edited by Kaylie Morales
Volume 8, Issue 25
April 2, 2025
Hello Honors Students,
As we enter the last month of our semester, many of you are feeling the pressure of final projects and thesis deadlines. Remember to take breaks and care for your well-being amidst the hustle, and don’t forget to be proud of your accomplishments. Today’s memo highlights ways to be there for one another: attend the Honors thesis workshop and defense practice together, help fellow students with their research by attending presentations or completing surveys, and celebrate each other by attending thesis defenses.
Wishing you the best,
Vicky
Upcoming Opportunities:
Dr. Klima is happy to help you apply; send her an email at klimavw@appstate.edu(link sends e-mail)
“Rhythm & Roots: A Celebration of Music, Cultures, and Community”
Honors College senior Ryan Stukes will be holding the practical component of her thesis with live performances on April 4 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at The Happy Persimmon(link is external), Boone’s first Asian market, located at 140 South Depot Street. Performances include Modal Brew, a talented band specializing in funk, hip-hop, neo-soul, and Afro-Latin sounds, and Baba Khalid Saleem. Throughout the event, Stukes will share the history of Africana music, highlighting its cultural significance in the High Country. For questions, contact Ryan Stukes(link sends e-mail).
Spring 2025 Courageous Conversations: Indigenous Experiences
The Walker College of Business(link is external) and the Student American Indian Movement(link is external) will host Courageous Conversations: Indigenous Experiences, a panel discussion on Monday, April 7 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Parkway Ballroom, Plemmons Student Union. Panelists will share thoughts and insights on their communities, talk about their personal career journeys, and provide practical advice for fostering greater understanding and support. For more information, click here(link is external).
Honors Thesis Workshop and Defense Practice
Taylor Carrillo, the Honors College graduate assistant, is hosting the final Honors Thesis Workshop of the semester on Monday, April 7 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Appalachian Hall room 085. From this workshop students can learn citation and writing tips, ask questions, practice thesis defenses, and support other Honors students in their thesis work. This is a great opportunity to learn about and get support for the thesis process. To RSVP, click here(link is external).
Showcasing Honors Experience
The Honors College and the Career Development Center(link is external) will host a workshop “Showcasing Honors Experience” on Wednesday, April 16 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Summit Hall Fireside Lounge. This workshop will help Honors students learn how to effectively showcase the skills they are building through Honors coursework, international education, and the thesis for job and graduate school applications and interviews. The deadline to RSVP for this workshop is April 13. To RSVP, click here(link is external). For questions, contact Dr. Klima(link sends e-mail).
Upward Bound seeks Research Leaders for Summer 2025
The College Access Partnerships(link is external) seeks summer research leaders and mentors for Upward Bound. Upward Bound is a free, early intervention program that provides academic support, social and cultural enrichment, and opportunities for personal growth to qualifying high school students. Read more about the positions here(link is external). Applicants must complete this form(link is external) to be considered. For questions, contact Aaron Gersonde(link sends e-mail).
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.”
Gabriela Pozos
April 7, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Leon Levine, Room 208
Presenting “Narrative Review of Common Dietary Changes Prevalent amongst First- and Second- Generation Immigrants Relating to Cultural Identity”
Stay in the Know:
Survey Opportunity: Does Movement Influence Executive Function?
The Department of Rehabilitation Sciences(link is external) seeks survey participants for their study that could help redesign pediatric therapies towards therapies centered around developing executive function skills. They are interested in how autistic and non-autistic adults move and inhibit their behaviors. To fill out the survey, click here(link is external). For questions, contact Dr. George Wolford(link sends e-mail).
Lab iMPACTLY Nonprofit Workshop
The Department of Government and Justice Studies(link is external), in collaboration with the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for Student Success(link is external), invites those interested in nonprofit work to register for the Lab iMPACTLY(link is external) Nonprofit Workshop on Thursday, April 3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Price Lake room 201A in the Plemmons Student Union. This workshop aims to equip local nonprofits with the tools, strategies and insights needed to enhance their impact. For more information and to sign-up, click here(link is external).
Boone Creek Clean-Up
The Office of Sustainability and Energy Management(link is external) calls for volunteers to help cleanup Boone Creek on Thursday, April 3 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. behind Appalachian Mountain Brewery(link is external). Help remove trash and waste to support a healthy ecosystem for people and animals. For more information, click here(link is external).
Survey Opportunity: How Do Neurodivergent and Neurotypical Students Connect?
The Department of Rehabilitation Sciences(link is external) seeks survey participants for their study exploring how students build friendships and community. To fill out the survey, click here(link is external). For questions, contact Dr. George Wolford(link sends e-mail).
Children’s Literature Symposium
The University Libraries(link is external) and the Reich College of Education(link is external) will host a Children’s Literature Symposium on Wednesday, April 9 at 6 p.m. in the Reich College of Education room 124 and a virtual session on Thursday, April 10 at 6 p.m. This event will feature award-winning and best-selling author, Katherine Roy. Registration is required for all events. For more information, click here(link is external).
In the Honors Spotlight
Em Player’ ’24 Honors thesis evolved through activism in founding of Boone Queer UNchurch
Em Player (right) with Dr. Lorraine Affourtit (left) at a Queer UNChurch event held at Lily's Snack Bar in Boone. Photo submitted.
Honors College Alumna Em Player ‘24 developed her Honors thesis “Queering Christianity: Reframing Christian Traditions Surrounding the Treatment of Women and Queer People through Community and Art” alongside the Boone Queer UNchurch. Dr. Lorraine Affourtit(link is external), assistant professor in the Department of Art(link is external), served as her thesis director, and Shivonne Quintero served as her second reader. Along with University Honors, Player earned a bachelor of arts in psychology(link is external) with a minor in studio arts(link is external). She spent her Spring 2023 semester in Florence, Italy, studying at Lorenzo de Medici(link is external). Player and Maya Carr ’23 founded the Boone Queer UNchurch(link is external) in 2023 as an alternative to traditional church services. Player and Carr wanted to make Boone Queer UNchurch a place that merges art, music, and an inclusive community. The organization welcomes all regardless of religious background or sexual orientation.
Click here(link is external) to read, “Queer UNchurch finds community in a secular space” by Hayden Wittenborn(link is external) in The Appalachian(link is external).