User:Sdoober/University of South Alabama Honors Program

The University of South Alabama Honors Program is a campus-wide program that includes honors courses and extracurricular activates throughout the four years of a student’s undergraduate experience. Along with the general curriculum and degree requirements of a selected major, an Honors student must also complete honors general courses, honors seminars and an Honors Senior Project.

History

A look at the past

The USA Honors Program was started in 1999. The first class graduated in 2003. Since the beginning of the University Honors Program, around 130 people will have graduated by the Spring of 2010. There are currently around 150 members of the University Honors Program.

The Bethel

The Seaman’s Bethel Chapel was originally located in downtown Mobile during the Civil War;it mainly served as a small chapel and hostel for sailors. The Bethel is also reputed to have housed the Hunley while it was being built. In 1923, it began being used as a theater for the troupes in Mobile. In 1970, the Bethel was moved the grounds of the University of South Alabama. It served as a theater for the drama department at the University. Yet, in 1998, it was transferred to the University Honors Program. It currently serves as the Honors Building, where Honors students can go "hang out" and study. The Bethel also has a supernatural history. Shortly after becoming an Honors student, you learn about the two ghosts that reside within the Bethel. It is believed that an old sea captain inhabits the upstairs loft where he passed away. The other ghost is said to be a little girl who was killed in a fire back when the Bethel was a theater. She used to play in the costumes, which were downstairs. Many students have had some kind of mysterious encounter with these two resident ghosts.

Qualifications, Requirements, and Opportunities

Qualifications for consideration into the Honors Program

High school seniors with a minimum 27 ACT Composite (or comparable SAT score) and a minimum 3.5 high school grade-point average (4.0 system), as computed by the University of South Alabama, are invited to apply. USA students and transfer students who have completed no more than 32 semester hours with an overall grade-point average of 3.5 (4.0 system) are also eligible to apply to the program. Students without the above qualifications, who feel they have strong potential for success in the University Honors Program, are encouraged to submit an application package and documentation of evidence of their special qualifications for review by the Honors Admissions Committee. Students transferring from honors programs of other institutions may petition to receive credit for honors work completed elsewhere. Transfer students applying for admission to the University Honors Program should indicate any credit earned in other honors programs.

Qualifications to maintain status as a University Honors Student

University Honors Students must maintain satisfactory progress in the Honors Curriculum to remain in the University Honors Program. A minimum of 15 hours enrolled credit per semester is required for scholarship recipients unless otherwise indicated in the scholarship award. Required overall grade-point averages for Honors Students are 3.0 after the freshman year, 3.25 after the sophomore year and 3.5 after the junior year and from then throughout completion of the requirements for the Honors Degree. A student may be placed on honors probation for a period of one semester if the required GPA is not achieved, and must attain the required GPA at the end of the probationary semester in order to return to full status in the Honors Program.

Participants are expected to participate in community and campus service projects and to regularly attend cultural and scholarly events on campus and in the community. Service-learning components of credit-bearing courses may be counted toward the honors degree. These activities will be facilitated by the Honors Program Office and program mentors. Participation may be as a group or in individually focused activities.

By the Junior Year, each Honors Student will identify a suitable faculty mentor and will design and implement a Honors Senior Project. The project represents a scholarly effort appropriate to the major, including a significant component of investigation and written presentation. Juniors will present a prospectus of their project (e.g., and exhibition, research presentation or poster, or performance). The senior project will be judged and graded by a committee of three faculty chaired by the honors project mentor.

Honors Students are encouraged to participate in international study opportunities, independent research programs, and off-campus internships. The Honors Program Office maintains information on such opportunities and is available to assist students with applications and arrangements. Students will be encouraged to apply for national and international scholarship programs (e.g., Fulbright, Rhodes, Eisenhower, etc.).

Departmental Honors Programs

A second honors option is available in many departments throughout the Colleges of the University of South Alabama. This option may be particularly suitable for transfer students, or others, who have completed significant credits toward graduation before deciding to pursue an honors degree, and for whom completing the entire University Honors curriculum would not be practical. To receive a designation of "Departmental Honors" on the diploma, students must successfully complete an Honors Senior Project in their major, have an overall grade-point average of at least 3.5, and meet the specific honors requirements of their major department. These students may also elect to take Honors Seminars and participate in other University Honors programs and activities upon the recommendation of their major advisor. Please consult departmental sections of the Bulletin for any additional honors requirements specific to your major.

Other Honors Options

For transfer students, or others, who have completed significant credits toward graduation, the specific curriculum requirements for the Honors Degree may be impracticable. Additionally, other non-honors students may find certain honors courses desirable while being unable to commit to the entire honors curriculum. Options available in these cases include enrollment in specific honors courses (indicated on the transcript as honors credit) with permission of the instructor when space is available, and/or pursuing and completing an appropriate  Honors Senior Project. Students interested in these options should consult with the Honors Program Director and their major advisor.

Honors Courses Offered

In addition, each U.S.A. Honors student must complete a minimum of two Honors Seminars during their four-year undergraduate career. Seminars are intended to be interesting and attempt to enrich the educational experience of their participants. Past Honors Seminars include:

Fall, 2000
Horror in the Disciplines – Dr. Annmarie Guzy, EH Ancient Greek Culture – Dr. John Coker, PHL

Spring, 2001
College Life: Universities and Society in Modern America – Dr. Clarence Mohr, HY

Fall, 2001
The Body and Technology – Professor Comstock, EH 20th Century Political Philosophy – Dr. John Coker/Dr. Ethan Fishman, PHL/PSC

Spring, 2002
Medicinal Chemistry, - Dr. David Forbes, CH Philosophy and Literature of Friendship – Dr. John Coker/Professor Matheson, PHL/EH

Fall, 2002
Greek Mythology – Dr. John Coker/Dr. Becky McLaughlin, PHL/EH

Spring, 2003
Literature and Medicine – Dr. Sue Walker, EH Medicinal Chemistry – Dr. David Forbes, CH Creativity, Talent and Intelligence – Dr. Dan Silver, MA

Fall, 2003
The Culture of Horror – Dr. Annmarie Guzy, EH Normal Brain and Disordered Behavior – Professor Itaya, BMD

Fall 2004
Criminal Mischief – Dr. Ellen Harrington, EH Ancient Roman Culture – Dr. John Coker, PHL/Dr. W. Robert Houston, HS Greek Mythology – Dr. John Coker, PHL

Spring 2005
Literature of Technology and Destruction – Professor Larry Beason, EH Dead Sea Scrolls – Dr. John Coker, PHL/Dr. Judy Stout, BY Medicinal Chemistry – Dr. David Forbes, CH

Fall 2005
Contested Identities (Post-Colonial Literatures) – Dr. Lincoln Shlensky

Spring 2006
Tropical Storms/Hurricanes – Dr. Mimi Fearn, Dr. Doug Haywick, Dr. Sytske Kimball Gerontology – Dr. Roma Hanks

Fall 2006
EH 490H: Reason, Religion, and Race in Colonial American Literature – Dr. Pat Cesarini SY 490H: Nature/Human Nature – Dr. Doug Marshall

Spring 2007
ARS 490H: Discover Your Creativity - Professor Diane Gibbs HY/EH 490: Southern Autobiography - Dr. Clarence Mohr and Dr. Sue Walker

Fall 2007
PSY 490H: Science and Pseudo-Science - Dr. Susan Anderson PSC 490H: Global Issues - Dr. Nadar Entessar

Spring 2008
PT 490H: Anatomy - Dr. Dennis Fell CE 490H: Coastal Environment - Dr. Carroll Dougherty ES 492H: Planetary Geology - Dr. Doug Haywick PHY 290H: Astronomy - Dr. Kent Clark

Fall 2008
ST 490H: Statistics and Computer Simulations - Dr. Madhuri Mulekar EH 490H: Criminal Mischief, Detective Fiction - Dr. Ellen Harrington

Spring 2009
EH 490H: The Hero’s Journey - Dr. Annmarie Guzy LG 490H: Russian and Soviet Literature - Dr. Joe Mozur

Fall 2009
HON 490H: Creativity, Narrative, and Robots – Dr. Mike Doran, Dr. Jack Shelley-Tremblay, Dr. Bob Coleman SY 490H: World Religions – Dr. Doug Marshall

Spring 2010
CH 490H: Chemistry of Drugs – Dr. David Forbes PHL 390H: Philosophies of Liberation – Dr. Eric Loomis EH 490H: Novels and Cinema – Dr. Chris Raczkowski

Honors Life

Honors Conferences

There are several events that the honors program participates in annually or on a regular basis. These programs are designed to encourage a number of attributes from peer relationships to academic excellence. Several of these events also play a major role in networking with other honors programs and bringing recognition to outstanding individuals.

The USA Honors program attends national honors conferences regularly. These conferences provide student with an opportunity to meet other honors students and faculty from around the country and see how the foundation of other programs is composed. They also allow the flow of creativity from different regions which can help develop new ideas for the program. At this time, students are also provided with an opportunity to present their research topics or thesis to a large group of people in order to showcase their progress and ideas.

In addition to national conferences, the USA honors program, in collaboration with the University of West Florida, just held the first conference for Gulf Coast honors programs. This inaugural conference was a one day event in which students from the two attending schools participated in numerous activities and events. There were several round table discussions designed to share similarities and differences from every aspect from research and classes, to program activities. Students from both schools were also able to present research to one another from several academic fields. The conference will take place in Pensacola next year and the goal is to, over the next few years, invite more and more Gulf Coast schools and make this a large annual event.

Camp Beckwith

Honors Retreat at Camp Beckwith

Every year, just before returning from summer break, the honors program holds a two day retreat for incoming freshmen at Camp Beckwith, a conference center located on Weeks Bay. During the two days, students get to know each other through a number of activities including ice breakers, rope courses, canoe trips, and seminars. This event is designed to introduce the incoming freshmen to one another and get them acquainted with the program. Plus, it’s super fun!

Potluck Dinner

Honors Potluck Dinner

At the end of each semester, the Honors Program Organization hosts a potluck dinner to honor faculty and graduating seniors. These dinners serve as a great way to relax with friends and enjoy some amazing food. Students are encouraged to invite faculty members, even if they are not involved with the program, as a way of saying thank you for their teaching and guidance. Graduating seniors are honored as they prepare to take the next step in their career and future.

Field Trips

A Night at the Exploreum with the Honors Program

Once a year, honors students are invited to attend an event paid for and sponsored by the USA Foundation. This event is usually a night at the Mobile Explorium and I-Max Theater, or a concert by the Mobile Symphony Orchestra. Students greatly appreciate these events, and many look forward to them ever year. These events usually take place around Halloween time. So, students generally have a good time attempting to look semi-formal while arriving in costume. The USA Foundation also provides all honors students with the Whiddon Scholarship during their four years of undergraduate work and are an integral part of the program.

Talent Show

Honors Talent Show in the Seaman’s Bethel

Once a semester, students are encouraged to showcase their non-academic talents in the form of an honors talent show and karaoke night. Acts range from funny to moving and everything in-between. These talent shows also act a medium for a little friendly competition between classes and are a welcome distraction from demanding class work.

Graduation

Honors Graduation (outside the Seaman’s Bethel)

Honors seniors are required to present and defend a senior thesis the semester of their graduation to a panel of faculty professors and advisors. These presentations showcase the research of that student and their faculty mentor. In many cases, this research has taken place over a span of more than a year and is referred to as the capstone experience of the honors program. Honors research has led to countless publications in various journals, and numerous prestigious awards and scholarships. Underclassmen are not only invited, but encouraged to attend these defenses in order to gain a greater understanding of what will be expected of them in the future.

Current Information

Administration

Director: Dr. Bob Coleman
Assistant Director: Dr. Michael Doran
Secretary: Ms. Pam Chastang-Howard
Scholarship Coordinator: Dr. Marsha Hamilton
Scholarship Coordinator: Dr. Sally Steadman

Frequent Events

The following is a list of the major events that honors students and faculty participate in on a regular basis:

1) National honors conferences
2) Honors potluck dinner for graduating seniors (once a semester)
3) Annual honors retreat for incoming freshmen
4) The newly formed conference for Gulf-Coast universities (formed as a joint venture by the University of South Alabama and the University of West Florida
5) Honors thesis defense presentations (each honors senior is required to present a thesis in order to graduate with university honors)

Annual Events

The following is a list of other events that HPO participates in annually. In addition to this, HPO is currently trying to establish an annual crawfish boil that would be open to all students on campus.

1) Several intramural sports including soccer, football, inner tube water polo, and volleyball
2) Relay for Life
3) Oozeball (a volleyball tournament played in 18 inches of mud)
4) Faculty/ student cook-outs
5) Local car washes and bake sales to raise funds to finance honors programming and scholarships
6) Faculty/ student talent shows (each semester)
7) Various random activities throughout the year such as “Art Knight” and “Pie Night”

References

South Alabama Honors Program[1]
Mission Statement[2]
Program Description[3]
Honors Activities[4]
Honors Courses[5]
Honors Senior Project[6]
Faculty and staff[7]
Procedure to apply[8]