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Expansion Diversifies Honors College

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Posted on May 24, 2018

Joy Washington

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It鈥檚 been almost a year since the honors program at the University of South Alabama became the Honors College. The college鈥檚 first dean, Dr. Kathy Cooke, says her students are as varied as the projects they tackled this year.

鈥淲e are pleased that Honors brings together all different majors to have an interdisciplinary experience,鈥� Cooke said. 鈥淎nd as we approach our first year of being an Honors College at South, our students have had a successful year involved in research, academic coursework, community engagement and off-campus experiences.鈥�

One of her students is Sara Boone. A junior, Boone grew to love graphic design after serving as the photographer and then editor for her yearbook staff at D鈥橧berville High School in Biloxi, Miss. Once she applied to South, she wanted to major in strategic communications. Since arriving, Boone has been able to share and grow as a student in the Honors College.

鈥淚 really enjoy having an interdisciplinary experience in the Honors College,鈥� Boone expressed. 鈥淭he College is not just for future doctors or engineers. It鈥檚 also for students like me who are majoring in strategic communications or English. Basically, students from different majors are benefiting from this opportunity. It鈥檚 more than what I expected. I am having an amazing experience learning and engaging with other students.鈥�

For example, as social chair for the USA Honors College Association, Boone met with Cooke and received approval to plan, organize and host a formal event for the Honors College. From there, Boone worked to blend the USA and Honors College brand to highlight its community and values along with showcasing how the Honors College is competitive and attracts the best and brightest students.

Boone also added a twist for the students who attended. She created a murder mystery game where one winning student won a prize. To top it all off, she later presented her research surrounding the branding and strategic planning of her social event in a poster format while attending the Southern Regional Honors Council in Washington, D.C.  Boone鈥檚 poster project was 鈥淧uzzling Through Honors Branding: Putting Together the Pieces for the Honors Vision.鈥� In all, six Honors students presented posters at the event.

鈥淭his was a great experience,鈥� Boone said. 鈥淚n my poster, I provided an introduction, methods, results and conclusions regarding my research. It was a great opportunity to present my work at the regional conference along with other students from South and around the country. I also enjoyed touring and seeing all the monuments and museums in Washington, D.C. The city is fantastic.鈥�

Boone is currently interning with Devin Ford Photography as a communications assistant.

Cooke is pleased the USA Honors College students have experienced many different ways of thinking and learning. They also participated in this year鈥檚 Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee in memory and honor of those who were fighting for voting rights during the 鈥淏loody Sunday鈥� event of March 7, 1965. In addition, they toured the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church and other monuments and historical museums in Montgomery.

In April, the students participated in a 鈥渕iniature conference鈥� for the campus and community called 鈥淐hasing Phil in Alabama: An Interdisciplinary Conversation about Writing, Research, and the FBI鈥檚 First Undercover Mission.鈥� The Honors College opened the event to students, prospective students, the campus, and the larger community, where participants met David Howard, the author of 鈥淐hasing Phil,鈥� as well as local FBI agents and judges. The conference addressed a fascinating combination of criminal justice, creative writing, psychology, journalism, forensics, publishing and weather phenomena.

鈥淭his has been a great year of discovery for our Honors students,鈥� Cooke noted. 鈥淲e have remarkable students who are solving today鈥檚 greatest challenges and learning new things.鈥�

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