edited by Kaylie Morales
Volume 9, Issue 4
September 10, 2025
Hello Honors College students!
This week’s Memo highlights ways to take your learning beyond the classroom—through research, international education, and community engagement. I hope you’ll join me and your Honors College peers at the North Carolina Honors Association Conference, Oct. 24–25 in Charlotte, to share your explorations and experiences and connect with others who are just as curious and driven as you. Going together is a wonderful way to grow as a community where curiosity, creativity, and collaboration thrive. Read on to learn more about the conference and see how the Honors College can support your attendance.
Best wishes,
Vicky
Upcoming Opportunities:
Dr. Klima is happy to help you apply; send her an email at klimavw@appstate.edu
North Carolina Honors Association (NCHA) Conference
The North Carolina Honors Association (NCHA) Conference is currently accepting presentation proposals from students. This year’s conference, themed “Rooted & Rising: Honors in a Changing Natural World,” will be held on Friday, October 24 and Saturday, October 25 hosted by Queens University of Charlotte at the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Charlotte Uptown. Proposals for oral presentations, poster presentations, and sharing of creative work are due by Monday, September 15. The Honors College at App State can offer some support for this conference, including funding for some registration, travel, and accommodation. Contact Dr. Heather Waldroup by Friday, September 12 to express interest in attending, to apply for funding support, and to make travel arrangements. Click here to learn more about the conference and submit presentation proposals.
Coastal Marine Education and Research Academy (CMERA) Summer 2026 Program
Registration is now open for the Coastal Marine Education and Research Academy which takes place Mondays through Fridays, May through August in Clearwater, Florida. In this summer program, participants will work directly with marine life, build real world research skills, and collect data on sharks and rays in their natural habitat. Visit the Coastal Marine Education and Research Academy to learn more and to register.
Construction, Design, and Sustainability Technology Career Fair
The Career Development Center is hosting their annual Construction, Design, and Sustainability Technology Career Fair on September 30 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Holmes Convocation Center. There will be more than 100 employers with internship and job opportunities. The career fair is a great opportunity to practice career readiness skills. Students should bring their resume with them to the fair. Visit the Career Development Center’s Handshake to RSVP.
Community FEaST 100-yard-long table on Sanford Mall
The AppalFRESH Collaborative is excited to announce their 8th annual Community FEaST (Food Engagement and Storytelling) to be held October 8 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sanford Mall. Students, faculty, staff, and community members are welcome to join for free food and live music. No RSVP is necessary. To reduce waste, please bring your own plate, utensils, and water bottles. Click here if interested in volunteering.
The LEAD Workshop Series
The Office of Community-Engaged Leadership is inviting students to join their new LEAD Workshop series throughout the semester. The first workshop series with the topic Leadership Styles will be held on Monday, September 15, Wednesday, September 17, or Friday, September 19 in Three Top Mountain, PSU 169. The series of workshops are designed to think deeply about your leadership style, engagement, and enactment. Visit the Office of Community-Engaged Leadership’s Engage for the event times and to RSVP to one of the workshops. For questions contact Kaleigh Del Greco.
Stay in the Know:
Concert Lineup Hayes School of Music
The Hayes School of Music’s concert lineup includes: Dr. Justin Isenhour, a trombone alumni guest artist on Wednesday, September 10 at 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Rosen Concert Hall; a Jazz Combo Performance on Monday, September 15 at 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Crossroads Coffee Shop at the Plemmons Student Union; and a Jazz Faculty Concert with guest pianist Chris Rottmayer on Tuesday, September 16 at 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Visit the Hayes School of Music’s website to view their performance calendar.
Film Screening and Panel Discussion of American Coup: Wilmington 1898
The Appalachian Theater is hosting a free film screening and panel discussion of American Coup: Wilmington 1898 by PBS on Tuesday, September 16 at 7 p.m. at the Appalachian Theater. American Coup: Wilmington 1898 tells the story of a deadly race massacre and insurrection in North Carolina’s largest city in 1898—the only coup d’état in the history of the US.
Dave Isay visits App State
The Common Reading Program is excited to welcome radio producer and documentarian Dave Isay to App State on Tuesday, September 16 at 7 p.m. in the Schaefer Center of the Performing Arts. Isay’s work has earned numerous recognitions, including six Peabody Awards, a MacArthur “Genius Grant,” a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the 2015 TED Prize. Isay is also the bestselling author of eight books, including App State’s 2025-2026 common reading book: Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work. This event is free and open to the public and will be followed by a Q&A session and a book signing.
The Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series
The Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series will host authors and writers to discuss their books throughout the fall semester. The first event will feature author DeAndra Davis on Wednesday, September 17 for a Craft Talk at 3:30 p.m. and a reading at 6 p.m. in Plemmons Student Union 201B. Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. A book sale and signing will follow each reading. Visit the Department of English’s website to view the full lineup for this year’s series.
First Friday Art Crawl
Join the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts every first Friday of the month in downtown Boone for contemporary art exhibitions, local artists, and to connect with the Boone community. The next will be held on Friday, October 3 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Visit the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts website to learn more.
In the Honors Spotlight
Honors College supports four summer 2024 faculty led study abroad courses to Guatemala; Ireland, Italy, and France; and Nepal
Photo features the group touring the Bogside neighborhood of Derry/Londonderry, U.K., during the summer 2024 Honor College faculty led trip, “Human Rights and Peacebuilding in Ireland and Northern Ireland” co-led by Dr. Jessica Martell, associate professor in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies and program coordinator for Global Studies, and Dr. Belinda Walzer, associate professor in the Department of English. Photo by Belinda Walzer.
The Honors College offered four faculty-led study-abroad trips over the summer of 2024 to Guatemala; Ireland and Northern Ireland, Italy and France; and Nepal. Each of these trips supported students’ individual holistic development and engagement beyond themselves, across disciplinary boundaries, and in collaboration with others. The Honors College’s international education requirement asks students to broaden their perspective as they consider global interconnectedness through exploring other cultures, worldviews, and frames of reference. This story outlines the goals and options for Honors College students to meet their international education requirement through faculty-led study abroad trips for Honors College seminar (HON) credit. Stay tuned to the next four Honors Wednesday Memos to learn about the individual Honors College faculty-led trips from summer 2024. The Honors College looks forward to sharing future stories from students traveling on its summer 2025 faculty-led study-abroad trips to England and Scotland; Guatemala; Ireland and Northern Ireland; and Vienna, Austria.
Read the full spotlight story to learn more about the Honors College and its support for these HON faculty-led study abroad programs.
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!