Survive and Thrive....

Vol 2. No 15.

Well, we have made it to the last week of the semester and we are in the midst of a number of holiday celebrations and preparations.  To that end, this blog is about how to best survive the next week as you finish up all of your work and reflect on the semester – and year – you have had.  I hope this helps some of you…

Talk to Your Faculty – If you have any concerns at all about your grades or your work, go talk to your faculty.  Chances are, they are more than happy to have a chat.  You may not get the news or the answer you want or need, but those conversations are important as well.  Just remember that faculty are also under a lot of stress and they need you to be a little patient and understanding as well.  This is not the week to ask about extra credit!

Get Academic Help – There is no shame at all in getting the academic help you need to succeed.  We have so many support services on campus that are staffed with people who have dedicated their lives to YOUR success.  That’s quite a thing to think about.  We don’t hide these offices in corners of the building, but rather put them where they might best be useful.  For science help, there is the The Science Incubator – with comfy study spaces and the science equipment you need to understand those tougher concepts.  For math help, we have The Math Center.  If you are anything like me, this place will be a lifesaver as you plan for your final work in math classes.  For writing those reflective essays and anything else related to writing, there is The Writing Center.  Last but not least, there is general tutoring for all other sorts of classes and available in General Tutoring.   Successful or struggling, confused or confident – these places are all designed to help you get the most out of your education.

Get Emotional Help – There is also no shame in realizing that you are stressed, scared, floundering, or generally feeling lost or panicky.  It is a difficult time for many for a lot of reasons, and you might find you need a little extra support to get through this last week.  Seek it out.  Counseling Services on campus will give you that support in a sensitive, confidential, and attentive way.  If you don’t feel comfortable going alone, seek out a trusted friend or faculty member to walk you there.  Your health is important, please do what you can to protect it.

Take Care of You – Even if you do not feel you require counseling services, it is important to take care of yourself.  And this means your whole self – get as much sleep as you can, take breaks from studying and working on projects, eat some healthy and sustaining foods along with those cookies from home.  Go out and play in the snow.  Go caroling.  Bake.  Drink cocoa.  Go bowling.  Call home.  Perform random acts of kindness.  Play a game.  Listen to music.  In other words, take the time to do some things throughout the week that will help you stay happy and productive when you are working and studying.

And my last piece of advice as you face this final week….

BREATHE.

When all is said and done, this is one semester in a lifetime of learning and experiencing and no matter what happens right now, life will go on and you will survive and succeed.  You got this.  You really do.  No matter how it unfolds, you can do it.

Student Voice - Convocation

Vol 2 No 14

This week’s blog comes to us from Emily White, Fine Arts Major (Class of 2019), who shares with us her thoughts on the first ever Honors Studies Convocation.

On Wednesday, December 6^th 2017 Finger Lakes Community College held the First Inaugural Honors Convocation, directed by Trista Merrill – the Honors Director. The Honors Convocation is an event that showcases the work that has been done by the Honors students throughout the semester. Throughout the day students and faculty were able to view posters which were made by students in Honors classes surrounding topics of their class and what they have learned throughout the semester. The posters on display were from four different classes: Development of Modern Horror, Composition I, Math for Liberal Arts Majors, and Analyzing Alice. These posters were on display from 10 AM to the end of the evening.

While walking the corridor to the café, three tables held seven stunning posters which people were able to enjoy. The poster creators included Devin Armstrong – illustrated by Emily White, Jillian Bond, Henry Sloth, Will Maskrey, Blinne Krieger, Jillian Duprey-Schommer, and Loren Manchester. All of the posters were eye catching and very well received by the student body and faculty of the college, as well as visitors. Each of the posters gave insight to what the Honors class was about, and the work that student had completed before hand or of their final project for said class, as well as informing about a wide variety of different topics. Between 4 PM and 5 PM people were able to ask the student poster markers questions of their posters to gain further insight on the class.

Once 5 PM came, four students of three varying classes – Composition I, Development of Modern Horror, and Composition II – gave presentations in Stage 14. Each of the presenters spoke of either their final project or a piece of completed work from the semester. Jillian Bond – of the Development of Modern Horror class – presented a 38 second trailer of her final film, which will explore the concept of fear. McKenna Guarasce – of the English 103 class – presented her research which will go into her final paper, which will be an informative essay on the importance of keeping the world oceans clean for the creatures that inhabit them. Onni Adams – of the English 101 class – presented the memoir she wrote regarding the time she realized her ethnicity gave her superpowers. Will Maskrey – of the Development of Modern Horror class – presented a short paper which recounted his experience with discussing fear with a group of young adults exploring the implications of the Christian faith.

Each student in their presentation allowed the audience to get a sense of not only their class, but as themselves as a student. The presentations also grasped the audience in different ways; Onni Adams’ memoir spoke to the audience at an emotional level while also inspiring everyone. McKenna Guarasce’s research informed the audience of the dangerous chemicals that are put into the oceans every day that endanger the lives of those who inhabit them. Jillian Bond’s trailer sent chills down the audiences spines while also alluding to the fact that not one person can truly identify what fear is. Will Maskrey’s speech and short paper informed people of the religious aspects of fear, further showing how elusive a true definition of fear really is.

The First Inaugural Honors Convocation was a success all around, from the incredible and informative posters, to the marvelous and edifying presentations. Being the first semester, the turnout was remarkable. Thank you to all who made posters and presented and to all who viewed the posters and attended the presentations. We look forward to the Honors Convocations in the semesters to come!

Photo Credits to April Broughton, Honors Librarian, and Trista Merrill, Director of Honors

Unique Spring Opportunity!

Vol 2 No 13

Looking for a fascinating course this Spring that won't require a huge chunk of classroom time but still gets you that Honors experience?  Consider the Spring 2018 hybrid course on....CHAOS.

Or, more specifically, SCI 137-01 - Chaos:  The Self-Organizing Universe.  Fridays from 2:00 - 4:50 in the Honors House.  Take a look at this amazing course description from Sam Samanta:

Do you ever wonder if the physical world and life seemingly driven by random events makes long-term predictions impossible? The course is an open invitation for developing creative insights through understanding of hidden patterns in the dynamic world around you. We will use visual mathematics to explore art, biology, business ecosystems, music, mountains, clouds, rivers and streams, solar-flares, weather, ecosystems, forest fires, stock-market crashes, flooding, earthquakes, cities, traffic-jams, internet, social-networks, galaxies, crimes, politics, wars, tornadoes, hurricanes, and dynamics of human relationships. You will come to see natural fractal shapes such as trees and network of blood vessels; and chaos in heart-beats as source of adaptability and sustainability. Through writing, discussion, lab experiences, and computer modeling, this course will explore the relevance of Chaos theory to our lives and through individualized research projects demonstrate its impact across scientific disciplines as well as non-science areas such as the social sciences, the arts and humanities.

November Honors Matters

Vol 2 No 12

Welcome Back!

Just a few points to mention as we embark on this mad rush to the end!

Come make posters with us and other wise engage in study and relaxation at the Study-A-Thon in the library this Thursday, November 30^th from 7:00-11:00.  This Study-a-Thon counts as an Honors Studies event!  Email me at honorsstudies@flcc.edu to learn how!

Nominate yourself to present and/or prepare a poster for the First Annual Honors Studies Convocation on December 6th.  Posters on display from 10:00 – 4:00 in the hallway by Stage 14.  Poster Question and Answer with poster makers from 4:00-5:00.  Presentations from 5:00-6:00 in Stage 14.  The Convocation counts as an Honors Studies event!  Email me at honorsstudies@flcc.edu to learn how!

Registration is in full swing!  Hope to see numbers in Honors Studies courses go up soon!  We have two GREAT seminars and a lot of excellent courses in the disciplines like Interpersonal Communications and Introduction to Psychology.  Don’t miss the fascinating Chaos Theory class or the Gender and Women’s Studies course, either!  Email me at honorsstudies@flcc.edu if you have any questions about these and other courses!

Head over to the Facebook page and give it a Like – no friending or membership requests needed!

You can declare yourself an Honors student with no commitment or repercussion if things change for you.  It just gives you the opportunity to have an Honors Studies adviser to help you make a plan and figure things out so you can achieve Honors Studies Scholar status.  Just fill in the ‘Change of Degree or Advisor’ available here:  https://www.flcc.edu/pdf/registrar/MajorChange.pdf

Four weeks left, folks….we can do this!

Special Invitation, Special Wish

Vol 2 No 11

An Invitation and a Wish

A Special Invitation!

In the hopes of making our first Convocation a positive start to a new tradition, we are holding a poster-making session in the library on the evening of November 30 – the night of Study-a-Thon!  So, along with making a poster in a casual, fun, AND productive environment, you will also get access to the other amazing things the library does that evening.  The Writing Center and the Math Center will be there, yoga and chair massages will be there, and even free pizza will be there!  We will have more information about WHERE in the library we will meet – but I hope you’ll make plans to join us.  Bring your poster board, your crafting materials, your course materials, and your good ideas and let’s be crafty together!  To help you start brainstorming, here are some wonderful poster making links:

• “Creating a Successful Poster” – Brown University (even more links on this page)
• “Creating a Poster” – University of Wisconsin-Madison (more in-depth steps here)
• “The Basics of Poster Design” - Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium (don’t let the name scare you!)
• “Poster-making 101” – Bates College (some technical help here, too)
• “An Effective Poster” – North Carolina State University

A Special Wish

As the rush of the holidays barrels down on us, complete with all the hectic chaos that the end of an academic semester holds, I hope that you can take some time during this upcoming break to take stock of all the blessings and positive forces you have in your life.  Being a student is a challenging role and so many of you are not just students, but also family members, friends, caretakers, employees, activists, community servers, church members, and countless other things.  There is a whole network of people supporting you, even if that network is small outside the college.  Take the time for yourself to ensure that you are as healthy and happy as you can be.  And may you take a moment to be thankful for all that you have and for all the promise your future holds.  Travel safe and be well.

Giving Thanks

The world is dark and dangerous, 

The days are long and bleak, 

And so my eyes stay close to home 

For the Thursday of this week. 

A day of thanks for all I have 

Though I feel it every day 

The rays of color in my life 

That keep back shades of grey. 

Friend and family lines are blurred 

As we lay the table fair 

And in these bustling moments, 

I lay my soul to bare. 

I love you if you’re reading this, 

My life you’ve wreathed in light 

May you find what you are looking for, 

Be it here or gone from sight. 

May each memory you have now made 

And those of days now past, 

Bring you peace and joy unbound 

And love to everlast.

T. Merrill

Happy Thanksgiving, friends.

Honors Matters So Much

Vol 2. No. 10

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” – Dr. King

Hello from Atlanta!

I’m here with over 5,000 administrators, directors, deans, support staff, faculty, and students of Honors exploring everything from social justice to building annual reports.  I’ve attended sessions on mental health, supporting trans and non-binary students, encouraging leadership in students, building community, and engaging in self-reflection.  I’ve also visited a number of interesting places in Atlanta – from The World of coke to the home where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born.  And there’s still two more days!  Lots of sessions to attend over those next two days – and I plan to also visit the National Center for Civil and Human Rights as well.

One of the things that keeps coming up all throughout this conference is the idea that wellness is key to success – that wellness of the mind and the concept of self-care can be the thing that makes or breaks a student’s ability to be engaged and successful in college.  It’s also come out that Honor’s students are more prone to not only being harder on themselves, but also suffering as a result of that pressure.  Many of us know that many of the students that find Honors appealing are the ones that don’t always fit in easily with their peers.  Add to this the stigma attached to mental illness and we find ourselves with a slew of issues that stand in the way of success.   They have much on their side, though – passion, enthusiasm, a passion for learning, and a desire to find others who are equally invested in the learning experience.  They have really big ideas and sometimes, all they need is a little push to help them see those big ideas come to fruition.

And you know?  The same is true for all of us who gravitate towards Honors as faculty and support staff have the same sorts of issues – in fact, we often have trouble saying no and we often find ourselves trying to do EVERYTHING because we care so much about Honors, the things it stands for, and the students it serves. 

We had a plenary speaker today named Bryan Stevenson who wanted to talk about how to change the world.  One of the things he said is that he has spent his adult life fighting for people who are broken – the poor, the incarcerated, the excluded, and the condemned.  He said that there came a time when he wanted to quit because he was so exhausted from trying to save broken people and it really led him to question why he had given so much of himself to help them.  And his answer?

He is broken, too.

He said we are ALL broken and we – the folks in Honors – are some of the ones who are broken enough to change the world.  And he told us how to do that.

Step 1 – Get proximate.  We have the power to embrace people, get close, and exact change.

Step 2 – Change the destructive narrative of fear and anger.  What if, instead of declaring drug use a crime, we declared it a health issue?  Can you see how that would change the whole story….if we stopped being afraid of that which we don’t know or understand and stopped lashing out in anger?

Step 3 – Keep our hopefulness.  When we lose hope, we lose any drive or motivation to keep going.  It takes bravery and courage to be hopeful in the face of the world around us – but we must.

Step 4 – Good people need to be willing to do uncomfortable things. 

I have felt this last one myself recently.  As a white woman who grew up in middle class suburban America, I often feel completely out of my element talking about race in my classrooms.  I hate conflict.  I hate political debate.  I hate much of what is happening in the world around us.  But because I hate all of those things, I have felt increasingly that my role is to draw attention to these things so that the students in my classes can be part of the positive change that needs to happen in our world.

This is Honors.  So many things are Honors and I’m learning so much about how everything I believe in is infused in my Honors classes, even when I’m not aware of it.

I will not say that my classrooms are safe spaces because that term has been tainted by hateful rhetoric that does not understand what it means.  What I WILL say, however, is that I see Honors classrooms as safe places – places to be you, to find you, to celebrate you, and to challenge the things about you that need to be challenged.

This is Honors.  You are Honors.

The house where Martin Luther King, Jr. was born

Librarian(s) Matter(s)

Vol 2. No. 9

From time to time, I will invite a guest to blog in my place...this is one of those times.

Once upon a time, an English Professor befriended a newly hired librarian. The professor poked and prodded the librarian, coaxed her out of her office and out onto campus, to meet people and to get involved. And the librarian was better for it. The librarian started to notice students that could use the same sort of nudging encouragement and started reaching out to them, just as the professor had for her.

And that, right there, is why Honors Studies is so dear to me. It’s a home within a home where I have never felt uncomfortable or unwelcome. It is a group of engaged and interested and quirky individuals who are all looking after each other. Supporting and encouraging each other all while sharing thoughts and ideas and adventures.

I should probably introduce myself. My name is April Broughton, and I am the Honors Librarian. I am also an author, an editor, wrangler of chickens, artist who works with bone and hide, video game geek, and lover of plants. All of that compressed down makes for a rather lively librarian who is exceedingly happy to be working with Honors Studies. Please consider me your go-to person for library questions and assistance.

All of the librarians here at the college have subject areas they specialize in. One of my areas happens to be Honors Studies. In that capacity I will likely be helping you meet other librarians who work in the subject areas you are exploring. If you need a hand with research, citations, finding materials, or finding resources across campus please come see us.

The first floor of the Library is where we keep our circulating collection. Any book you can check out of the library can be found there. If you need a hand locating a book, just ask. We also have quiet study areas and places to relax on the first floor. The second floor, where the main entrance is located, is where we keep our reference collection. Those books do not circulate out of the library, but can be an incredible resource for your work or curiosity. Our circulation desk is where you can borrow class textbooks or materials your instructors have placed on reserve to use in the library. You can also borrow technology like iPads, laptops, and calculators. The second floor is also where you can find the Library MakerSpace, a space to create and collaborate and experiment. On this main floor you will also find computers that you can use. The third floor contains our Library Classroom as well as our periodicals collection. Many student services as well as collaborative work spaces are also on this floor. The Library utilizes an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service, which allows you to borrow books and access articles the college does not own. We have a library chat service (Ask Us 24/7), which is invaluable if you find yourself, as I often do, trying to get some work done around 2am and find yourself in need of assistance.

More important than the physical resources in the library are the Librarians. Consider us one of the important and integral resources available to you here at FLCC. My office (room 2525) is always open. You can email me at any time (april.broughton@flcc.edu). Come be involved in our ComiCon and Study-A-Thon. Visit the Human Library to hear and share stories. Experiment and learn in our Makerspace. Get to know myself and your other librarians - we are here to listen and help. 

Honors Point Today!

Vol 2 No 8

Are you in Human Services, Criminal Justice, Chemical Dependency Counseling, Sociology, Psychology program or are you just interested to learn more about individuals involved in the legal system?

This event is a panel consisting of a prosecutor, defense attorney, a mitigator/investigator who contracts with the Ontario County Alternatives to Incarceration, and an investigator from the Ontario County Sheriff’s Dept.  The panel will speak around client centeredness in relation to their work.

Date:  Thursday, October 26, 2017

Place:  Canandaigua Main Campus, Room 4290

Time:  12:30pm – 1:45pm

Nasim Sarvaiya, who organized the event, said her “aim is to center it around the importance of softer interviewing skills and a holistic attitude in working with clients whether the client is a perpetrator or a victim” and “the importance of not judging, stereotyping, and/or racially profiling.”

This event is appropriate for any student in the criminal justice, sociology, psychology, human service, and chemical dependency program.  It’s also relevant to anyone who’s personally (or has had a family member) been on either side of the law.

Attendees will be invited and encouraged to ask questions of one or more of the panelists after the moderated discussion takes place.

This event is worth one Honors Point!

Remember Honors Events!

You need 15 points before you are done here (and a GPA of 3.25) to earn Honors Studies Scholar status.  All you need to do to earn an Honors point is the following:

1. Attend n Honors or Honors Approved event and sign the attendance sheet
2. Complete a short evaluation of the event (available there)
3. Write a reflective journal entry that contextualizes your experience there with other learning experiences, both in classes and outside (email me for the rubric we use to evaluate your journal!)
4. Write a reflective essay at the end of the semester that ties all Honors events you attended together using the following prompt as a starting point:

The Honors Studies Reflective Essay invites you to reflect on your role as learner and draw broader insights about your learning experiences. In order to do this, you are asked to explore three questions: First, where have I come from? By reflecting on your learning path before entering this specific Honors Studies experience, you are better situated to explore how far you have come. Second, where am I now? You can then reflect on this specific experience with its relevant concepts and how that relates to other experiences you have had as a learner in various courses and environments. Third, where am I going? This allows you to look forward to how you might apply what you’ve discovered about yourself to your future as a learner and a practitioner of a field. This essay will be evaluated according to the categories in the rubric provided.

The Honors Studies events you attended this semester covered, most likely, a wide variety of topics. As you revisit your reflective journals and explore the prompts above, think about connections you see in the topics offered and those you chose to explore further. Explore the activities you choose to attend and the ones about which you reflected on in a journal. Why? How do activities like these serve as learning experiences? Discuss the impact of the setting (such as location, time of day, attendees, and seating) on your interaction with the content. Explore the extent of your engagement in these activities, particularly the ones in which you actively participated. How did these activities influence your work in your classes or vice versa? In other words, use this reflective essay to fit the activities you attended and the reflective journal you kept into the intricate pathways you are taking on your journey as a learner.

These guidelines, as well as other supporting documents, can be obtained by emailing me at Trista.merrill@flcc.edu or honorsstudies@flcc.edu

Happy eventing!

Grab Your Things....

Vol 2 No 7

The following is a transcript of the words I used to open the Honors Studies Fall 2017 Dinner.  I hope you will enjoy these words....and perhaps next semester, you will join us.

Robert Frost once said that “Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” Perhaps related to this is a song that has been stuck in my head for over a week now. The title or the rest of the song isn’t terribly important because it’s one line and one line only: “grab your things I’ve come to take you home…”

With those two quotes, I welcome you to the fall 2017 Honors Studies dinner.

Frost’s quote is a particularly valid one when we look at the admissions policies of a community college. We are an open admission institution, which means if students come here (and fill out the necessary paperwork), then we let them come. As a result, we get a wide range of students here from all walks of life with experiences that run the gamut from relatively uneventful to full of chaos and change. My colleagues will nod their heads when I say that as a faculty member, I’ve heard some stories that have broken my heart over the years. For every story of success, there seems to be a companion story of tremendous struggle and overcoming the odds. Paired with that, however, is the realization that what students find at FLCC, in general, is a place to belong and that belongingness is something they grow to appreciate more and more the longer they are here. The same is true for the faculty experience. I have found my 13 plus years here to be full of support and encouragement from my peers for myself and for our students. From senior faculty (of which I am now counted) when I first began here to the newer faculty who are keen to get involved in any initiative that centers on students, this truly is a community.

Honors Studies is no different and, like so many aspects of the Honors experience, it seems that we are an intensified version of what is found in the community of this college as a whole. My anecdotal experience is that those in Honors feel a little deeper, experience a little more profoundly, and are impacted a little more keenly as a whole than the entirety of the college around them. As a result, some of them come to us with the most heart-wrenching stories.

I recently asked two sets of Honors students to name one thing that scares them and the list was not what I expected. In those quick notes written in a manila folder, I learned that not only did they have powerful backgrounds and stories, but they were trusting enough to tell me what they feared. I expected to read things like spiders, or the dark, or confined spaces, or horror movies, or public speaking, and there were some of those, of course. What I did not expect to read was how many students were afraid of losing someone they loved or feared loneliness and solitude. I read about students being afraid of life, of oblivion, of death, of failure, of people, and of emotional turmoil. And the most popular answer among them all was that students were simply afraid of the future. This is a statement of our times, I think, and something many of us are feeling.

In other contexts, I’ve heard so many students in Honors tell stories of domestic violence, abuse, drug addiction, bullying, anxiety, depression, and unstable families. My heart breaks every time. There’s more that I could say, but I do not intend this talk to be a negative or troubling one…because all of the things I just recounted I tell you for only one reason, and that is to talk about the flip side of that. Because by whatever path those students took to arrive at this place where they tell me their dark stories, the point is that they have found a place to tell them. They have found belonging.

The way students talk about their Honors classes is as heart-warming as those other stories are heart-wrenching. Last year, a student took courage from class discussions to email Dr. Nye about her thoughts regarding the national climate following the election. Why? Because she “left these classes feeling closer to my professors and to my peers.” I had a black student stop after class just a couple weeks ago to thank me for talking about race issues in class because when she’d tried to do so elsewhere, she’d been silenced. When I asked a transgender student to tell me which pronoun he preferred, he told me that he has found more acceptance and tolerance here than he has in his own family. I’ve seen students in tears for the sole reason that we had reached the end of the semester and that chapter of their academic journey was ending. I once had a group of current Honors students pool their resources and send a box of clothing, gift cards, toys, and art supplies to a former Honors student they didn’t even know because she was a single mom who had fallen on hard times. I could go on and on from the little gestures of students supporting students and even when they reach out to me when they know I’m struggling with something myself. As much as curiosity is the brain of Honors; this is its heart.

My colleagues will attest that while we may see this in other classes as well, we almost always see it in our Honors classes. Honors students support each other and form friendships; they challenge each other and respect each other; they debate and discuss and celebrate intellectual curiosity even as they share a laugh and tease one another. They are eager to share their excitement about the work they are doing and they are quick to ask one another for input and guidance if they are stuck or at a loss. I’ve seen hugs and outreach on a level that I haven’t seen anywhere else. I can think of no other more powerful word to use than family; and anyone who has ever heard me talk about my own family will know that this is not a word I use lightly. And so, my friends, as we share a meal together in celebration of Honors, let us remember everything that it stands for. Honors is reflection, analytical inquiry, and intellectual curiosity, but it is also so many things that we do not assess as a college and cannot measure. It is where you belong. And so, my friends, grab your things….and welcome home.

Honors Under Advisement...

Vol 2 No 6

It’s that time again!  We are moving into those weeks and months where everyone seems to be looking towards next semester – deciding what courses to take and what paths will lead them to their ultimate goals.  Or to determining what those goals are.  Here at Honors Studies, we want to encourage you to come explore what we have.  So many fun things are coming and while you COULD just look them up on WebAdviser, we thought it might be easier to list them here for you!  So, without further ado, here are the Spring 2018 offerings in Honors:

HONORS SEMINARS

HON 200-50 – A Writer’s Retreat -- This course provides a unique opportunity for aspiring, and accomplished, writers to gather in a supportive community to practice and discuss craft and aesthetics. We will meet for four weekends (10:00 am Saturday through 1:00 pm Sunday) at FLCC's inspiring Muller Field Station at the south end of Honeoye Lake where we will nurture, nourish, and revitalize our individual writing practices through weekend workshops and feedback sessions. With an emphasis on poetry and creative non-fiction the semester culminates with the creation of individual manuscripts, a course anthology, and a final public reading. (February 3 & 4, March 3 & 4, April 7 & 8, May 5 & 6 – Nehring Bliss / Palzer)

HON 200-90 – Women Who Kill -- Society seems darkly fascinated and quick to misunderstand the motives and minds of women who kill; we seem to think that murder is a predominately masculine crime. Studies reveal, however, that it is not gendered and female murderers have been around as long as male ones. But there are differences, and so we will spend this semester exploring what drives a woman make this choice and why it seems to enthrall, fascinate, and sometimes amuse society. We will look into positive and negative images connected to the feminine and also explore the psychological links between our myths, the collective unconscious, and the human brain. Opportunities for self-reflection will add context to student thoughts and feelings related to their experiences as critical readers and thinkers. (Tuesdays @ 6:00 – Ross/Merrill)

HONORS IN THE DISCIPLINES

COM 115 – Interpersonal Communication Honors – The course focuses on the development of the interpersonal communication skills necessary for building and maintaining positive relationships in both a personal and professional environment. Topics of study will include an orientation to interpersonal communication, verbal and non-verbal communication in career and personal relationships, perception of self and others, listening, managing conflict, response skills, cultural and gender considerations, characteristics of leadership and effective work groups, and job interviewing. Students will study various theories and practice skill development. (MW @ 2:00 – Flager)

ENG 101 – Composition I Honors - The goals of Composition I are to develop students' abilities to write at a college level and to think critically. Students will learn to make decisions based on rhetorical concerns of a writer's purpose, the readers' needs, and the context in which documents are read. As using sources effectively is one of the goals in the course, research will be interwoven into documents as a way to support ideas and connect with the audience. The course emphasizes process-based writing, student reflection of their learning progress, and it culminates in a learning portfolio.  (MW @ 11:00  - Murphy)

ENG 102 – Introduction to Literature -- ENG 102 introduces students to a range of literary genres that may include poetry, drama, fiction, and creative non-fiction and develops skills in reading, interpreting, and evaluating literature. Students will learn and practice the skills of close reading through discussion and writing.  (MW @ 11:00 – OR- TTH @ 11:00 – Nehring Bliss)

ENG 103 – Composition II Honors -- Continuing the educational goals of Composition I (critical reading and thinking, focused research, reflective writing, and process-based writing), Composition II shifts the focus to the rhetorical concerns of persuasion and argument. The course provides students with increased practice in research, analysis, and genres of writing done throughout college as well as in the professional realm. The course emphasizes academic research-based writing and culminates in a best-works portfolio.  (MW @ 9:30 – Gillio)

MUS 117 – Master Composers II Honors - The complimentary study (with MUS 111) of canonic pieces of Western Music Literature as well as critical issues involved in the assertion of canonicity or "greatness" (MW @ 3:30 – McGuire)

PSY 100 – Introduction to Psychology Honors – This course is a comprehensive overview of the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. It will familiarize students with the scientific methods used in the field of psychology. It will also introduce various topics within the field, such as consciousness, motivation, learning, memory, cognition, development, personality, psychological disorders and their treatments, social psychology, and the biological bases of behavior.  (TTH @ 3:30 – Ross)

SCI 137 -- Chaos Hybrid Honors – An innovative introduction to Chaos which brings the new scientific paradigm to the undergraduate curriculum. Starting from geometric fractals describing trees, leaves, and snowflakes the quantitative understanding of fractals is achieved through laboratory exercises including modeling on computers. Relevance of the Chaos theory is explored across scientific disciplines, and extended to non-science areas such as communications, economics, and arts. This course fulfills a science elective course requirement for students whose primary area of study is other than the sciences; however, interested science/mathematics students can take this course as an elective.  (F @ 2:00 – Samanta / Strieter)

SSC 215-01 Topics in Social Science: Gender and Women's Studies Honors – Gender and Women's Studies examines the social forces that shape our lives by gender, with a particular emphasis on women in the contemporary United States. The course emphasizes awareness of the many forms of diversity among women, and explores issues of race, class, and sexuality, as well as gender. The course will cover areas such as "gender and the body" (including beauty, sexuality, and interpersonal violence),"gender and social institutions" (including family, economy, politics, education, and religion), and "gender and social change" (including feminist, anti-feminist, LGBTQ, and other gender-related movements).  (MW @ 3:30 – Whisman)

Three things to remember:

1. GO SEE YOUR ADVISER!
2. Check Webadvisor for more details
3. If you declare Honors as part of your program, you can gain an Honors adviser who can help even more!

 Come to Wednesday's dinner to learn more!  Check your registration date and then come explore (more) Honors in the Spring!

Honors VIPs

Vol 2 No 5

The people who come to the Honors Studies Dinner are important people.

For one, the president of the college, Dr. Robert K. Nye, comes to share his insights and thoughts about Honors to all in attendance.  In the past, the Provost / Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs has come and done the same.  The Associate Vice President of Instruction says a few words.  At the tables can be seen the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Director of Student Life.  Esteemed faculty speak about their classes and the Director of Honors Studies shares a few words as well.

But, those aren’t the important people I’m talking about.

The important people are the students.  Honors Studies students and their curious friends come – and that’s who keeps all those folks up there ‘at the office’ after they’ve already put in a full day of work.  That’s why we write our remarks and our speeches, why we order T-shirts and other goodies, why we buy food and clear our calendars.  That’s why we are here for that evening – and for so many other hours throughout the summer and the academic year, as well.

Last Spring, I decided that I would not have an agenda for the dinner beyond those folks with titles saying a few things.  I would hand the microphone off to students in attendance and let them lead the charge of the evening because it was THEIR evening.  It was THEIR voices that we wanted to hear.  I wasn’t sure how it would go.  Sometimes, our Honors Studies students can be a bit shy or anxious about speaking up in a large group of people they don’t know.  But, like they have so many times before, they surprised me.

You’d think I’d get used to that and not be surprised anymore. Time and time again, students at this college in general and those involved in, and interested in, Honors in particular have surprised me with their passion and their curiosity.  Honors Studies has the power to change lives and people wanted to talk about it.  They wanted to tell others what they experienced and what they learned.  They wanted to talk about what Honors has done for them and why they were pursuing it.  They wanted to talk about what their classmates in Honors were doing and had done for them.  They wanted to talk about the teachers they’d met and the work they were doing.  They wanted others to know about this ‘secret gem’ at FLCC.**

That evening we gave them the chance to talk about something they’ve found here that is unlike what they expected to find, but more than they ever hoped it would be.  Whether they sought it or stumbled into it, believed in it or were mistaken about it, the students who spoke last semester – and Honors Studies students in general – love Honors.  And those who have titles and work at the college to bring the dinner and all the other Honors Studies events and opportunities to life also love it.  As our marketing voice recently said to me, “I always have time for Honors” and that really has nothing to do with me as Director.  It has everything to do with what Honors represents, what it offers, what it allows students to do and discover about themselves.  Honors has always meant this at FLCC and its exciting to find ways to help tell others about it and, in turn, help them achieve it.

So…won’t you join us?

** As it turned out, they also wanted fidget cubes, but that isn’t important right now.  :D

FLCC Comic-Con - Honors Approved!

Vol 2 No 4

An Event to Remember!

"Highlighting literary graphic resources through speakers, presentations, and other unique learning experiences"

We are excited to announce the FIRST Honors Approved Event being held this Activities Day – October 17, 2017. This event is sponsored by the Charles J. Meder and funded in part by Student Corporation and the Humanities Department.

This event, hosted and held in the Library, has so many amazing parts to it – from costume contests and crafts to food and a movie. It seems like there is a little something for everyone. What really gets Honors Studies excited, however, are the presentations. Held by students, faculty, staff, and community members, these presentations touch on so many deeper aspects of comics and super-heroes. These sorts of things show us that popular culture is rife with things to study, explore, and reflect upon. For instance, take a look at what you can expect if you go:

Lights, Sounds, Buttons, Sensors (Bill Pealer)
This presentation shows the ins and outs of creating props with Arduino and various materials. The discussion and workshop will include how to program props to light up, buzz and more using simple cost-effective tools.

Kick-Butt Costuming 101 (Dave Ghidiu)
Making award-winning costumes isn't hard - but it does take a tiny bit of money and tons of time. Come learn how to make stellar costumes out of easy-to-obtain materials. Participants will learn techniques and experienced tips for making costumes that stand out and will walk away with information on where to go for the next step. Some participants will even get to participate in a rapid build!

Force, Mass, and Acceleration: The Dangers of Being Super (Trevor Johnson-Steigelman)
Superman and Supergirl are able to leap tall buildings in a single leap, but do they get charged for replacing sidewalks? The Flash and Quicksilver are quick, but do they have liability insurance for causing whiplash? Why should Spider-Man consider taking a physics class or two? Let’s investigate how Newton’s Second Law is mangled in the comics and the movies.

The Culture of Japan (Anime Club Presentation)
The student-led discussion will include Japanese history, diet, and cultural standards. The presentation will start at 12:30 to give our comic fans a chance to grab their lunch.

My Life in Comics Q & A (Sal Otero)
Sal Otero is an artist living in Upstate New York. Currently, Sal is working on the TMnT comics. In his presentation, Sal will discuss his experiences in the comics business and his journey to becoming an artist within the industry. There will be a brief Q & A session following his presentation. 

Jenny Burnett, Automated Systems Librarian and the mastermind behind Comic-Com, has the following to say about this Honors Studies Experience:

In the past I have found many students think that ComiCon is just about comics; this event gives the Library a chance to truly change the minds of students when it comes to comic events and comics themselves. Due to its interdisciplinary nature, the Library events have the opportunity to pique the scholarly interests of various students, faculty, staff and the community. This event contributes, not only to the culture here at FLCC, but also to the culture of the community, giving everyone a unique opportunity to explore this medium in a safe and welcoming space…ComiCon gives students and members of the community an opportunity to reflect on their views and will show them that the stereotypical Comic-con comic reader, can be quite different than they had originally thought. The FLCC Library ComiCon has a strong tradition of breaking the mold in this respect. Our first years have shown hundreds of students comics can be scholarly, non-fiction, physics lessons, instructional, and they can be for everyone. Students might also find that they are the ones who have been closed off to these experiences, and do some additional self-reflection and evaluation on why they feel this way. Each speaking guest gives students the opportunity to analyze new ideas, and old themes both inside the comics’ medium and beyond.

Look for posters and other advertising around campus for more information and we hope to see you at the FLCC Comic-con – an Honors Approved Event!

If you need more information on how to earn Honors Studies Points for this and other Honors Studies Events, please email the Director of Honors Studies, Dr. Trista Merrill at trista.merrill@flcc.edu or honorsstudies@flcc.edu.

Coming Soon!

Vol 2. No 3

Starting this semester, albeit in a somewhat limited way, you can earn Honors Studies Points by attending Honors Approved Events! You should start seeing the sticker shown below pop up here and there to designate an event as one you can attend and then reflect on to get Honors Studies Points. That prompts two questions, I'm sure. First..."what are Honors Studies Points?" and second, "What do you mean, reflect on it?" Well, read on, my curious friends!

The straight up definition of Honors Studies Points that they are the formal tracking of a student’s success in Honors Studies and are earned by taking Honors Studies Courses (including contracts) and attending Honors approved events. Earn enough of them and you become an Honors Studies Scholar, which is someone who has earned at least 15 points of Honors Studies Experience at the end of their time at FLCC and has an overall GPA of at least 3.25.

9 of your points needs to come from taking courses, but the other 6 or more can come from Honors Approved Events. Once you attend an event, you will be expected to complete a 500 or more word journal about the experience wherein you reflect on what you experienced and connecting it to other expectations and other experiences. We can give you prompts to help with this part of it. At the end of the semester, you will write a reflective essay that connects that event to any others you took and explores the same three questions you explore in all Honors reflective essays: where have I been, where am I now, and where am I going. From there, you can explore the event or events specifically through this addition to those questions:

The Honors Studies events you attended this semester covered, most likely, a wide variety of topics. As you revisit your reflective journals and explore the prompts above, think about connections you see in the topics offered and those you chose to explore further. Explore the activities you choose to attend and the ones about which you reflected on in a journal. Why? How do activities like these serve as learning experiences? Discuss the impact of the setting (such as location, time of day, attendees, and seating) on your interaction with the content. Explore the extent of your engagement in these activities, particularly the ones in which you actively participated. How did these activities influence your work in your classes or vice versa? In other words, use this reflective essay to fit the activities you attended and the reflective journal you kept into the intricate pathways you are taking on your journey as a learner.

One of the events we are most excited about is the Honors Convocation.  This event will be a chance to share your Honors Studies work with others and see what other Honors Studies students have done as well.  More on this in a future blog!

Remember to save the date - October 18th at 5:00 - the Honors Studies Dinner.  And guess what?  That is an Honors Approved Event!  :)

New Old Words

Vol. 2 No 2.

So, what does the foundation of Honors look like?  In many ways, it's the same as it always has been:  reflection, inquiry, and collaboration in the pursuit of learning that lasts beyond the classroom and the institution.  But we feel that we've infused it with a few more words that capture the essence of what Honors at FLCC is and where it came from.

Curiosity.  Passion.  Engagement.  Challenge.  

So many who teach and learning in Honors Studies will tell you that it's not MORE work, it's different work.  But it's not just about 'work' - there are so many other words and things that you should know if the core of Honors Studies is something you seek to really understand.  From our mission, talked about last week, comes our learning outcomes.  These are the things we want students to have gained by the time they leave us and FLCC.  

• Students will be able to reflect on and evaluate their internal learning process
• Students will be able to analyze external connections among their own learning experiences
• Students will be able to articulate the value of intellectual pursuit in a scholarly tradition

Can you see them?  Those same ideas of reflection, new modes of learning, inquiry, and intellect.  There are some parts that might look or sound new, though they are really not.  We've just found new ways to say them.  And we made sure that the things that we hold as the heart of Honors Studies link to the FLCC Values.   It wasn't hard to do - they overlap and inform each other in so many exciting ways.

Vitality is reflected with all three of our learning outcomes in Honors Studies, most readily with the third one.  Exploring scholarly tradition really encourages us see how the concepts and content of a course exist outside the classroom in complex ways.  Within the classroom, the second learning outcomes leads Honors Studies students to explore their learning in a collective context, while self-evaluation (in the first learning outcome) is directly linked to well-being.  We have to look to ourselves to engage in self-care at all levels - emotionally, physically, intellectually, and even spiritually.

We find interconnection most obviously in the second learning outcome where you will be directly challenged to find connections among learning experiences.  The first learning outcome hopefully leads to us realizing that our internal selves is what connects all the arenas of our lives and the one thing over which we have the most control.  Internal reflection also encourages you to connect with other students as well as faculty and staff. Meanwhile, the third learning outcome highlights that a discipline is a community of scholars and the conversations of the classroom are just one facet of conversations going on all around us.

All of the Honors Studies learning outcomes require perseverance.  Our emphasis on analysis, reflection and scholarship requires the continual push against intellectual, emotional, and circumstantial barriers.

Similarly, reflection, evaluation, analysis, and scholarship are based squarely in inquiry.  When students meet the three Honors Studies learning outcomes, they demonstrate the ability to pose questions and utilize endurance to pursue the answers.

So, there you have it.  The events, courses, and experiences you have in Honors Studies is so much more than just 'fun classes' that are taught in a different way.  We've put so much work in behind the scenes so you could have these experiences and we hope that you find just as much value in them as we do.  We also couldn't do ANY of this without you.

“It is only once in a blue moon that you are able to honestly say the experience of a classroom has changed your outlook on life. This course was one of my blue moons.”

-Amber

Honors Gets the Works

Vol. 2 No. 1

Welcome! Or…welcome back!

Over the summer, Honors Studies implemented some changes.  Here’s the rundown of what you need to know and why changes were made.

One of the most important things we tried to do was simplify the language and detach it from language that was constantly being confused with other areas of the college.  No longer will you hear about the Honors PROGRAM or Honors DEGREES, DIPLOMAS, CERTIFICATES, or CREDITS.  None of these things REALLY applied in the traditional way anyway, so it was time to make a change.  We also wanted to make it easier for students to achieve Honors status upon leaving FLCC.  So many of our programs have gotten tighter and more restrictive, and so many students are transferring to four-year schools (both SUNY and private) that it was time for us to make some changes to help you take Honors with you when you did that. 

So…what do you need to know?  In a nutshell....

• We are now officially called Honors Studies.
• If you earn 15 points of Honors Studies Experience and have a 3.25 GPA when you graduate or transfer from FLCC, you will be designated an Honors Studies Scholar on your transcript, with supporting documentation.
• There are four ways to earn Honors Studies points – three of them have not changed: Honors Studies Seminars (HON classes), Honors Studies in the Disciplines (courses with Honors in the title), and Honors Studies contracts (making a non-Honors course into Honors once you’ve taken at least one Honors course). The fourth way is by attending and reflecting on Honors Studies Events.
•  Honors Studies Events are events hosted or approved by Honors that encompass our learning outcomes and mission through the content of their offering. By attending these events, and then writing a journal and an Honors Reflective Essay about your experience, you will earn at least one point.
•  All Honors Studies Experiences will have the same basic prompt for their reflective essays – where you will be challenged to think about where you have been, where you are, and where you are going in the context of the class or event of which you were a part.

Our goals in Honors remain what they always have been – to celebrate who you are as a learner and to help you hone those qualities that will support you being a lifelong learner.  We’ve crafted a new mission statement to reflect this:

Self-reflective learning meets innovative teaching within and between the disciplines in Honors Studies at FLCC.  Our seminars and activities foster an atmosphere of interconnection, inquiry, and curiosity where students become lifelong learners.  Honors students develop the confidence to contribute to their local and global communities.

There’s lots to talk about this semester, but I don’t want to overwhelm you as you start the Fall 2017 semester, so we will keep this short.  Just remember… all you have to be is curious!  We look forward to working with you this semester and hope that you have a fantastic learning experience.

SAVE THE DATE:  October 18 – the Honors Studies Dinner!  Open to all students!