Honors College Report: March 14, 2012

Recruiting

We have admitted 20 students thus far. We expect to admit 60, our maximum, again this year.

We are meeting with about three high school students per week.

Spring Schedule

We will enter freshman schedules beginning the week after Spring Break

Sidley Scholar Named

Daveante Jones was recently named a Sidley Scholar. That honor will pay for up to seven applications to law school, tuition for an LSAT preparation class, and provide $5000 in financial assistance.

NASA RIG

Courtney Phillips, Zachary Pinson, and Ed Kardas recently received a research infrastructure grant from NASA of $17,300. Of that amount, $10,000 are NASA funds (the rest is SAU in-kind matching). The money will fund research on engineering undergraduates and measure their prospective job satisfaction. It also funds a stipend for each student. Other data show that female engineers leave the field at a higher rate than do males. The research team will survey undergraduate engineering students, face-to-face, at all Arkansas public universities with engineering programs.

New Quarters!

Soon, the Honors Office will move to Nelson 200. Painting is scheduled over Spring Break. The new three-office complex includes a student lounge, staff office, and director's office. Look for a house warming invitation soon.

Cuba Libre!

Dean Trey Berry visited with officials from the Riceland Corporation recently. Their board will meet in March to consider funding a biennial Honors College trip to Cuba and to plan for an exchange program with a Cuban university.

iPad SAU Map app on Apple Store

The SAU campus map app developed by Honors College graduate assistant Suraj Manandhar is now available for downloading at the Apple Store under "SAU Map"

We expect approval for an iPhone version soon. Anyone who wants the iPhone version now should contact Dr. Kardas.

NCHC Submissions

SAU Honors College submitted four separate program proposals for the NCHC meeting in Boston next November. One of those proposals came from four honors students working with Deborah Wilson. The others came from Suraj Manandhar and Ed Kardas.