SAU Honors College

The SAU Honors College was founded in 2003 by Dr. David Rankin, president of SAU. Dr. Lynne Belcher served as founding director and is retired from SAU. The Honors College seeks and admits qualified students who seek to pursue a serious academic program with equally gifted peers and committed teachers. Honors classes are small and provide academically enriching opportunities for students and the faculty who teach them. Currently, SAU enrolls nearly 170 honors students and graduates about 66% of admitees in four years or less. Anyone interested in applying to the Honors College or seeking further information should contact the director, Dr. Edward P. Kardas at epkardas@saumag.edu or at 870 904-8897.

Friday, May 24, 2013

Zach Pinson shocks Milgram

Zach Pinson poses at the original apparatus used by Stanley Milgram in his famous obedience research. The device currently resides at the University of Akron. Zach has just "pushed" the last button on the machine and thus "shocked" the learner at the highest intensity (just as 66% of Milgram's subjects did),

Milgram's apparatus was on display at the 25th annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science held in Washington, DC.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

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.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

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.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

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.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

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

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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.
  • Terence 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.