General Sessions Saturday, November 9, 2013: 11:30 AM-12:20 PM
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel (Bayside B)
213-2 Honors Within Dutch Higher Education
Judith Volker, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands
This session aims to share experiences and insights in how to support teachers in the development of necessary knowledge and skills for teaching in honors. An evidence based, year long, course was developed, conducted and evaluated: which lessons can be learned?
213-1 Universities of Applied Sciences in Search of Predictors in Literature and Practice for Professional Excellence
Josephine Lappia, Rottedam University of Applied Sciences;
Ron Weerheijm, Rottedam University of Applied Sciences
Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences have the special mission to develop honors programs to find, foster and produce students who meet the standards of an "excellent professional". The followed Innovation Lab approach adopts many theoretical criteria and adapts them in practice to goals of success in workplace and lifelong learning.
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel (Bayside C)
212-2 Empowering Honors Students to Thrive in 21st Century
Beata Jones, Texas Christian University
What are the necessary skills and what kind of learning environments are necessary for honors students to thrive in 21st century? In this session the faculty will discuss some of the prevailing models of necessary 21st century skills and its curricular and co-curricular implications for honors programs and honors courses.
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel (Borgne)
209-1 Sea Turtles at Mon Repos, Australia
Lauren Goldsworthy, Florida Atlantic University
Sea turtles are an important indicator of our oceans' health. Monitoring their numbers is crucial. For the past 46 years scientists at Mon Repos in Bundaberg, Australia have been gathering important data that has allowed scientists to see a fluctuation in nesting female sea turtle populations.
209-2 Out on a STEM: using Place as Text immersion experiences in Yellowstone and the Chesapeake Bay to promote integrative scientific learning
Alix Fink, Longwood University
Place as Text pedagogy has migrated from the honors curriculum to Longwood University's general education and teacher preparation programs where it has served to foster both meaningful science learning and civic engagement.
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel (Grand Chenier)
208-2 Growth & Development: Multicellularity in an Honors College
Scott Contreras-Koterbay, East Tennessee State University;
Karen Kornweibel, East Tennessee State University;
Rebecca Pyles, East Tennessee State University;
Joy Wachs, East Tennessee State University
How can honors advance an institutional climate of excellence in undergraduate education? The East Tennessee State University Honors College employs a multicellular approach with a mission to provide opportunities for all undergraduates. The dean and directors will describe our infrastructure, report on undergraduates served and discuss impacts of this multicellularity.
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel (Grand Couteau)
206-1 Standing Out in Today's Competitive Job Market
Dana Faught, The Fund for American Studies
This workshop will give students insight on how to stand out as a job seeker in today's competitive job market. What activities and experiences will ensure your resume is on the top of the stack? How can an internship be leveraged to land your dream job? Can you really make valuable professional contacts while still in school? What is the best way to leverage your network to open doors to your future career? Participants will hear answers to these questions and more as presenters share tips on how students can start preparing now to ensure they have an edge in the job market.
206-2 First You Make a Roux: Building a Foundation through Academic & Career Advising
Drew Lamonica Arms, Louisiana State University;
Jessica Sanders, Louisiana State University;
Cindy Seghers, Louisiana State University
Just as a roux is the basis for making a gumbo, academic and career advising is essential for preparing students to make informed decisions leading to post-graduate plans. Special emphasis will be placed on honors students with undecided or undeclared majors.
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel (Maurepas)
210-1 Transformation: the Possibility for Honors Program Students and Major Scholarships
Lucy Laufe, Montgomery College;
Rebecca Mentzer, Illinois State University
This presentation is a dialogue between honors directors from community colleges and scholarship advisors from four year institutions to consider the transfer process and major scholarships. The discussion will define a shared skill set for students that applies to both types of institutions and to a variety of scholarship opportunities.
210-2 The Transformative Experience of Applying to Major Scholarships
Ryan Diehl, Hutchinson Community College;
Jon Goss, Clarkson University;
Christina McIntyre, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
This panel will explore the nuts and bolts of major scholarship applications to help students and honors advisors better understand these awards.
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel (Napoleon A2)
214-1 Be More than a Volunteer, Be A HERO
Kelly Astro, University of Central Florida
The Burnett Honors College strives to inspire a sense of civic responsibility within our students. We do so through the award-winning Honors Educational Reach Out-HERO program. This session will highlight strategies for creating successful civic engagement programs focusing on developing reciprocal partnerships with community organizations, volunteers and creating a culture of service.
214-2 September of Service: How our honors program led the largest and most diverse service initiative in our university's history
Tracie Burke, Christian Brothers University;
Rebekah Herrman, Christian Brothers University;
Julia Kueter, Christian Brothers University;
Amanda Shaeffer, Christian Brothers University;
John Tubbs, Christian Brothers University
September of Service: 30 Days of Good Deeds was an extraordinary Christian Brothers University Honors Program service initiative through which over 250 CBU community members served thirty local non-profit organizations, one each day in September. It was the largest service project in our university's history and we'll tell you how we did it.
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel (Napoleon A3)
216-1 Bridging the Gap Between People with and without Special Needs
Jordyn Bever, University of Indianapolis
This presentation is all about bridging the gap between people with and without special needs. This can be done through starting programs that utilize one-on-one interaction between people with and without special needs. This session will give information on how and why to start these special programs.
216-2 Neurodiversity and Collegiate Honors
Clay Morton, Middle Georgia State College;
Jamie Watson, Middle Georgia State College
As autism diagnoses skyrocket, colleges are poised to become increasingly neurodiverse. Students with high-functioning forms of autism, such as Asperger's syndrome, are often academically gifted and thus drawn to honors programs. This presentation will discuss both the challenges and benefits of increased neurodiversity.
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel (Napoleon B2)
207-1 Transforming Lives through Experiential, Interdisciplinary, Reflective and Integrative Learning
Debbie Brawn, University of Cincinnati;
Ryan Harder, University of Cincinnati
UC's University Honors Program's vision is for students to be transformed through their honors experience. The UHP helps students maximize educational opportunities while discovering and pursuing passions in life and using gifts and talents to make meaningful contributions to society.
Based in experiential learning, we focus on learning opportunities in four thematic areas – community engagement, global studies, leadership, and research/creative arts. Methods for guiding students in experiential, interdisciplinary, reflective and integrative learning will be shared, with a strong emphasis on reflection. Methods and practices to be discussed include academic advising, a one-credit hour Gateway to University Honors course, honors seminars, coaching students through honors experiential learning projects and the development of honors learning portfolios.
207-2 Connecting Theory and Practice: Student Perspectives on the Area of Emphasis Curriculum
Melinda Adams, James Madison University;
Darielle Cooper, James Madison University;
Jared Diener, James Madison University;
Emily Thyroff, James Madison University
This presentation provides an overview of the Area of Emphasis curriculum at James Madison University, which allows students to select a theme and complete a progression that includes introductory, experiential, and practicum courses. Honors program staff and students will discuss how the curriculum promotes the application of classroom learning.
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel (Napoleon C2)
211-1 Developing an Interdisciplinary Course on Global Development and Sustainability
John Korstad, Oral Roberts University
During the S2013 semester I co-taught a new honors course titled "Global Development and Sustainability" that involved invited speakers from among our university faculty along with guests from local businesses and civic groups. Students benefited from hearing and discussing the interdisciplinary challenges of global development and sustainability. I hope to foster an interest in developing similar honors courses at other universities.
211-2 Creolizing Perspectives: A Greener Approach to the Honors Curriculum
Taylor Cunningham, University of Maine;
Andrew Estrup, University of Maine;
Sarah Harlan-Haughey, University of Maine;
Katherine Lees, University of Maine
A student/faculty team designed an interdisciplinary approach which transforms the honors curriculum by exploring anthropogenic impacts on the environment throughout civilization's history. Today, we place great emphasis on sustainability and environmental stewardship, but there's much to learn through humans' relationships with the environment in our Great Books honors curriculum.
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel (Napoleon D2)
215-1 All That Jazz: Using Space, Traditions, and Rewards to Build Honors Community
Colby Bosher, Texas Christian University;
Lauren Nixon, Texas Christian University;
Donna schonerstedt, Texas Christian University
Staff from the John V. Roach Honors College at Texas Christian University share their multi-faceted approach to building an honors community, recognizing achievement, and creating a culture of encouragement through the use of space, traditions, and symbolic rewards.
215-2 Building Community in the Honors Program of a Small Comprehensive University
Bethyna Murray, Wingate University;
Pamela Thomas, Wingate University
How do an honors director and other honors faculty build a real sense of community over three class years for honors students? Through those students sharing several required courses in honors, through their "hanging out" in the University Honors Lounge which is only for their use, through their sharing meals with high-profile visitors to campus, and through course-linked trips to exciting destinations like Philadelphia and New York City (we have student testimonials on this one!).
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel (Napoleon D3)
217-1 Study Abroad and Honors - Diversity in Europe?
Michael Tkacik, Stephen F. Austin State University
Study abroad trips to Europe are often (rightfully) criticized as little more than vacations. This session examines how to minimize expense while maximizing the educational value of a trip to Europe, including a longer stay, a stay that is outside of many students initial comfort zone, and a trip that demands an appreciation for diversity.
217-2 Teaching about the Holocaust Memorials: Differentiating Instruction in a Short-term Study Abroad Program for Honor Students
Mariko Izumi, Columbus State University;
Carmen Skaggs, Columbus State University
In this presentation, we will introduce the methods we use to differentiate class instruction for honors students in a short-term study abroad program, "Memorializing the Holocaust," inviting a conversation from conference participants about the best practices involved in this process.
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel (Southdown)
