Congratulations Graduates 2013

Photoshopped composite photo of the SAU Honors College class of 2013. Jim Kornegay took my individual shots and put them together. First row, from L to R: Kristen Sams Yarbrough, Chris Harris, James Schlag, Amanda Cannon, John Lee. Second row: Simin Liu, Valerie Maangi, Samson King, Nishan Shrestha, Kahle Harned, Darrell Gray, and Majesta Miles.

Congratulations again to the class of 2013. We will miss all of you. Keep in touch and remember the Honors College after you make your first million. Best of luck in the future.

Sunny Days for Liu

Simin (Sunny) Liu minutes before graduating

Simin Liu received the Outstanding Student Award for 2013 from the College of Science and Technology. Simin graduates with a 3.98 GPA and will begin work as an actuary in New York City soon. As I told her recently, actuaries are among the most satisfied with their line of work (see Money Magazine, 2009).

Simin earned her GPA taking Math and Business. She served as a supplemental instructor in math courses and Mandarin.

The Honors College looks forward to her success as an alumna. As she once wrote, " To me, alumni are very important resources to an institution, because they can be models for current students, provide external connections, and make donations to the improvement of the university." She certainly has already provided a model for current students. We know she'll fulfill the other two. Keep in touch and good luck in NYC.

Acheulean Axes and the Movius Line

Samson King and his poster on Acheulean Axe and the Movius Line

Samson King also produced a poster for the Geographic Information Systems class. His poster examined the worldwide distribution of Acheulean axes, a type of prehistoric tool.

Samson will graduate tomorrow and hopes to pursue graduate studies in biological science.

LPA Outstanding Students

(L to R) James Schlag, Amanda Cannon, & Chris Harris display their awards at the recent College of Liberal and Performing Arts Awards Ceremony

Congratulations to James Schlag (English and Foreign Languages), Amanda Cannon (Theatre and Communications), and Chris Harris (History, Political Science, and Geography) for winning the outstanding student awards from their respective departments.

In addition, Amanda won the big prize, outstanding student in the College of Liberal and Performing Arts. She will next move on to New York City to pursue her dream of being a professional actress. James Schlag will pursue a PhD in English, and Chris will enroll in SAU's Graduate School to study counseling.

All will graduate on Friday having earned their degrees in four years. Best of luck in the future.

Honors College Report: May 1, 2013

Activities and News:

• Honors College faculty and students presentations for national meeting were accepted recently. The meeting will be held in New Orleans in November.
• Honors College is graduating 12 students in May, most are graduating in four years.
• Three LPA students, Amanda Cannon (Theatre and Communications), Chris Harris (History, Political Science, and Geography), and James Schlag (English and Foreign Languages) were named the outstanding students in their departments yesterday.
• Two Honors College students, Samson King and Subir Shakya, recently attended the Southern Region Honors Council meeting in Louisville where they presented their research on genus Passiflora.
• Several Honors College students recently received travel funds. In all cases their funds were matched 50:50 by the Honors College from donated monies. Those students are: Deana Hughes and Michelle Beavers.
• Thanks to NASA funding, honors students Zachary Pinson and Michelle Beavers will attend the 25th annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science to be held in Washington, DC.
• Terrence Lee (of SAU Style fame) will attend a Drama Summer School in London at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
• Rachel Wetherington was invited to present her poster on human trafficking at the National Association of Social Workers Arkansas Chapter Annual Conference.
• Honors admissions are proceeding apace. The Honors College should once again fill its first year class.

Hughes GIS Poster

Deana Hughes Explains her Posters to a listener

Carl Drexler's Geographical Information Systems (GIS) class presented their posters today. Deana Hughes's poster (top) related to the Grand Canyon. She spent the Fall 2012 semester at Northern Arizona University. The poster shows the Colorado River as is cuts through the Grand Canyon and discusses many geographical features of the canyon.

Lee Takes London

 Terence Lee

No, not Robert E. Lee, Terence Lee. He'll be going to London this summer to take part in the Drama Summer School at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Their online page states:

• Our two summer school courses each offer three weeks of stimulating and inspiring training in acting. Both courses include class work or workshops with many of the School's core staff including Wyn Jones (Director of Acting), Patsy Rodenburg (Head of Voice), and Wendy Allnutt (Head of Movement). Students work as an ensemble in groups of not more than eighteen.  

• The Guildhall School is situated in the City of London within the Barbican Arts Centre, which houses two theatres, a concert hall, cinemas and galleries. It is also within easy reach of West End theatres, the Royal Festival Hall, the Royal National Theatre and Shakespeare's Globe on the South Bank, Sadler's Wells Theatre and Tate Modern. 

Way to go Terence. Pip, pip and all that. We will want to hear your accent when you return.