A record number of new students across disciplines have committed themselves to academic excellence, 同时也为他们的社区服务, 通过参加UMKC荣誉课程.
This year, 471 students are enrolled in the prestigious 荣誉项目. 这个项目, 前身为荣誉学院, provides a multitude of services to our campus community.
“The 荣誉项目 invites and includes new and continuing students from all programs and all disciplines across the university,亨丽埃塔·伍德说, Ph.D., one of two full-time 荣誉项目 faculty. “We offer honors versions of general education courses, and we supply a number of courses to help students accrue the credits they need to graduate with honors.”
盖尔·利维博士.D.是荣誉项目的主任. She serves as an advisor to students, especially when they are writing their Senior Honors Thesis. She also works with faculty on how to get involved with the 荣誉项目 or, 更具体地说, if they are interested in teaching an honors class. Stephen Christ is the other full-time faculty member, teaching innovative and engaging courses. He’s also actively engaged in mentorship of honors program students on an individual level and organizationally as the faculty advisor to the Honors Student Association.
该项目还提供 罗荣誉学院 for local high school students, as well as the Roos@Noon演讲者系列 presentations that anyone in the university community can attend. It’s that wide university impact that inspired Sean Purdue, a senior honors student in civil engineering, 成为荣誉大使.
“That's what I really like about the 荣誉项目,” Purdue said. “I love civil engineering, but I don't want just civil engineering friends. I want friends from all the different majors, and that’s been a huge benefit of the program.”
These benefits extend well past a student’s college career into their professional careers. 阿莱发光, ‘15, brought the skills she learned into her career as a pediatric resident physician in Seattle.
“Often in the hospital I am challenged with problems where there is no ‘right’ answer,” Shine said. “A large portion of my job as a physician is teaching patients and their families about their medical illnesses and conditions. I lean upon skills I began learning as an 荣誉项目 student to incorporate ideas from my multidisciplinary team to develop a solution for our patients and their families.”
This interdisciplinary approach does not stop with the students or alumni. Jess Magaña，博士.D.他是大学的教授 生物与化学科学学院, serves as a faculty mentor for honors students.
“One of the very best parts of teaching is getting to know the students, getting to know their specific journeys and helping them take that next step,Magaña说. “Being an 荣誉项目 mentor is a really great way to do that, and it's especially good for getting to know students who are not in your school.”
教师 mentors assist students through a variety of informal meetings to check up on the students’ progress, 学术和其他方面. If you are interested in becoming a faculty mentor, 联系Margo Gamache, Director of Student Services for the 荣誉项目 at gamachem@craftsplusart.com.
“We're not just academic people,” Purdue said. “We still like having social events and friends, and it can be hard to balance. I think most faculty have had that same experience. Having someone to help us navigate that is so beneficial.”
That benefit spreads to the university as a whole. 许多优等生都有很强的进取心, and they balance academic excellence with serving both UMKC and the wider Kansas City community. Most of the Student Government officers are honors students.
Honors students volunteer to lead clubs for youngsters at the Kauffman School and have communicated with residents of a senior living facility. 在荣誉社会行动班, 学生们提倡校园回收, 心理健康意识, 以及对通勤学生的认可.
“I'm constantly impressed with how involved 荣誉项目 students are and how much they're willing to do to affect their own lives and the lives of other students at UMKC,Magaña说. “They're super involved, and they're all just such great people to get to know.”