Unjudge Someone

The following blog was written by April Broughton, who is (among other things) the Honors Studies Librarian.  They are also the organizer behind Human Library, which will take place on Laker Day.  Read on for more information and to learn what it is and why it is so important.  Remember, you can earn an Honors point for attending Human Library and reflecting on it afterwards.  Write a journal about the experience and then a reflective essay at the end of the semester and you can quantify the experience as part of the requirements for becoming an Honors Study Scholar.

April Broughton, Human Librarian

Those of you who have met me know that I am a story teller. And a story collector. Stories are how we stretch curiosity into acceptance, how we learn and grow. Conversations are the medium for some of the most startling and beautiful and impactful stories I have experienced. As a teller and collector and lover of stories, the Human Library is a global project I have been deeply involved in for some time, both as volunteer and event organizer. It is an event that facilitates conversations that might not happen naturally, and through that fosters diversity and inclusion and understanding. 

The Human Library brings together a collection of human Book volunteers who are willing to share their story with visitors, Readers, at the event. It sparks conversations that are interesting and fun and deep and really hard, all in equal measure. And it is magnificent.

I could sing out my love of the Human Library fairly endlessly.

Non Binary Lesbian Book, 2019

This semester, on Thursday April 9^th from 12pm- 4pm, the Library here at FLCC will be hosting its fourth Human Library event. In the past, our Book volunteers have been staff, faculty, community members, and students. Book titles have included Depression/Anxiety, Blind, Borderline Personality Disorder, Tattoos, Burned, Drug Use, Transgender, Muslim Peace Advocate, Veteran, Jewish, Asexual, and more. It is so important that these voices are present to engage in candid conversation with the college community so that we can listen and ask and learn. The Human Library asks us to unjudge our community, and provides a safe space to do so.

Borderline Personality Disorder Book, 2019

The Human Library is an event that has always radiated so much of what it means, to me, to be a part of Honors. It is a space to stretch beyond your comfort zone to accommodate curiosity. A place to listen and learn and add to the conversation all while supporting the community around you. It is a space to be unabashedly you and welcome others into that space with you. It’s a hard event, don’t get me wrong. It’s hard to be so honest like that, walls down and engaged. But it is absolutely beautiful to watch the Books all support each other, to watch the Readers learn and laugh and cry right along with the volunteers. It’s the same feeling I have gotten, often, after leading a really involved Honors seminar- exhausted but also really excited and ready for more.  I love it. And I think you will too.

Human Library Bookshelf, 2019

So consider this your invitation to stop by the Human Library on Laker Day, April 9^th. Listen to the stories we will have collected here, and add in your own voice as you question and explore and learn. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at april.broughton@flcc.edu.

I am looking forward to hearing your story.

LFG: Salamander Quest!

Vol 14 No 15

The blog below speaks for itself.  I hope you can join the quest!

Hi all!  

                My name is John Bateman and I am an instructor in the Department of Environmental Conservation.  I’m in my second year at FLCC, and currently teach an honors section of   I’m a herpetologist by trade (herpetology is the study of reptiles and amphibians), and I specialize in salamanders and frogs.  Outside of the classroom, I organize a large volunteer effort to help save amphibians down at FLCC’s Muller Field Station on Honeoye Lake, and this is the reason I am reaching out to you.

                The frogs and salamanders I work with endure winter underground, with some of them spending that time completely frozen.  When March arrives and signs of spring start showing up (warm days and rainy nights), they thaw out or awake from their sleep, and begin their migration to their breeding grounds to complete their life cycle.  Down at Muller Field Station, this is quite the treacherous journey for them as County Road 36 bisects their path.  It turns into a real-life game of “Frogger” (some of you may have to Google that game), and many don’t make it.  There is a larger issue at play here, too.   Globally, amphibians are experiencing significant declines.  There are more species of amphibians threatened by extinction than those of birds and mammals combined, and this is why I work with these animals.  In 2019, we moved close to 4,000 frogs and salamanders across the road over four nights and had less than a 5% mortality rate.  That total number moved is actually low compared to past years.  There have been single nights where more than 5,000 were moved in just a few hours!  As for the roadkill, my goal is to get that 5% even closer to zero, but I need your help.  The amphibians make their crossing over about a ¾-mile stretch of road, so I need a lot of people to cover that large of an area.   Don’t feel like you need to be an expert in amphibians to help, as I will cover the basics on proper handling and ID techniques.  And no, they do not bite.  While you may not be crazy about the idea of handling something that is wet, cold, and most likely unappreciative, it is a noble cause.  Without our help there would be carnage on the road, and we’re not sure how long their populations would persist without our intervention.

                While you might not be keen on amphibians (yet…), they play a vital role in the environment.  They are eating the insects that you consider pests, and are also food for the more charismatic birds and mammals you might be fond of.  Perhaps, too, you’ll gain an appreciation for these critters.  These animals rarely evoke enthusiasm, are often misunderstood, and deemed insignificant or persecuted by humans (heck – the word herpetology is based off the Greek herpes, meaning a creeping thing), but their lives have value.  I’ve been fortunate to have crossed paths with a few students who share my passion for these creatures.  Some of them shared that they found a love for amphibians because they, too, felt society viewed them in these negative ways and were able to draw parallels between their lives and that of a toad.  I hope you might be willing to look past any inherent fear or preconceived notions you might have of these creatures as they will not hurt you.  I promise.  Plus, there’s the possibility of seeing some other cool animals, like screech owls and flying squirrels.  Memories will be made, selfies will be taken, and you’ll go to bed that night knowing that you did a good deed.

                If you are interested I invite you to reach out to me.  My email is salamanders@flcc.edu, or you can pop by my office (#2238 in the conservation wing) and I can add you to the group chat.  The nights we work depend entirely on the weather (warm and rainy), and I do my best to send alerts out a day in advance.  Carpooling is recommended, and most nights there will be a 15-passenger van bringing folks down and back.  We typically work from 7-10ish.  Hope to see you there!

Transfer Talk

Vol 14 No 14

The advert below was written by Brianna Smith, class of 2019.  Now a Literature major at SUNY Potsdam, Brianna was an active part of Honors at FLCC.  She discovered us in ENG 101 and went on to explore numerous Honors experiences including many other classes in the disciplines, seminars, Honors dinner, being a poster maker and a speaker at Convocation, assistance with FLCC Visit Day, Human library, and even traveling to New Orleans with me to experience the National Collegiate Honors Council annual conference.  All of these experiences put her in a unique position to help other students by answering questions that you might have about transferring and about Honors overall.  Come join us for a chat.

What’s This Whole Transferring Thing About, Anyway? 

Transferring. It’s an important decision, one that requires careful thought and consideration. There are many factors that go into the choice. And even once the decision has been made, the application has been sent and reviewed, and even after you have your acceptance letter in hand, there’s still so much more left to do. 

Being an Honors student can add its own challenges and questions. Questions which I am here to assist in answering. 

Join us in room 2303 on Tuesday, March 10th during college hour for a discussion of transfer related questions from an FLCC alumna and former FLCC Honors Student. 

For students, by students.

Honors Club!

Vol 4 No 13

We have a guest blogger this week with an amazing announcement and some important information...

Hello!

Welcome to the Honors Club!

A place to bring and feed your nerd energy.

Have you ever taken and Honors course or are interested in looking at your education differently then this might be the place for you. In this club we will follow the honors motto “all you have to be is curious”. Our club is all about sharing experiences and things that make us want to learn and do more. We want to encourage everyone to study and do what they love.

To me Honors is a way to get in better touch with my learning process and myself. I hope for this club to take that beyond the classroom and into a less formal setting. I want to form a safe tight knit community of lifelong learners, to help each other grow and succeed in our learning here at FLCC.

I would like to introduce myself and the other leaders of the club:

• My Name is Rebecca and I am one of the co-directors of Honors club. I am a Theatre major and I am a huge film nerd.
• Annie is my co-director of the club. She is a nutrition and dietetics major.
• Emma is the club Treasurer. She is a Creative Writing major and is a self-proclaimed bookworm.
• Heidi is the club Secretary. She studies music performance and composition.

You do not have to have taken an honors class to be in the club, we are an all-inclusive club hoping to fuel each other’s love of learning. If you have any questions feel free to contact me by email rrayne@fingerlakes.edu or stop by our information table today 2/24 between 2:00 and 4:00 in front of Student Life.

Honors Cares

Vol 4 No 11

Honors.

The word brings so many things to mind – not the least of which is a connection to intelligence.  ‘It’s for the smart kids’ is something I’ve heard more than once.  There is some truth to it…but it does not come close to encompassing what Honors really means.  I’m in the middle in visiting all the Honors classes being taught at FLCC this semester.  And soon, I will ask both of my own Honors classes to freewrite about what Honors means to them.  I have expectations, but I’m sure that I will once again be surprised, touched, and humbled by the responses.

We are Honors nestled inside a community college and I think that what we end up building, without an initial intention of doing so, a community within a community.  Students that are already bonded through their experiences at a small two-year college are even further bonded by the things that brought them to – and keep them in – Honors classes and events.

My thoughts below are not intended to be a comparison or a contrast to the rest of the FLCC community in the slightest.  It’s just what I’ve experienced and what I want to share with Honors students who are both new to us as well as those who are returning.

People in Honors care and they have established relationships of trust and openness about difficult topics.  This is not universal, of course, but I am continually reminded that it is a common trend among Honors students.

Students that I have only known for three weeks feel comfortable telling me things about their lives and situations so that I can be better prepared to help them succeed.  Another feels comfortable pointing out that they found the conversation of the day too heavy for them to process an end of class question.  Yet another felt safe enough to point out that they were in recovery and thanked our guest speaker for talking about important things that needed talking about. 

And then there was today.

A student messaged me in minor crisis…sharing their overwhelming fear and anxiety in the moment.  They had already spoken to another Honors instructor before reaching out to me.  As soon as I could, I went to where the student was.  We shared a hug and then talked together about a plan for them to succeed.  I made sure that professional help was being sought out and that the student was safe and okay.  Group hugs were had - for at that point we were joined by the other instructor and another student.  Then, exhausted already for some reason (let us hope I’m not getting sick), I decided to cancel my afternoon class and go home to rest.  It had been a long day for no apparent reason.  I went home and slept for two hours.

I woke up to find a message on my phone from yet another student who noted that class was canceled and asked if I was okay.

Honors cares.

Annie Says Hello

Vol 4 No 11

I'm always happy to have guest bloggers and it is even better when it is a student.  I'll let Annie introduce herself to you....I just wanted to invite all of YOU to contribute to the blog if you'd like.  Just drop me an email at trista.merrill@flcc.edu.  Happy writing!

Welcome back Curious Creatures!

Annie (right) and Dr. Merrill (left)

Allow me to introduce myself...

My name is Annie Black and I am a Nutrition and Dietetics major. I am in my final semester at FLCC and will surely miss my Honors family. I couldn’t be more grateful for Honors being a part of my time here, as well as our beloved Director Dr. Merrill.

The Spring 2020 semester has much in store for all of us, especially with Honors! I just want to take this time to say welcome back to all students, faculty and staff. We appreciate you all and your contributions to Honors, in whatever way that may be. With our first full week of classes coming to an end, I wanted to take the time to remind everyone of our marvelous Honors librarian, April Broughton. They are a great resource for any of your Honors researching needs, among many other things. If you’re looking for any other academic help the Write Place, Math Center, and Science Incubator are great places to start.

This semester we have THIRTEEN different Honors classes taught by 11 exceptional Professors. Don’t worry if you weren’t able to register for any Honors classes, because you can turn any 2 classes into an HON credit class by utilizing the Honors Contract. Did you know that classes are not the only way to earn Honors points? There will be several events throughout the semester that you will be able to attend to earn points as well. For those of you that would like to be a part of more Honors outside the class room, I encourage you to look into joining Honors club. I look forward to seeing how Honors brings us together this semester.

“All you have to be is curious”

Honors home page https://www.flcc.edu/honors/index.cfm

Contracts https://www.flcc.edu/honors/contracts.cfm

Honors Club https://www.flcc.edu/honors/honors-club.cfm

April Broughton https://library.flcc.edu/welcome.cfm

The Write Place https://www.flcc.edu/offices/writingcenter/

The Math Center https://www.flcc.edu/offices/mathcenter/

The Science Incubator https://www.flcc.edu/incubator/

2020 Vision

Vol 4 No 10

Happy days and warm welcomes to one and all!

If you are new to Honors – we are so glad to have you!  If you’re returning to Honors, we’re glad to have you back.  It’s a new semester and a new year, and that is always a time for reflection and for new beginnings.  We hope everyone has a great 2020 and a wonderful, successful semester.  As we look to the weeks ahead, we know that the newness will wear off and you’ll be inundated with work and obligations of all kinds and yet we hope that a small part of you remembers these early days.  That sense of newness, of hope, of nerves but also excitement.  New courses, new faces, new names, new challenges all sitting in front of you, waiting to become familiar and waiting to be explored. 

We have so many exciting opportunities in regards to Honors this semester.  The Honors dinner, of course.  For new folks, think of this as an opportunity to get a free meal, some great conversation, and perhaps a new perspective on the power of Honors.  We also have a series of talks coming that come from the History folks in the Social Science Department.  Then on Laker Day, we will host the Human Library – an amazing event that lets you ask those questions you’ve always wanted to ask.  We will also have the Convocation – a poster session and a series of talks by Honors students.  You may be one of them!  The semester culminates in our graduation and awards ceremony.  This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it gives you an idea of the kinds of things you can expect this semester.

Most of you know by now that we are in a new place, and I’m sure that I will be writing about that in the near future in more depth.  I just wanted to say that Honors is more than a place, it’s a feeling.  The Owasco building may not be as cozy as the Honors House, and the lack of bathrooms is something of a hassle…but it can be just as important and vital if we make it that way.  Honors is the people, Honors is a feeling, and Honors is more than just what walls are around it.  Make that place your own and let us know if anything is truly lacking.

As for this virtual place, you’ll hear from me quite often on this blog and in other ways.  We have Facebook and Twitter, Flickr and this blog.  I try to be active in them all, and I’m happy to report that we will have some guest bloggers – faculty, staff, and even students who are (or have been) involved in Honors.  If you want to write a blog one week, just let me know and we will work out the details.

And so, there is much to look forward to and many things to experience as we begin this semester.  

Above all, I wish you the very best both in your Honors experience and beyond.  As I told new students at orientation earlier this month, celebrate your #nerdenergy and be proud of who you are.  Support your fellow students, reflect on yourself as a learner, and use all the tools you can to make the world around you a better place.