Exciting, Entertaining, Empowering Events!

Vol 3 No 18

Hello, Honors Friends!

This week’s (or, rather, last week’s) entry is just a little exciting housekeeping.  I’m very happy to report that we have added some information to the Honors website that might come in handy for those looking to plan ahead for points or just for Honors involvement.  This information will soon be moved to the front page, but for now you can find it here:

https://www.flcc.edu/honors/events.cfm

If you look under Upcoming events, you will see that there are now events listed there!  These are official Honors or Honors sponsored events that you can receive Honors Points for if you are so inclined.  If you are not seeking points at this time or through events, you are still welcome to attend any of them.  I can guarantee you will have an enjoyable time in addition to any learning aspects that are inherent as well.  Just a few added comments…

The Honors dinner this semester will be on April 2.  We are having a taco bar and a very fun giveaway for everyone who attends.  You can also get a T-shirt if you missed the dinner last semester.  Dr. Nye, President of the College, has already told me he is planning to attend, as this the Associate Vice President of Instruction.  I’m sure we will have some other staff and administrators join us as well – not to mention the Honors faculty that always comes to eat with us and talk about courses they have taught and will teach.  It’s a great way to meet Honors faculty and hear about next semester – as well as just making sure that you have a good meal that day!

For the Convocation, I want to encourage all Honors Students to make a poster that visually depicts some element of the learning they are doing this semester – whether it’s an overarching concept or a smallish project, show us what you are working on.  We will fill Stage 14 with posters and then listen to four students who will be selected to share their work with attendees.  This is one of my favorite events and each semester I hold high hopes that we will see many, MANY posters.   To this end, we will host a poster-making session at Study-a-Thon 2019 on April 29^th in the library.  More details on this to come!

Last, but certainly not least, is the Human Library on Laker Day (4/25).   This Honors Sponsored event is hosted by the library and will feature a number of Human Books that you can sit down with to talk about the concept or label they represent.  It’s an amazingly powerful way to explore aspects of the human condition that you may not otherwise have the option to explore in such a personal way.  You can get more information on that onehere.

I cannot stress enough how amazing this event is.  In a world that constantly seems to try to pull us apart, this is a way to bring us back together again.  Through open and honest conversation, we can come to better understand people that are different than us and that are often misunderstood, judged, marginalized, or silenced.  The casual space and the welcoming environment makes this an amazing experience for all involved.

There will be other events added soon and I hope that you find things of interest for you there.  You are welcome to attend all of them and you are always welcome to bring a friend or two with you.  The more the merrier….after all, this is Honors, so all you have to be is curious.

Posters, Parties, and Presentations

Vol 3 No 10

convocation (n.)

late 14c., convocacioun, "assembly of persons; the calling or holding of a meeting, assembling by summons," from Old French convocation and directly from Latin convocationem (nominative convocatio) "a convoking, calling, or assembling together," noun of action from past-participle stem of convocare "to call together," from assimilated form of com "with, together"  (Harper)

We are rapidly hurtling toward the end of the semester and it's not going to slow down until we get right to the end.  It's always amazing to me that the end sneaks up on me every time.  This is my 15th year of teaching and I'm STILL surprised that next week is Thanksgiving and and then we are on into December.

And speaking of December, there's an amazing opportunity for all Honors students and I hope I will encourage you to take part.  It's the Fall 2018 Honors Convocation.  Twice now we have hosted an Honors Convocation and both times it has been an amazing experience for those who participated.  The first part is something open to all.   The poster session.

Poster sessions are a staple of student and faculty conferences and research across all disciplines and in all sorts of contexts.  It's more than just a chance to be creative and colorful, it's also an opportunity to think about what is truly significant and important about the work you are doing.  Showcasing this work celebrates the importance of intellectual rigor and taking the value of your learning beyond the walls of the classroom.  Faculty at North Carolina State University describes this kind of poster as a "[a] source of information, [a] conversation starter, [an] advertisement of your work, [and a] summary of your work" (Hess, Tosney, Liegel).  To be effective, a poster has to be a "visual communication" so that you can "get your main point(s) across to as many people as possible" (Hess, Tosney, Liegel).  We aren't a formal conference and you won't be judged on your poster, which makes this the perfect place to practice a skill that will serve you well as you move on in your academic career.  So, plan a poster!



To help with the poster making process, we will be gathering at the Study-a-Thon in the library on 11/29 at 7:00 to make posters together.  I'll bring markers, crayons, colored pencils, and poster board.  Bring any supplies you need and come on out!  There's food and other amazing things in the library that evening, as well.  Come relax and make posters with us.  I always end up wanting to go home after I've committed to going to this evening in the library, but you know what?  It does me good.  I always have an amazing time with the students who gather and we have great conversations about everything from what's going on in our Honors classes to popular television shows to plans for the future both near and far.  At this point in the semester, it is so important to take time out to just relax and making a poster can be a great way to do that.  You don't need to be an artist or creative or even prone to staying in the lines when you color.  You just have to figure out how to visually represent something you're learning.  We have to brag about Honors, so let's do it together.  And let's do it in a way that lets us relax a little bit as well.  You can even get help with other classes as well - or play games, have snacks, get a massage.  So many worthy reasons to go.

As for the Convocation, there's another piece in addition to the poster display.  That evening, for an hour, we gather in Stage 14.  This is a very special capstone for the day.  At that time, four Honors students will present their work to those in attendance.  They will present some aspect of the work they've done and leave some time for questions as well.  As something of a mini conference, these students are invited to practice skills that will serve them so well as they move forward in their academic and professional careers. Although speaking about a large conference on criminal justice, I agree with a faculty member who describes presenting as "the opportunity to showcase and get feedback on your work" as well as being "an opportunity to make connections, collaborate and explore" (Beshears) In short, it's a way "to feel as though you are making a real difference" (Beshears).  In the last two Convocations, we have had everything from memoirs and literary narratives to research papers and reflective essays.  Students have shared portions of their projects, journals, papers, presentations, or other elements of their work.  Perhaps this will be YOU?

Works Cited

(with implied hanging indents) 

Beshears, Michael L.  "The Benefits of Presenting and Attending Professional Conferences."  In Public Saftey.  American Military University, 13 Mar. 2017, inpublicsafety.com/2017/03/benefits-presenting-attending-professional-conferences/.  Accessed  Nov. 2018.

Harper, Douglas.  "Convocation."  Etymonline. Online Etymology Dictionary, 2018,  www.etymonline.com/word/convocation#etymonline_v_18320.  Accessed 15 Nov. 2018.

Hess, George, Katherine Tosney and Leon Liegel.  "An Effective Poster."  Creating Effective Poster Presentations.  North Carolina State University, 2013, projects.ncsu.edu/project/posters/index.html. Accessed 15 Nov. 2015.

FREE FOOD Matters

Vol 2 No 22

Invitation!

Come have dinner with us! 

When:  April 4th, from 5:00 – 7:00

Where:  Stage 14

Who: ALL STUDENTS interested in or curious about Honors

What:  TACOS!

What else:  shirts, coloring books, and this semester's gift

Come eat, and fellowship, and hear about important Honors matters such as…

Faculty and Staff reflecting on Honors

Students reflecting on Honors and asking questions

Spring 2018 Honors Convocation 

Poster making at Study-A-Thon 

What is Chaos Honors event

Presidential Greatness Honors event

Honors Club news 

Human Library - Honors Approved!

Fall 2018 Honors Studies classes

Spring 2018 Honors Graduation Ceremony 

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!