'Honor'- able mention: Voices from Honors Program
Chris Brittain
Issue date: 1/29/09 Section: News
The Honors Program staff decided to schedule a host of new activities and events for the current semester, attempting to promote the emphasis on community to an entirely new level.
"Our goal this semester is to not only reach out to our current members, but to advertise to anyone on campus that they are welcome to take a look at our program as well," said Caroline Sweeney, the student associate director of admissions, recruitment and retention for the program.
One of the most significant events that have been planned is a Matriculated Open House which is going to take place at 5 p.m. in the Honors House on March 18.
"Any student who strives for academic excellence and wants to engage in a supportive learning community should attend the open house," said Sweeney. "Students need to have a GPA of 3.2 or greater and should be in their freshman or sophomore year."
Any non-honors student on campus is encouraged to attend this open house, and it is not necessary to contact the program beforehand.
The Honors Program has also recently stressed the importance of strengthening alumni relations this semester.
"One of the initiatives we are trying to start this year is a better relationship with our alumni. In order to accomplish that, we have created an e-mail specific for our alumni and sent out surveys to get updated contact information," said Nicole Jacobs, a former student associate director and current graduate assistant for the program.
"We have also planned an Alumni Day Picnic to coincide with Freshmen Discussion Group Wars (FDG Wars), a student activity at the end of the semester."
FDG Wars, now in its third year, is a year-long competition between freshmen discussion groups.
The event culminates into a four-hour series of contests at the end of the semester including a tug-of war, water balloon battles and trivia.
"I've been involved in FDG Wars for the last two years, first as a freshmen and then as an FDG leader," said Johnny Blough, a sophomore at LHU. "It's probably one of the most memorable experiences I've had here, and it keeps getting bigger every year."
A new activity this semester, Challenge the Student Associate Directors Night that takes place on Feb. 19, makes use of some of the assets that have been donated to the Honors House in the last year.
"We've now got a Foosball table, a two-player electronic basketball arcade game and an air-hockey table," said Sweeney. "We also bring in a few TVs and give honors students the opportunity to try to beat us at a wide variety of video games"
According to Sweeney, the program will continue to add more and more activities in the Honors House "as long as people keep coming."
"Maintaining the community aspect of our program is our number one priority," she said.
* Chris Brittain is a student associate director for the Honors Program. He will be contributing to this column on a weekly basis
"Our goal this semester is to not only reach out to our current members, but to advertise to anyone on campus that they are welcome to take a look at our program as well," said Caroline Sweeney, the student associate director of admissions, recruitment and retention for the program.
One of the most significant events that have been planned is a Matriculated Open House which is going to take place at 5 p.m. in the Honors House on March 18.
"Any student who strives for academic excellence and wants to engage in a supportive learning community should attend the open house," said Sweeney. "Students need to have a GPA of 3.2 or greater and should be in their freshman or sophomore year."
Any non-honors student on campus is encouraged to attend this open house, and it is not necessary to contact the program beforehand.
The Honors Program has also recently stressed the importance of strengthening alumni relations this semester.
"One of the initiatives we are trying to start this year is a better relationship with our alumni. In order to accomplish that, we have created an e-mail specific for our alumni and sent out surveys to get updated contact information," said Nicole Jacobs, a former student associate director and current graduate assistant for the program.
"We have also planned an Alumni Day Picnic to coincide with Freshmen Discussion Group Wars (FDG Wars), a student activity at the end of the semester."
FDG Wars, now in its third year, is a year-long competition between freshmen discussion groups.
The event culminates into a four-hour series of contests at the end of the semester including a tug-of war, water balloon battles and trivia.
"I've been involved in FDG Wars for the last two years, first as a freshmen and then as an FDG leader," said Johnny Blough, a sophomore at LHU. "It's probably one of the most memorable experiences I've had here, and it keeps getting bigger every year."
A new activity this semester, Challenge the Student Associate Directors Night that takes place on Feb. 19, makes use of some of the assets that have been donated to the Honors House in the last year.
"We've now got a Foosball table, a two-player electronic basketball arcade game and an air-hockey table," said Sweeney. "We also bring in a few TVs and give honors students the opportunity to try to beat us at a wide variety of video games"
According to Sweeney, the program will continue to add more and more activities in the Honors House "as long as people keep coming."
"Maintaining the community aspect of our program is our number one priority," she said.
* Chris Brittain is a student associate director for the Honors Program. He will be contributing to this column on a weekly basis
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