The Eagle Eye

Issue date: 2/4/09 Section: News

The Honors Program house is a home for those who focus on academic excellence. With the upcoming Relay for Life event, honors students will also concentrate on community service.

The community service area of the Honors Program, only in its second year of participation with the Relay for Life, is hoping to raise more money than any other organization this year.
"Last semester, we were involved in a series of smaller projects to give back to the community," said Kim Cox, the community service liaison for the Honors Program. "This semester, though, we're putting almost all of our effort into the Relay for Life."
The Honors Program will approach the Relay similar to the same way that it did last year, having Freshmen Discussion Groups compete against the upperclassmen to raise money.
"I believe we raised approximately $5,000 last year, and most of our effort was just through e-mail communication alone," said Cox, "This year's goal is $7,000. I'm positive we can meet that goal since we've started earlier than ever, and the interest seems to be higher than it has been in the past."
One of the events that have been planned is 'Pie-ing the Po-Po' where students have the chance to throw pies at the officer who frequently leaves parking tickets on their cars around campus.
"I got the idea after my third parking ticket, and I thought I could actually make something positive out of it," said Cox.
Although in charge of the fundraising, Cox and the student associate directors of the program will not be able to attend this year's Relay due to scheduling conflicts.
"I'll be in Annapolis, Md. at the Northeast Regional Honors Council Conference the entire weekend, unfortunately, but I have put in charge very capable and dependable upperclassmen for the night of the event," said Cox.
Caroline Sweeney, the student associate director of Admissions, will also be unable to attend this year's Relay as well.
"It's a shame that we won't be there considering how much fun it was last year," said Sweeney.
"I have a lot of faith in the leaders that we put in charge, though,"she added.
Kathy Richards, the interim director for the program, explains the importance of the project to the Honors Program.
"What we try to emphasize is that the Honors Program should not just be known for academic excellence, but for our ever-growing social and community service opportunities," said Richards. "I don't think most people have a clue about the service aspect of our program. We try to maintain the whole package: higher learning, making connections and serving the community."
One of the more prominent projects last year was the Honors Program's participation in the Hunger Bowl.
It lasted the entire month of October and ended at the Sleep Out for Hunger, where students slept outside in cardboard boxes.
"We won the Hunger Bowl because not only did we raise over 3,000 canned goods, but we put in over 400 hours collectively," said Cox, "Although we've been successful with every organization we've helped so far, I don't see any reason why we can't keep getting bigger and better year after year."

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