CAPTION:۽ֱ Honors Program students attending the national meeting included (back row L-R) Beau Benoit, Tristan Sonnier, George Khawas(front row L-R) Jodi Bourgeois, Grace Gunder, Caitlyn Cullen
MONROE, LA – ۽ֱ Honors Program attended the annual meeting of the National Collegiate Honors Council in Dallas, TX, from November 2-6. Dr. Joshua Stockley, Director of the ۽ֱ Honors Program, was joined by six students – Caitlyn Cullen (Senior, Political Science), Grace Gunder (Senior, Biology), Jodi Bourgeois (Senior, Pre-Pharmacy), George Khawas (Freshman, Computer Science), Beau Benoit (Junior, Toxicology), and Tristan Sonnier (Senior, Medical Lab Sciences).
“NCHC is an excellent opportunity for ۽ֱ students, and me, to refine leadership skills and to learn about creative strategies and programming employed by other honors programs,” said Stockley. “I am always reminded through these interactions, discussions, and panels, that the ۽ֱ Honors Program is a high-quality program doing a lot of great things. That being said, we can always find ways to make our great better,” he added.
“NCHC is a formative experience for student leaders in Honors Programs and Colleges across the Nation. After attending NCHC, I am equipped with knowledge that will guide me within the remainder of my leadership position within our program,” said Caitlyn Cullen. “The other attendees and I were instantly inspired and immediately began brainstorming ideas and events that we plan to implement next semester, and, hopefully, instill in the future of the ۽ֱ Honors Program,” she said.
"NCHC was an inspirational learning opportunity that left me with several great ideas I plan to incorporate into our Honors Program in the near future," said Jodi Bourgeois.
“NCHC presented me with an excellent opportunity to network with other students, to improve my professional skills, and to learn about advancements in honors education,” said George Khawas. “Attending connected me to the world of honors education and inspired me to embark on this road with a fearless heart,” added Khawas.
“Being able to attend NCHC was an amazing opportunity that gave me the chance to meet with honors students and faculty from around the country to discuss how to strengthen our program,” said Grace Gunder. “We attended sessions surrounding current, real-life problems that colleges and students face and discussed solutions to help our university communities. Some of the best moments came from the realization that our college, program, and students are not alone in the obstacles we face,” shared Gunder.
Attending the conference were honors students and administrators from colleges and universities across the United States.
The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) is an educational organization that supports and promotes undergraduate honors education. NCHC has nearly 900 member institutions and several hundred individual members, impacting over 330,000 honors students. NCHC provides its members with resources, training opportunities, and collaborative events to build and sustain honors programs and their curriculum. NCHC distributes honors scholarships and hosts exclusive events for its members.
About the ۽ֱ Honors Program
The ۽ֱ Honors Program is a unique program within ۽ֱ that seeks intellectually curious students who desire to challenge themselves with new ideas and to work with similarly motivated students. The program is open to all majors and works within all degree programs. Honors students are exposed to more in-depth topics and work closely with faculty in smaller courses.
For more information about the Honors Program, contact Dr. Joshua Stockley at stockley@ulm.edu or 318-342-3216 or visit .