Feeling Creative?

Vol 3 No 11

The following comes to us from the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts, and, more specifically, a former FLCC student named Connor Keihl.  He did an internship over the summer and when he saw this competition come through, he immediately thought of the experiences he had as a student at FLCC and times he had in the Honors House.  I know it's a rough point in the semester, but you absolutely have time and you might just find that writing a story clears your head and relieves some stress.  Best of luck to all who take this on!

GVCA’s New Deal Writing Competition

The Genesee Valley Council on the Arts is hosting their fourth annual New Deal Writing Competition! This is a short story competition where the writer is asked to use a painting chosen by the staff of GVCA as inspiration for their short story. For this year’s competition, we have selected Jacques Zucker’s “Fountain, Central Park” from our New Deal art gallery as your inspiration. The painting chosen is featured below.

            GVCA will be accepting submissions for the competition from July 1, 2018 - April 5, 2019. The first-place winner will be awarded $200, second-place $100, and third-place $50. However, the first-place winner will additionally be published in GVCA’s annual magazine, Artsphere. This is an international competition, so we hope to receive a wide array of submissions, however it should be noted that prize money will be given in U.S. dollars. This contest will use blind judging—that is, the author’s name will be withheld from the judges until the competition is complete—so we ask that every author omit their personal information from their piece(s). Instead, please include a one-page cover sheet for each submission that includes: title, author, address, and phone number.

Here are some more guidelines and requirements for the competition:

●      There is a $5.00 submission fee per piece submitted, up to three (3) pieces

●      Entrants must be 18+ years of age

●      The piece submitted must be previously unpublished

●      All entries must be 10,000 words or less

●      There are no genre restrictions

●      Winners will be announced May 5, 2019

●      Email entries to betsy@gvartscouncil.org in WORD doc format

            If you’re interested in reading the pieces of winners from previous years, or finding out more information about the contest, check out our website: http://gvartscouncil.org/writingcompetition/

Thank you for submitting!

       

           

Join Us!

Vol 3 No 8

I spent last week at the National Collegiate Honors Council annual conference.  This year, in Boston, we were treated to some excellent presentations and breakout session on every topic from assessment to outreach, from study abroad to preparing for interviews.  The theme of the conference was "Learning to Transgress" and while there were many presentations and discussions on this topic (transgress:  infringe or go beyond the bounds of (a moral principle or other established standard of behavior).  That said, however, the most common thread I saw was how to better help and serve students facing various issues with mental health.  It was nice to see it so openly talked about and I will talk more about it in another blog.

What I want to do in this blog is invite you to experience some new adventures with us.

First, classes for Spring 2019.  While we don't have a LOT of options, the choices we do have are amazing and well worth making room for in your schedule if you can.  You'll see posters going up soon - and here's a look at the main one:

See what I mean?  Important topics in writing and literature.  Vital issues that face women and minorities in today's world.  And then the seminars - one on Harry Potter and the other on superheroes?  How can you go wrong?  Remember, anyone can sign up for Honors courses; so, grab your friends, make room in your schedule, and go for it!

The second invitation is for a new place for Honors students and those interested in Honors to gather and converse.  Like Facebook Messenger, it allows for group conversations and individual messages, but it does NOT require Facebook.  Called GroupMe, it allows you to create an account using Facebook, email, a phone number, or an already existing Microsoft account.  Just click here to join us:  FLCC Honors Studies Gathering Place.

You can also scan this code with your phone camera and it should hook you up!

You'll be seeing this link on Facebook and Twitter and even via email and on posters in the near future.  We hope you'll help us create something of an Honors House online!

Honors Club Matters!

Vol 2 No 19

A guest blog this week from two Honors Studies students who have something important to share....

Hello everyone!

Our names are Jill and Blinne and we have some exciting announcements for anyone and everyone who is interested in digging deeper into the topics that spark their curiosity. How are we planning on doing that? By starting the Honors Club here at FLCC to offer the Honors Studies experience to all students.

What is the Honors Studies experience, you ask?

You may be thinking that Honors implies more difficult tests, challenging assignments, and classes capped off for “smarter” students. But that is NOT what Honors truly is. Here at FLCC, Honors means interdisciplinary seminars, discussion led courses, and classes that turn into communities. From classes on Women Who Kill, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Love and Romance, food and culture, storytelling in video games, and the Development of Modern Horror, as well as english, math, and social science courses, Honors is all about diving deeper into what makes you tick, and learning about who you are as a learner. 

For more on the Honors Studies experience, click here!

So, what exactly is the Honors Club?

The idea behind this club is to continue the Honors Studies experience outside of the classroom. If you cannot fit Honors into your semester, want to try a class but are nervous about the word ‘honors’, or just want to keep enjoying the same collaborative atmosphere, this club is here for you! We want to continually encourage self-reflective learning and expanding your horizons on an even more personalized level than taking an honors course. This club is all about what you want to explore, what you want to discuss, what you want to understand. Take that idea of ‘honors is for smarter students’ out of your mind, if you want to be a part of this experience then you can. We are here to welcome you with open arms and open minds.
More formally, the Honors Club’s mission is to:

• Develop multi-disciplinary self-reflective learning outside of classes and introducing it into extracurricular activities
• Help students meet who have similar interests and to develop more confidence in regard to such activities as open discussions
• Encourage students afraid to try Honors Studies to, at the very least, try the club
• Foster an environment of fluid curiosity, following what interests whoever makes up the club at any given time

Curious if Honors Studies is all it’s talked up to be?

Well… it 100% is, and we both know the power that an Honors class can have on not just a student’s semester, but on each student as an individual. We met each other last semester during the Honors Development of Modern Horror class, and by the second class we both knew that it was going to be something special. Within just a few weeks the entire class was slipping from just a course full of different people looking to know more about horror, to a community full of people who were truly interested in hearing, challenging, and debating what each other had to say. We learned from each other, helped each other, and truly found connections and friendships throughout the 15 weeks of classes. Leaving the Honors House was painful as our final class wrapped up, but the connections remain. And this is exactly what we are hoping to find and continue with this club. Nothing is as welcoming as a home away from home, and that is what Honors has become for the both of us.

Wondering how you can get involved?

We are looking for anyone and everyone curious about the Honors club and what it has to offer. Whether as a regular attendant of club meetings and events, someone who drops by when they can, or even as an officer- we have a place for you here. You do not have to be currently, previously, or planned to be enrolled in any honors courses to be a part of this club- if you are curious, you are welcome! As Dr. Trista Merrill, Director of the FLCC Honors Studies Program, says- come in and make yourself uncomfortable.

Curious about hearing more? Come to our information meeting on Thursday, March 15th from 1:00 to 2:00 pm (College Hour) in room 4245.

You can email us with questions before the meeting at:

jbond7@fingerlakes.edu

ckrieger4@fingerlakes.edu

We hope to see you there!

-Jill and Blinne