Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall...

Vol 4 No 3

We have just found ourselves at another Autumnal Equinox and for many, that means a slowing down and a time for reflection on the year.  It’s also a time when we begin to plan for the numerous days of celebration that we encounter between now and the close of the year.  The air is crisp and cool, the leaves are changing, and all of nature seems to be gearing up for the long winter ahead.

Students don’t always feel that slowing down though, because they are inundated with the work and growing responsibilities of the classes in which they are enrolled.  Like the animals who are busily gathering food to last them the winter, students are gathering all the knowledge they can find in an effort to acquire everything they need to move forward in their academic careers.

But still, it is a time to reflect.  Reflection is one of the cornerstones of the Honors Studies experience and we try to instill that sense of change and deep thinking in all our classes and events, regardless of discipline or instructor.  Three questions push Honors Studies students to contemplate the cycles of not just learning, but critical thinking, personal development, and growth.  Each answer to each question links each learning experience to every other learning experience, in a long chain of your development as a member of the great wide world of ours.

So what are the questions?  Some of you already know them and have worked with them in different contexts.  Some of you heard them in passing, but that is all.  Some of you do not know.  All of you can benefit from hearing them early and often, so that when your formal reflection begins, it will be born from a semester long contemplation of who you are as a learner and a person.

Where have you come from?

Where are you now?

Where are you going?

They are broad questions – designed to begin a formal meditation on the work you’re doing in the class that you are taking and the experiences you had at the events you attended.  From here, your instructor will shape and mold the assignment to frame it within the specific content and exploration that was part of a semester long journey into art, math, composition, sociology, or literature.  Each will help you to celebrate your successes, consider your challenges, and explore the content of the   You will, in those pages, truly become a life-long learner and a scholar of the field that you have experienced in your time with that instructor.

course in detail.

I know I speak for many – if not all – of the instructors, when I say that the reflective essay is one of our favorite aspects of the Honors courses we teach.  We really get to see behind the veil, so to speak, of the students with whom we have shared our time, passion, and expertise.  We get to celebrate with you, share our sympathies for your struggles, and even call you colleagues of a discipline that we ourselves love and are continually students in.

And these prompts are never really limited to the classes you take or the events you attend.  

Reflection is an ever-happening experience for those who wish to enhance their strengths, smooth out their flaws, and work ever to become better people.  The only way to truly do this is to think about where we have been, consider where we are, and contemplate where we might be going.

But, it’s hard.

It is not always an easy experience, if we are being honest.  Self-reflection requires a certain level of vulnerability and honesty with yourself that can be painful, disappointing, or frustrating.  Humans, in most cases, are much better at finding fault in themselves than they are at finding strengths.  I encounter this every semester when I invariably get a student who writes two pages about how they cannot write.  Self-critique is one of the most powerful acts we can do as free-thinking humans and, doing so in good faith and sincerity can make us better people, and, in turn, make this world a better place. 

As Confucius said, “Study the past if you would define the future.”

So, tell me… where have you come from?

Courage and Passion

Vol 4 No 2

Reflections on courage - which seem particularly fitting for an Honors audience..

This past weekend I had the distinct pleasure and honor to be a guest at the VIP luncheon and then the induction ceremony for the National Women’s Hall of fame.  I was, for a brief time, in the presence of greatness and I cannot truly express what I was feeling at the time.  When Louise Slaughter’s granddaughter spoke in her memory and she categorized the experience as being both humbling and uplifting, I felt much the same.  I found myself thinking, more than once, that I needed to learn more and do more. 

Each inductee – from the fiery Angela Davis to the impassioned Sonia Sotomayor – spoke to us of their gratitude for the honor and the recognition.  And each directed their words toward, in part, the 300 students who were present from schools all around the area.  I began to notice a pattern in many of their words.  They talked about the environment, law, science, the arts, the rights of women, the battles won and the battles yet to come.  Each seemed to have her own issue upon which she focused, but there was still a pattern.

Courage.  Passion.  Working together.

Almost every one of the inductees or their representatives spoke about how important it was, in these most trying times, to be courageous, to find the issues that quicken your heart and then act on them through the courage of conviction.  In spite of the naysayers, in spite of the dissenting voices, in spite of a world that often seems without hope, we must find our voices and speak up and out.  We have to save the only world we have.  We have to shatter the glass ceiling.  We have to punish the wrong-doers and we have to give strength to the disenfranchised, the powerless, and the silenced.

We have come so far, and yet we still have so far to go.

The stories and celebrations were about women, but bettering the lives of women all over the world will also improve the quality of life for all humans and for the earth itself.   Many spoke about how the work they did was always in conjunction with others – and that they stood on the shoulders of the women and men who came before them.  The stories of struggle and milestones rarely are the work of just one; it is imperative that we come together to become stronger and more powerful forces of good.  But that means each of us need courage. 

Merriam-Webster defines courage as the “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty” and the challenges to finding one’s courage can seem insurmountable.  In fact, many of the women talked about how hard it was to do what they’ve done and continue to do.  But each found a way to do it, and so can we.  Chances are, we won’t have to do it alone because others will join us.  It begins with that first step.

In short, we must all have the courage to stand up for what we believe in.  Maybe that courage will begin for you in the classroom, in the halls between classes, or in an event you attend.  Next time a question is asked, an issue is posed, an opportunity presents itself – speak up.  Take that chance and make that choice.

If we form an army driven by the courage of conviction, we will be unstoppable.

@sarahtimmerman.  “I went to the national women’s hall of fame induction ceremony today and it was extreamly emotional and a truly inspiring day.”  Twitter, 14 Sept 2019, 11:44, twitter.com/sarahtimmerman/status/1173080006022574081.

Words of Welcome

Vol 4 No 1

Welcome (Back)!

I am so thrilled that you are reading this and have found the FLCC Honors Studies blog and judged it worth reading.  Summer is leaving us and fall is quickly coming on her heels and with that, comes so many opportunities for you to learn and grow and engage in so many interesting experiences.  I hope you take advantage of them all and I hope you find Honors Studies worth dedicating time and energy to.  But don't take my word alone as encouragement...

The following is a very special message to welcome you - or welcome you back - to FLCC for the Fall 2019 semester.  Brianna is a recent graduate who is now at SUNY Potsdam where she is pursuing a degree in Literature.  A passionate Honors student while at FLCC, I'm pretty sure she will ALWAYS be an Honors Studies student...

Honors Welcome

Hello! I would like to take this chance to welcome all students, faculty, and staff, whether new or returning, to FLCC for the Fall 2019 semester, and back into the open arms of Honors at FLCC. For those of you who do not know me, I am Brianna Smith, a graduate of FLCC and its Honors Studies and an alumna advisor to Honors.

This autumn is bittersweet for me indeed, as it is the first since beginning my collegiate journey that I will not be stepping into the Honors House within the first week of school, that I will not be wandering the grounds of FLCC. Yet I do not want to dwell too long on these melancholies – this post is for you, and there are many happy things which await you.

This semester is particularly encouraging for Honors Students, and many wonderful projects are currently underway. For those of you who are new to FLCC, or to its Honors Studies, I say “Welcome.” I do not doubt that you will find, as I did, the happiest of friendships, the kindest of professors, and the most wonderful experience that will leave you with a hunger for knowledge and an insatiable thirst for all the world’s offerings, as well as the certainty that you are deserving of them.

To returning students, I say “welcome back.” I hope that you find yourselves refreshed by the felicities of the summer, revived and ready to tackle another year.

And what a year we have planned for you! This is the most honors-intense semester in my recent memory. With a selection of eleven courses (nine of which are unique, I might add!) running the fall semester alone, academically there is a wealth of opportunity awaiting our new and returning students alike. Take an aesthetic and technical journey through the past with Art History, or wander the realm of Middle Earth with Perspectives on Tolkien! Want to learn more about yourself and the world around you? Try out one of the fantastic sociology courses, or otherwise take a peek into a new addition to the Honors catalogue, Who Are You: Identity Formation. Looking to dip your toes in with something a bit more course-standard? Honors Studies continues to run classes in Composition I, II, and Intro to Literature.

But Honors, of course, isn’t just about the classes. Honors is about curiosity, about being willing to wonder and to grow. It’s about the people, too. Each and every one of you who add to its beautiful, varied tapestry have something new to offer – a new perspective, a new voice, a new room to the home of Honors. So if you haven’t yet ventured into one of the Honors classrooms or its delightful events throughout the semester, I encourage you to take that chance, and remember…

All you have to do is be curious.

Find us.

Website:  https://www.flcc.edu/honors/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/FLCCHonors/

Twitter:  @FLCC_Honors

Flickr:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/flcc-honors/

GroupMe:  

Spring 2019 Convocation - Guest Blogger

Vol 3 No. 20

The blog has been on a bit of a hiatus, but it returns to celebrate the Spring 2019 Honors Convocation.  Penned by Alucard Woodruff ('20), this blog is a tribute to all the hard work being done in Honors this semester.  This event gets better every year and it truly is a pleasure and a privilege to host it.

Every semester Dr. Trista Merrill, head of Honors Studies at FLCC and an English professor, hosts an Honors Convocation that allows Honors Students to showcase what they’re learning in their Honors classes or through Honors contracts. Students are encouraged to make posters that outline some aspect of a class that they’re in, and for an hour on the night of convocation they’re invited to stand beside their posters if they are available and speak with faculty and strangers alike about the topic, as well as answer any questions posed by guests. The second hour is filled by selected students sharing a piece of work from their Honors class.

Visitors at the Spring 2019 Honors Convocation included Provost Dr. Jonathan Keiser , Cassy Kent (Associate Vice President of Instruction), Professor Maureen Maas-Feary (Humanities Department Chair), Professor Lori Vail, as well as students and others. Here, these visitors encountered posters ranging in topics from The Hero’s Journey, Alzheimer’s Disease, Forest Archetypes, and a spoken word poem encountered in an English class. Visitors spoke with the available students about their topics and more, sometimes asking such inquisitive questions that it would spark minutes of further discussion.

On Thursday night there were three keynote speakers who were asked to share something they’d done in their Honors class.

Tabatha Hanna’s presentation was called “All You Need is Love: An Examination of Adolescent Friendships,” for the class Harry’s Heroes: The Roots of Children’s Heroic Fantasy. With an insightful PowerPoint, Tabatha explored the philosophy of different types of love using examples from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, then went on to look at the psychology of how strong friendships help adolescents deal with challenges in life with examples from Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time. She used quotes from these books that made her argument and her message quite powerful, with the closing statement of, “So go out there, find a friend, and be a friend. Someone needs it.”

Delain Geist, an aspiring wildland firefighter in need of one more test to be fully approved for the

job, provided a wonderfully educating PowerPoint presentation titled “Three Points of View on How Best to Fight Wildfires,” which was a summary of his research for his English 103 class taught by Lori Vail. Delain detailed for us three methods of dealing with wildfires:

1. Prevention, such as adhering to burn bans
2. Prediction, like following weather patterns for afflicted areas,
3. Plan of attack, like knowing where to put firefighters and using retardants. 

Delain also stated that using these three steps together is what truly matters in dealing with wildfires.

Finally, Loren Manchester also presented from Harry’s Heroes: The Roots of Children’s Heroic Fantasy with a paper titled “Lily’s Love: Separation from Parents in Children’s Fantasy.” Loren explored the rite of passage of a Hero separating from their mentor in literature and in real life, using examples from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, as well as the aforementioned The Hobbit and A Wrinkle in Time. Loren shared her own story of separating from a mentor as she prepares to transfer to a college that is farther from her home than she’s ever been before, and talked about how when the Hero is with a mentor, there is something to catch them when they fall because, “There is a lot of falling involved in learning how to fly.” I’m sure that many people in the audience could relate to what Loren said, in separating from a mentor but knowing they will always be there and that in the Hero’s journey the mentor is often there after they return to help them navigate their new life.

Overall it was a truly enriching experience to be able to attend the Spring Convocation. I was able to create a poster (about Forest Archetypes) and spoke with many attentive listeners about the topic. Often, I found myself answering insightful questions that led to extended talks about environmental science or how Sacred Places archetypes appeared in video games as well as literature. A few times, I was able to step away from my poster in order to ask other students about their topics. After the Poster Hour, I was lucky to hear three incredible presentations, with the presenters showing their vast knowledge of their subjects. Two presentations I had already heard once (as I am also in the Harry’s Heroes course) and yet even the second time around I was in awe of the depth of critical thought into the literature examples and the incredible wording. I learned many new things, both from the posters and the presenters, and it was a wonderful experience.

Alucard Woodruff.

Taco Tuesday Time

Come Have Tacos with Us!

Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Time:  5:00 – 7:00

Place:  Stage 14

Important Things to Note:

• Taco bar (with vegetarian), drinks, and dessert.
• You can get an Honors T-shirt if you don’t already have one
• Share your thoughts or questions about Honors and get a free gift
• Earn an Honors point if you want – or just come with no obligation
• You can meet new people or stick with classmates / friends you know
• Bring a friend or two – being an Honors student or in an Honors class is not required.
• You are welcome to come late or leave early – just please come!
• You will hear from Honors faculty about next semester's classes
• You will also get the chance to hear from and talk to college officers like the president

This really is a most amazing event, but don’t take my word for it….

“I look forward to it every semester” – Luc, Class of 2020

“It's one of the most inspiring events I've been to” - Percy, Class of 2020

“It’s way more than a chance to grab free food, it’s a family reunion full of inspiration, smiles, and community <heart emoji>” – Blinne, Graduate, December 2019

"It’s become the main hearthstone of the Honors community where we all gather around to check in with each other and share” – April Broughton, Honors Librarian and Faculty

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.

Fingers, Chocolates, and Home

Vol 3 No 17

In our ongoing series of student voices, this week's blog is brought to us from a current Honors Studies Student. This blog has a special aspect, as well. The author wrote this as a blog for The Finger Literary Magazine, which is published by FLCC students as part of a class - taught by Erin Brewer this semester. You can see the blog - as well as learn more about the magazine - if you head over here. You will see why we wanted to share it here, too, once you have a chance to read it.  So, sit back and enjoy the reflections of Lindsey Noble ('19), Liberal Arts and Sciences: Creative Writing student.

***

Welcome back to my Box of Chocolates!

Today I’d like to discuss the Finger Lakes Community College Honor’s House. Not many people seem to know this part of the college exists and I personally believe that is a crying shame! This place has become something of a second home to me. If I could I would take every single class there. I have created many memories at the Honor’s House and this past week has been quite exciting there for me.

This semester I am taking three classes at the Honor’s House. I am taking American Literature 1865-Present, Literary Magazine Publishing and Harry’s Heroes.

Now the first two probably do not need much explaining, but for contexts sake I’ll let you know what Harry’s Heroes is about. Harry’s Heroes is an Honors class that focuses on young adult novels such as Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, The Hobbit, A Wrinkle in time etc. For someone who loves young adult novels and plans on becoming an author one day this class is beyond exciting and thoroughly though-provoking. If they ever offer it again – and I pray they do – I highly suggest taking it if you are an FLCC student.

However, I digress. The Honor’s House is a wonderful place. It offers classes that will challenge those of you who would like to be challenged. It is a place of acceptance and growth. Coming from someone with a variety of raging anxiety and panic disorders I hope you will believe me when I say, I have never felt more accepted and confident anywhere else.

This building offers staff who are passionate about what they do and teach. They genuinely want the students to thrive. The Professors encourage free thought and exploration. They are open to all opinions and questions. The feedback they give you is thoughtful, genuine, and is meant to help you grow and believe me you will grow.

Everyday I walk into that building excited for new adventures and experiences. I walk in content in the knowledge that no one will judge me there. I enter knowing that this is the place for the passionate, that this is the home for those that will never be quenched of their thirst for knowledge, for those of us who desire growth. I find great pride in these facts as well as vast comfort in the community of the Honor’s House.

As for my week at the Honor’s House…

I’ve had the great honor of joining a literary community, in helping this community grow and thrive through my work in Literary Magazine Publishing. In this class I’ve had the chance to be a part of a real team and it has been one of the coolest experiences ever thus far.

In American Literature 1865-Present I had the chance to debate with the class over the effectiveness of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman as a piece of psychological realism. I was confident in my opinion, my class heard and understood me. They encouraged my view points while simultaneously challenging them. Every minute of that class I had my perceptions of stories and what it means to write in the realistic mode shattered over and over and over again, until they were inevitably rebuilt on sounder knowledge and stronger convictions.

In Harry’s Heroes I was able to hear the opinions of my classmates as I discussed what I would like to do for my final project. I was granted the feeling of acceptance and warmth at watching their faces light up with interest and excitement at my idea. The idea being to compare and contrast the archetypes of each of the Harry Potter novels and watch how they evolve.

So yeah it was a pretty great week for me. However, it is always a pretty great week at the Honor’s House!