Vol 5 No 1
Welcome and Welcome Back!
Things look very different this fall, and it can be a bit of
a struggle and a challenge to feel the same excitement about a new semester as when
we are part of the hustle and bustle of the hallways. But, we will not be deterred! We are all in this together and that means we
will do what we can to make this a happy, healthy, and successful semester for
all. If you are new to Honors, we are so
happy to have you here. If you are
returning – welcome back, friends. It
may look and feel different, but at its core, Honors is still here and still
celebrating curiosity.
There are seven Honors courses running this semester – Environmental
Science, Composition I (two full sections!), Introduction to Reading
Literature, Perspectives on Tolkien, Mathematics of Money, and Race &
Ethnicity. That’s a pretty nice spectrum
of subjects and I’m happy to report that so far, we have three contracts in
place. Remember – if you’ve taken an
Honors class prior to this semester, you can turn a course into Honors via a
contract. You can find more information here.
We have plans in the works to have Honors Events this
semester – notably a talk series on WebEx on a number of topics that will
hopefully be of interest. If you have a
topic you’d like us to cover – let me know!
We will find someone to host one if at all possible. These talks can be reflected upon and then gathered
together in a reflective essay at the end of the semester for Honors points,
though I hope you will attend even if points are not your goal. We are currently booking topics relating to
gender identity, LGBTQ+ issues, nutrition for everyday folks, girls+ in gaming,
a discussion about God across varying religions (a sneak peek at next semester’s
seminar!), and more! We will host these
events on WebEx at varying days and times throughout the semester, so hopefully
you can make it to one or more. Stay
tuned!
As always, I invite Honor students to be a guest blogger for
Honors Matters. Another way to earn a
point if you’d like, you can blog about anything relating to your studies in
Honors (and hopefully how those studies connect to other aspects of your life).
Last but not least, I just want to end this first blog of
the new academic year by reminding all of you that you are not alone. Many are struggling right now in the face of what
seem like insurmountable odds. Civil
unrest, racial injustice, political upheaval, and the pandemic are all pushing
against us at every turn. But none of us
are alone. We are as strong as we are united
– so stay connected, stay together, and stay healthy. And if you need us, reach out. I’ll find you folks to connect with and talk
to, even if it’s ‘just’ about your favorite movie or your cats. We got you.
-T
I am charmed by the picture of two rocks.
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