Meet Honors Program Students

Stephanie Roberts

Tell us about the award you recently received.: I won the Gilman Scholarship which is a $5,000 award for study abroad opportunities for Pell-Grant eligible students. When I get back, I have to do a follow-up project which I will do through the local Spanish newspaper "La Vereda".
What is your major?: International Studies and Spanish with a Latin American Studies Minor
Year in school?: Senior
Hometown?: Aurora, CO
Things you have done while attending UE?: Attended Harlaxton College fall 2005, Amnesty International President (went to conference in Chicago, organized Save Darfur Concert...), work in the International Students Office, Admission Ambassadors, Mentor program with President Jennings, going to Chile next semester, took Russian!
Most impressionable experience since being at UE?: Probably my work with Amnesty International-it's really opened my eyes to a lot of things, and my trip to Harlaxton.
Favorite professor and why?: Dr. Milner- he is such a great advisor and has been a huge support to me.
Favorite class and why?: History of Latin America- it was incredibly interesting and well taught
Clubs and organizations in which you are active and which one means the most to you and why?: Amnesty International- definitely the most meaningful. I really felt that I made a difference for people; Admissions Ambassadors; work with international students; work with foreign language department
Goals after leaving UE?: Several options: Apply for grad schools, Fulbright Scholarship and Peace Corps. Also considering applying for government/NGO internships

Jessica Mathews

Tell us about your trip to China.: My trip was for the NYLF- National Youth Leadership Forum- on medicine. I went to teaching hospitals and medical schools all around China- mainly cities like Beijing, Chengdu, and Xian. I visited rural clinics in the Sichuan Province (the south of China) in poor farming communities to see how they practiced medicine. I also visited large hospitals in the more wealthy areas of Beijing (Beijing '08 for the Olympics! was basically all I heard outside of the medical conference). I got to learn about psychology in China. They use a few methods (ECT and Thai Chi) that we don't. They have found high rates of schizophrenia and depression among the poorer farming communities- people who don't usually travel to the city to receive treatment so they remain untreated. Not only did the conference take us to teaching hospitals and medical schools (even to one that was a Chinese army medical school), but the program (sponsored by our government- I have actually been to a few of these programs to other places like Australia and Europe as well) took us sightseeing. I climbed the best part of the Great Wall of China and even saw a Hard Rock Cafe (they're EVERYWHERE!) after visiting a temple and Tiananmen Square. This trip proves that you can learn a ton about another country, topics like medicine and even yourself. Do you have the courage to stand up to pushy shopkeepers and say no or are you going to let yourself be dragged into every self-proclaimed "best store on the wall" that you pass by? By the way, I saw a camel walking down the street at the Great Wall. I thought it was cool.
What is your major?: Forensic psychology with a minor in criminal justice
Year in school?: Graduated, May 2007
Hometown?: Columbia, TN
Things you have done while attending UE?: What haven't I done? I have been involved in many an organization: International Students Club (Treasurer and President), International Orientation Leader (President), Quidditch Club (Treasurer, Elder), Habitat for Humanity, Colleges Against Cancer, Spanish Club, Psychi/Psychology Club, Hawaii Club, Writer's Guild, and more recently, because my friend made it up, the sub sandwich club, etc. I have also done research on mental health in the prisons of the U.S. and Great Britain, gotten university funding for my research, presented my research at conferences, and went to Harlaxton.
Most impressionable experience since being at UE?: A few life affirming and growth events happened but the thing that stands out most in my mind is the lasting friendships I have made. My current roommate and I met during Road Trip (if you don't do Road Trip, don't feel bad but you are only missing out on one of the best experiences- besides Harlaxton- that you could ever hope to experience) because we were both from Nashville and our hosts were actually neighbors. While we didn't talk to each other very much during Road Trip, we did speak a lot on AIM and on the phone. When we got our UE acceptance letters, we had a decision to make. We took our own Road Trip (courtesy of my dad and the fabulous Pennyrile Parkway) to UE to meditate in the Front Oval and decide if it would be worth the three-hour drive every time we wanted to go home (or have my dad come over and take us to lunch). As you may have surmised from the fact that I am on the Honors Program AT UE web-site, we both decided to attend UE and room together. She is one of my best friends and I can't imagine being at UE without her. We will graduate together and she will be one of the very few people that I will bother to actually properly correspond with when I leave this place. I also get to be in her wedding, which, let's face it, is the only reason why I am still talking to her- tacky bridesmaid's dress here I come!
Favorite professor and why?: I am actually madly in love with all of my professors. I love the small class sizes (even my Senior Seminar class- filled with every senior in my major- was only about 20-25 people) and the fact that when I need to miss a class (case in point- I got mono and missed 2 weeks) I can easily get caught up and the professor does everything to help me make up my work in a reasonably, timely manner. I have to give a shout out to Dr. Hennon because she is a great professor and to Dr. Weiss because I went to my conference with him and he is a great guy and a great professor (when it is not a night class and you are falling asleep due to natural causes).
Favorite class and why?: Definitely NOT Senior Seminar. I hated writing my thesis yet loved it at the same time. I think being a senior has warped my brain. I enjoy my Field Work class because he set me up with an internship at the Henderson Police Department that I love and wish I could be paid to go there because that would make it seem like Heaven on Earth. I also enjoy taking classes like Abnormal Psychology and the independent study that my friend and I made up: The Psychological Study of Serial Killers (it is now a real class with 10 students- this spawned out of an idea for just the two of us to hang out with Dr. Weiss and watch documentaries seems pretty cool to me). I like classes that explore things I am interested in like Abnormal Psychology. If there isn't a class on a topic I want to study, then I know that I can make one up like the serial killer class or the one I did when I got back from China: TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and psychology.
Clubs and organizations in which you are active and which one means the most to you and why?: I listed my clubs previously. The one that means the most/that I have had the most contact with is the International Students Club. I like traveling and meeting new people, especially from places I have yet to visit (which, believe me, are very few). I love being an International OL because that means that I not only get to help new students acclimate to their new lives away from home, but I get to acclimate internationals to life away from home and the cultural differences between their country and the US. This can be a hard adjustment for some and I like to think I make a difference when they are going through this adjustment period.
Anything else that we should know that prospective students might like to read about?: Union has good sub sandwiches

Emily Cox

Tell us about yourself.: I was funded by the Honors Program to participate in the Operafestival di Roma in the summer of 2005. It's a nonprofit, young artist program that allows U.S. students to spend a month in Rome (under supervision, of course!) and interact with students from all over the nation. We got to work with voice teachers, diction coaches, linguistic coaches, and professional musicians from all over the world! I was cast as a major part in a smaller opera production of Suor Angelica and was featured in the recitalist program. This meant I also got to be a member of the chorus in our mainstage production, Le Nozze di Figaro, which we performed with the Rome National Orchestra! It was a marvelous experience (as you can imagine, my Italian is FAR better!) and while I was there, I got to examine the differences between the bel canto and the classical schools of singing. They are two very different techniques that require a lot of in-depth study and self-examination on the part of the student, and there is a lot of speculation amidst the musical world as to which is the better style for up-and-coming vocalists to devote themselves to. I also spent some time interviewing the staff and several of the more experienced performers to ask them their thoughts on the emerging "eclectic" school of singing, which is becoming very popular over here in the states. By combining my findings from my own research with the opinions that were offered me, I was able to draw my own conclusions about which school of study was best for young lyrics sopranos (like me!) to devote themselves to. It was really fascinating work, and I fell in love with researching. I spent this past summer examining the accoustical differences in classical peformance venues, and this past semester I examined the Bernoulli effect and its process of execution within the vocal apparatus. I'm planning on bringing my proposals and presentations with me to graduate school interviews; apparently, they love singers who love to research! Who knew that the Honors Program could give me so much more than just a resume boost?!
What is your major?: Vocal Performance
Year in school?: Graduated, May 2007
Hometown?: Rockport, IN
Things you have done while attending UE?: While at UE, I've been an active member of Zeta Tau Alpha, Hilel, Rho Lambda, Mortar Board, Women's Awareness, EARTH, UE Opera, University Choir, and the Honors Program. I've also participated in intramurals and various volunteer and philanthropic events.
Most impressionable experience since being at UE?: My most impressionable experience while being at UE was definitly my participation in the Operafestival di Roma! I was able to work with professionals within my field of study as well as negotiate my way through Rome daily---without speaking a word of Italian! It was nice to actually be working in an environment similar to what I will be operating in for the rest of my professional life and being able to honestly say to myself, "Oh, this isn't so hard, I can do this..."
Favorite professor and why?: My favorite professor is Dr. William Connolly! I have had him since I was a freshman (he was my World Cultures teacher!) and I have attempted to take a class with him every semester since---regardless of whether or not it applies to my required courses! He is one of the few professors I have ever studied under who encourages continuous in-class discussions of topics and motivates his students to form their own opinions of topics--and to freely disagree with his!
Favorite class and why?: My favorite class so far has been Bioethics or Religion, Law, and Public Policy with Dr. Connolly. We spent the entire semester reading about and discussing topics that were current and directly applied to our everyday lives. I felt that he was inspiring us to become more aware of what was going on in the world around us at all times---as a result of taking these classes, I am much more motivated to read the newspaper and participate in local elections!
Clubs and organizations in which you are active and which one means the most to you and why?: Of all the organizations that I'm involved in, I would have to say that Zeta Tau Alpha holds a special place in my heart. I joined Zeta because of their work with their philanthropy, breast cancer education and awareness. I really feel that the Greek system here at UE is unique from any other campus nationwide because we constantly place so much emphasis on our philanthropies. After four years of working the survivor tent at the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure, I can honestly say that what I have done during my time at UE has made a positive impact on other people's lives. I am actively making the world a better place, and that, to me, makes all the time and effort worthwhile.
Anything else that we should know that prospective students might like to read about?: I think that prospective students should be aware of the enormous benefits that the Honors Program can offer them. The Honors Program isn't just something that looks good on a resume; it's a personal commitment as a student to a higher standard of academia. The Honors Program allowed me to register early for the classes that I desperately wanted and needed and gave me the opportunity to research topics that were pertinent to my major and directly affected me. The friendships that I've made with the other students will last for years to come, and the extra lectures and programs that were offered allowed me to examine topics and issues that helped me to become a well-rounded individual. The Honors Program afforded me the opportunity to study abroad and participate in a program that I otherwise would never have been able to participate in, and now, it's going to give me that special edge that I need to get a position as a research assistant in a prominent graduate program. I can honestly say that the Honors Program has done more for me than any other program at UE.