edited by Kistler Hunt and Kaylie Morales
Volume 8, Issue 14
December 4, 2024
Dear Honors community,
It seems like yesterday that I was writing my very first top text as editor. It feels so recent, yet so long ago at the same time. Having been in this role since the Spring semester 2022, the Memo has taken up a considerable portion of my academic career, literally from my freshman to senior year. I am grateful that it has been such an integral part of my time at App State. A quote from the children’s TV show “Winnie the Pooh” rings true: “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard?”
When Lakin Stevens, our previous Honors Wednesday Memo editor, passed the torch to me, she answered the question: What does Honors mean to you? I think it is only fitting that I do the same.
To me, Honors education is the relentless pursuit of knowledge and betterment, both for yourself and others. To those who will be here long after me, I hope you never stop pursuing the passions and activities that align with your values and goals. I walk away from this experience fulfilled and enriched — a better student and person. I have been fortunate to participate in this relentless pursuit during my time in Honors, and it has certainly served me well. I wish the same for all of you.
With great enthusiasm, I am passing the torch to Kaylie Morales, our next editor of the Honors Wednesday Memo. Kaylie exudes a passion for the Memo like no other — eager and ready to jump to the next challenge. Please continue to share your opportunities and experiences with her and continue to let the Memo guide your Honors journey. I have no doubt that Kaylie will continue the legacy of making the Memo and our Honors College remarkable, just as the editors before me have done. I look forward to seeing it evolve.
All the best,
Kistler Hunt
Upcoming Opportunities:
Interim Dean Vicky is happy to help you apply; send her an email at klimavw@appstate.edu
End of Semester Resources
The University offers a variety of resources to help you finish the semester strong. These include: the University Writing Center for consultation on writing projects, with appointments preferred; Counseling & Psychological Services to support mental health; University Recreation to destress with active movement at one of many UREC facilities; and Personal Excellence through Academic Knowledge (PEAK) Workshops to build academic success and resilience.
Additional Summer 2025 HON Faculty-led Course
The Honors College will offer another faculty-led course in the Summer of 2025, Peacebuilding and the Arts in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The course will take place during Summer Session 1 and consist of two weeks of course meetings on Zoom and eight days of travel to Dublin, Belfast, and Derry/Londonderry. The course offers six semester hours of credit for GLS 3530/HON 2515: Empire and Peacebuilding in Ireland & Northern Ireland and ENG 4280/HON 3515: Irish Literature & the Arts, as well as fulfilling the Honors College international education requirement. For more information and to apply, contact Dr. Jessica Martell and/or Dr. Zackary Vernon.
App Builds a Home Letter Writing Campaign
The Honors College is partnering with App Builds a Home (ABAH) for their End-of-Year Letter Writing Campaign. ABAH is the University’s partnership with Watauga County Habitat for Humanity to build safe and affordable homes for local families. The letter writing campaign is a way to help raise funds to build a home for Amber Lee and her five-year-old son, King. Emails can be sent to friends, family members, and neighbors asking them to support ABAH by December 13. For any questions, contact App Builds a Home.
UNCG Honors Symposium
The Lloyd International Honors College at the University of North Carolina Greensboro will be hosting its 25th annual Undergraduate Honors Symposium on March 21, 2025. The symposium offers undergraduate honors students the chance to present their research-based work at an academic conference. The deadline for submissions is December 16. To submit a work, click here. For any questions, contact Angela Bolte.
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.
Stay in the Know:
The Schaefer Center Presents: “Preservation Hall Jazz Band: Creole Christmas”
The Schaefer Center is hosting the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, a group preserving New Orleans musical traditions, on December 12 at 7:30 p.m. The band will perform New Orleans and holiday classics. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
Winter Food Drive
The App State Post Office and University Sustainability are hosting a winter food drive, running from now until December 13. Canned goods and non-perishable goods are accepted. Items should be packaged in boxes and donated at the post office. These items will be delivered to the Mountaineer Food Hub. For more information, contact Jennifer Maxwell.
Commencement Volunteering
The Office of University Events is looking for volunteers for the Fall 2024 Commencement Ceremonies, which will take place on December 13. Volunteers will help guide students through the ceremony and greet and assist families and guests of graduating students. Interested volunteers must sign up before December 13. To sign up, click here. For more information, contact Andrea Elaver.
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.
Spring 2025 Graduate Admissions Applications
The Graduate Admissions Office is now accepting applications for non-degree-granting programs for the Spring 2025 semester. The deadline to apply is December 30. To apply for graduate admissions, click here. For more information, contact the Graduate Admissions Office.
In the Honors Spotlight
Honors alumna Sophie Cole ‘22 serves as Honors coach at the University of Tennessee
Photo features Sophie Cole. Photo submitted.
Honors alumna Sophie Cole ‘22 has begun a new role working in the Honors program at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (UT) as an Honors coach, which is built into the Division of Student Success. Cole graduated from the Honors College at App State in the fall of 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in psychology with a minor in religious studies and worked part-time as a front office assistant in the Honors College. In her current position at UT since January 2024, Cole is responsible for advising students in their completion of Honors coursework and academic, personal, and professional development. Cole credits her job in the Honors College as a major influence on her professional path and current position. She said, “Being involved with the program rather than just a member of it allowed me to maximize my time in Honors.”
To learn more about Cole’s career path and role at UT, click here.