The National Honors Report Vol. XXII, NO. 2, Summer 2001

Authors

Date of this Version

2001

Document Type

Article

Comments

Copyright 2001 NCHC Inc.

Abstract

COVER STORY

"Growing More Than Corn" by Daniel Abben, Lynn Cunningham, Shauna Duffy, Julie Kretzmer, Jason McLaughlin, Mary Beth Pistulka, Katy Rose Resnick, Alexa Spencer & Emily Wolf ... 1 Nine honors students from Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa in required two-semester honors colloquium create their own website about multiculturalism and diversity in Iowa. With Katherine "Katie" Fischer, instructor. The philosophy and process (and its many zigs and zags) behind it. Website based on students' individual research topics, which include Orthodox Hasidic Jews in Postville, IA; women's role in Catholic church; militia groups; and minorities in honors programs. Presented at the Upper Midwest Honors Council Conference, Spring 2001, held at North Central College, Naperville, IL.

... Reaching Out to Alumni

1. "Honors Fundraising: A Story of Adoption" by Larry Andrews … 7 Fund-raising at Kent State Honors College, from its dean's brainstorm. Five years now of an honors graduate adopting an honors student working on a thesis. Adoption fee (about $75) goes to student to defray some costs of research for thesis. A way to keep alumni connected to honors, a way for honors students to make connections outside the university-and incentive to keep track of honors graduates. Also, first attempt at raising money for Senior Thesis Fellowships of $1,000. Adoptions and contributions to fellowships brought in $5,500 in Fall 2000. No gift is too small.

2. "Win-Win-Win-Win-Win" by Henry Rinne ... 10 The Preceptor/Scholar program. A two-semester position for Scholars, for 15 hours per week. Selected by a faculty member, Preceptor. Good list of diverse projects already completed.

3. "Honors Scholars and Oral History" by Billy Higgins … 12 Seventy years' of school's transitions from public to private to public institution of higher education. Documentary sources, but with oral histories collected by honors students from students and faculty representing each decade .

... Reaching Beyond

4. "You Want Me to WHAT?" by Bill McDonald … 14 McDonald (Mac), Professor of Germanic Language and Literatur~s at the University of Virginia, warns of impending crisis in education. Did you know that in the next five years, half of New York City's public school teachers will retire? And principals, and college professors, and ...

5. "From the Pages ... " by Mari Heltne … 19 Heltne, Assistant Dean of the Honors College at University of Arizona, shares three pieces of advice. for honors graduates. Taken from an advice book collected by guests at a graduation party. Feed the animals? Read to fmd out what it really means.

6. "Honors Biology on Thursday Evenings" by William Grimes, Elizabeth Willott, Madeleine Lapointe & Jennifer Katcher… 20 Faculty from Biology and Entomology and two senior media specialists from The Biology Project at University of Arizona work to integrate students into scientific climate of a major research university. Two semesters, with a Thursday evening program (an additional credit hour) for overview of biological sciences, honors student collaboration, introduction to successful research labs & creation of websites. Learning for the sake of learning. Grade determined by assignments in biology course, not the Thursday-evening classes.

7. "Learning to Learn" by Ruth Fox … 25 Conducting class outside your expertise. Learning to learn. You, too. From honors colloquium, "In Search of Solutions," at Johnson County Community College.

8. "KOREA: Asian Heritage Meets Global Thinking" reported by Joan Digby ... 27

9. "Diversity Issues and Honors Education" by Tony Pittman …28 Pittman, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Connecticut, discusses pilot study of that university's honors program. Identification of barriers that might impede students of color from participating in honors. Very limited sample size in a very under-researched area. With two useful sources for honors administrators. Presented at the Schreyer National Conference, "Innovations in Undergraduate Research and Honors Education" at Penn State, March 200 I.

10. Get in Touch With State Honors Organizations ... 31Want to know if your state or area has an honors organization? Check out list provided bythe NCHC national office. Includes the names of someone to contact, with email addresses. P.S. Please provide the office with any additions or changes to NCHC's list. Get in touch with Gayle Barksdale at NCHC@radford.edu.

11. "Intersections and the City" by Jim Lacey … 33 The past, the present, and the future of a city. Time-traveling through your own life, looking for that enduring memory. Realizing what is special about your culture, your language, your own hometown. Carpe diem, but make sure you experience life in a big city.

12. "Go To Regional Honors Conferences, WHY?" by Nels Granholm ... 38 Africa & Mediation & Kosovo & Globalization. A sampling of the Upper Midwest Honors Council Conference. From Granholm, an UMHC Governing Board member.

13. "This and That" by Margaret Brown ... 40 Changes ahead for the NCHC. Becoming a NATIONAL organization. Approaching major universities who used to be members. Working with a PR fmn. Meeting with other higher education organizations.

... What Else You Need To Know

14. "The First Three Years" by William L. Knox ... 43 Original vision of Honors Program, and three years later. A review of the kinds of flexibility required by faculty and administration at all stages of development. How honors programs can serve as an institutional "divining rod" in an environment of ongoing change. With a questionnaire Knox used to stimulate discussion at a regional.

15. "An Honors Student… " by Sash a Hodge-Wren ... 47 From an honors student, who asserts that an honors program doesn't make an honors student. It's the other way around.

16. "Level Differentiation in the United States, Part I" by Earl B. Brown, Jr …48 Part I: a brief history of honors in the United States. From a symposium at the University of Utrecht on Level Differentiation: the distinction between honors and non-honors courses and how honors creates such distinctions (differentiations) according to the ability (level) of the students. (Part II in upcoming issue. Features of honors programs: justification for honors, admission criteria, methodological approaches, and program offerings.)

17. "Honors Advising at NCHC Institutions" by Bob Spurrier ... 55 Responses from 164 institutions about honors advising. Did you know that honors advising is required at 49% of them? Also includes the honors advising questionnaire used by the OSU Honors College's for honors students to complete before an advising session.

18. EST Report by Earl B. Brown, Jr ... 58