Lounge and offices being painted

The painters are at work in our new offices. We hope to move soon. When we do we will have a reception and house warming. Above is the Honors College Student Lounge on the 2nd floor of Nelson Hall. It will house our TV, computers, and comfy furniture. It will also have drinks and snacks available.

Our offices (David's and mine) will be next door. We are looking forward to this next step in the progress of the SAU Honors College.

Deana Hughes to attend Grand Canyon Semester

SAU Honors Student Deana Hughes was recently accepted as a student in Northern Arizona University's honors program: Grand Canyon Semester.

Deana Hughes

Deana is a junior biological science major from Arkadelphia, AR. "Riding mules down the Grand Canyon" was one of the items on her bucket list. Looks like she will be able to cross that one off soon.

Deana will spend the Fall 2012 semester at the honors program of Northern Arizona University.

According to Northern Arizona University:

• The Grand Canyon Semester is an integrated learning experience in the humanities and sciences. Students come to understand the environmental and social challenges confronting us in the 21st century through one of the earth’s most precious resources—water. Using an interdisciplinary approach, students experience water’s economic, political, artistic, ecological, social, and spiritual forces.
• On backcountry field trips, in classrooms and art galleries, around campfires, in traditional hogans, and floating down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, we confront the 21^st-century global challenges of managing water in these diverse natural and cultural landscapes.

The SAU Honors College congratulates Deana on her accomplishment. We all hope to hear tales about your adventures there.

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.

Daveante Jones named Sidley Scholar

Congratulations to SAU Honors College student Daveante Jones for being named a Sidley Scholar.

Information on Sidley Scholars can be found HERE.

Here is a preview from their Web page:

The Sidley Prelaw Scholars Initiative is designed to increase diversity in law schools by subsidizing the cost of applying to law school for talented financially needy minority students.

“Sidley has a significant commitment to achieving greater ethnic and racial diversity within the legal profession and the firm. We wanted to develop a program that would widen the pipeline by helping to eliminate barriers at an earlier stage in a student’s career,” said Thomas A. Cole, chairman of the firm’s Executive Committee. “Our Diversity Committee and staff are to be congratulated for developing this creative approach.”

Get the SAU Map App

Get the SAU Map App for iPad by linking to the Apple Store

The Map App allows users to navigate the SAU Campus and to identify buildings three ways: click on building icon, click on building name, search for name.

Map runs on iPad. But, an iPhone version will be out soon. Thanks to Suraj Manandhar for seeing this project through to completion.

Here is a preview of what the map looks like: