas related to cardiovascular biology and medicine, research methodology and team science. The program involves hands-on research, seminars, workshops, and group social activities and will run from May 22 – July 31, 2025. Applications are due by November 30. To learn more and apply, click here.
NCS National Scholarship Match
The Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships alongside the Office of International Programs is holding a national scholarship match on November 22 from 10:30 – noon. The event goal is to spread the word on less well-known scholarships, while also helping students match their interests to existing programs and scholarships. The scholarship overviews will be formatted as dating profiles, so students can decide quickly if the scholarship is the right match for them. For more information, click here.
SRHC Proposal Applications
The Southern Regional Honors Council is accepting proposals for presentations for their 2025 conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee, March 26-29, 2025. Proposals must be submitted by January 31, 2025. The conference will offer nine presentation categories and five formats that explore the overarching theme of “Honoring Story.” The Honors College will be able to support a limited number of student presenters with funds for travel, hotel, and registration. To express interest in presenting, contact Dr. Heather Waldroup. For more information and to apply, 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.”
Olivia Abel
November 20, 5:15 – 6:15 p.m.
Appalachian Hall, Room 185
Presenting “The Declaration on Human Rights Defenders: A Critique and Literary Reading”
Scout Green
November 21, 4:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Leon Levine Hall, Room 227
Presenting “A qualitative analysis of medical students’ speeches at memorial services for body donors”
Rachel Goehner
November 22, 11:00 – 12:00 p.m.
Appalachian Hall, Room 162
Presenting “The Correlation Between Food Insecurity and Cardiovascular Disease Among the Latino Population of the High Country”
Alayna Hogston
November 22, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Leon Levine Hall, Room 230
Presenting “Concussion Protocol for Appalachian State University students: Balance of Health, Academic, and Well-Being”
Jackson Futch
November 25, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Anne Belk Hall, Room 351A
Presenting “The Creation of Subject: The Concept of Ideology in the Works of Louis Althusser, Ernesto Laclau, Chantal Mouffe, Slavoj Žižek, and Václav Havel”
Evelyn Brown
November 26, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Walker Hall, Room 138
Presenting “Think Before Clicking the Link: Analyzing the Influence of Social Media Advertisements and Social Media Influencers on Impulse Purchasing Behavior”
Molly Spruill
December 2, 11:00 – 12:00 p.m.
Anne Belk Hall, Room 351A
Presenting “From Words to Action: The Effect of Political Discussion on Young Adult Political Participation”
Angela Sajewicz
December 2, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Anne Belk Hall, Room 351A
Presenting “Falling Behind?: A Comparative Analysis Between the U.S. and the U.K. Regarding Incarcerated Mothers”
Katherine Buchanan
December 4, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Appalachian Hall, Room 085
Presenting “Beyond Facts: Engaging First-Year Students with Public History”
Elliot Sheehan
December 4, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Anne Belk Hall, Room 228
Presenting “A Dream of Dilworth: How Charlotte’s First Suburb Preserved Place Over People, 1891 – 1992”
Stay in the Know:
Appalachian Dance Ensemble Performance
The Department of Theatre and Dance is hosting their Fall Appalachian Dance Ensemble from Wednesday, November 20 through Saturday, November 23 at 7:00 p.m., and a 2:00 p.m. show on Sunday, November 24 at the Valborg Theatre. The performance will showcase eight original works choreographed by five university students and three faculty members from the dance studies program. To purchase tickets, click here. For more information, click here.
Free LSAT Workshops
TestMasters is presenting a free virtual Law School Admission Test (LSAT) Workshop for the Logical Reasoning section on November 21 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. The workshop will be administered by Jeff Benjamin. Attendees will be challenged with a series of difficult LSAT questions and Jeff will demonstrate the most effective methods for tackling them. To register to attend, click here.
“Voices and Votes” Exhibit
The Department of Government and Justice Studies will be displaying the Smithsonian exhibit “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America” from now until December 2. The exhibit focuses on the story of democracy in the United States and prompts discussion on the idea of democracy and its prevalence in the modern-day. For more information, click here.
Holiday Scholarship Concert
The Hayes School of Music is hosting their 32nd annual Holiday Scholarship Concert on November 22 at 7:30 p.m. This performance is free for admission, with the opportunity to donate to the Hayes School of Music scholarship fund. To reserve a ticket and for more information, click here. To watch the concert online, click here.
Career Development Center Event Registration
The Career Development Center’s registration for events being held in the Spring 2025 semester is now open. These programs help students connect to potential employers, network professionally, access jobs/internships, and interview with employers. Events for the Spring 2025 semester include the Internship Expo, Outdoor Jobs Fair, Education Career Fair, and more. For more information and to register, click here.
In the Honors Spotlight
Honors College students attend United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties
The group from Walker College of Business’ ECO 4530/5530 course led by Dr. David McEvoy (far left) and Meredith Pipes (far right) at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. This includes three Honors College students: Kennedi Ratcliffe (third from left), Nicole Tran (fourth from left), and Alessandra Griffa (third from right).
Honors College students Alessandra Griffa, Nicole Tran, and Kennedi Ratcliffe, traveled to Baku, Azerbaijan, to participate in the United Nations Climate Change Conference and the 29th Annual Conference of Parties (COP29) from November 9 to 17 as a part of the Walker College of Business’ ECO 4530/5530 course led by Dr. David McEvoy and Meredith Pipes. The course familiarizes students with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the annual Conference of the Parties (COP). The purpose of COP29 event is to “bring together countries from around the world to assess global efforts to combat climate change.” Each fall, a delegation of students and faculty from App State travel to the COP and participate in the negotiations. Griffa, a finance and banking major, is intending to graduate in May 2025. Tran, a political science major with a concentration in international and comparative politics with a minor in leadership studies, intends to graduate in May 2026. Ratcliffe, a political science major with a minor in German, intends to graduate in May 2025. These students were selected into the UN Climate Negotiations program through a competitive application process.
To read the full story from the Walker College of Business, click here.