2017 Fall The Honorable Mention

Honors professor Russ Costa meets with members of the incoming first-year cohort during the first ever Honors College advising scavenger hunt. Photo Courtesy of Honors Peer Mentor A Growing Honors Community BY ELIZABETH JOHNSON Westminster’s Honors College welcomed 83 new students this Rather than boosting the number of students in each semiAugust — the largest group to join Honors in its history. nar, the Honors College will offer more seminars each semester, Some students have raised concerns that the growth would permitting the college to accommodate the growing number of come at the expense of a close commustudents without compromising quality nity. However, the college is being “inin the classroom. tentional about making sure students In preparation for the growth, Westcontinue to feel a sense of communiminster hired Stephanie Santarosa as The Honors College ty,” said Honors College Dean Richard the assistant director of Honors and experienced a 63 percent Badenhausen, by introducing a dedicatfellowship advising. Her primary role is increase in first-year class ed academic adviser, more training and to serve as a dedicated academic adviser responsibilities for peer mentors, and for students, oversee some co-curricular enrollment over the entering new programming to ensure students programming, and support the operclass of 2016. feel connected. ations of the new college. Steph is also The growth of Honors — 67 firstresponsible for organizing the college’s year students and 16 lateral-entry students — coincided with the peer mentors to ensure all new students feel welcome. transition from a program to a college. Peer mentors are the first introduction many new students have “We felt we had done all we could as a program and wanted to to the Honors College. These upper-class students help strengthen enhance curricular offerings and meet the increased demand we’ve the community among new students by hosting events throughhad for spots in Honors,” Badenhausen said. out the fall semester. Continued on Page 7 PAGE THREE HONORS DOG Scout philosophically explores her relationship with the Honors community. · PAGE FOUR · Fall 2017 Volume 16 Issue 1 NUNEMAKER Examine how Nunemaker has adapted to growth in Honors. Welcoming New Faculty and Staff to the Honors Team Honors College brings on three individuals to help students achieve the full Honors experience BY ANDREW FRANKS Alicia Cunningham-Bryant Stephanie Santarosa Director of Fellowship Advising Assistant Director of Honors and Fellowship Advising Kael Weston Writer-in-Residence Chosen by various search committees from a vast pool of can- these experiences. Weston found his place at Westminster Coldidates, three talented individuals have recently joined the Hon- lege through an old friend from Iraq, U.S. Marine Corps veterors community: Stephanie Santarosa, Alicia Cunningham-Bryant, an Kim Adamson, a senior justice court judge in Salt Lake City and Kael Weston. and member of the Board of Trustees. Santarosa, the new assistant director Come January, Weston will teach a class The new positions and faces of Honors and fellowship advising, precalled “Going to War,” which will discuss in the Honors College seek fers to say she hails from North America, the actions of the United States in Iraq since she was reared in every corner on and Afghanistan. He said he will even to accomodate the growing the continent from Alaska to Califortake the class to an internment camp population and need for new nia and even Ontario, where she went to illustrate the effects of war at home. opportunities. to high school. Though she left behind Additionally, he will teach a May Term many addresses, Steph never left behind class called “War Movies,” in which he her desire to involve herself in education. will analyze how films depict war. All in She has been the recipient of numerous all, Weston hopes to broaden the Honawards and asks that any Honors student who needs assistance ors community’s understanding of international affairs, especially come to her, as she will happily provide counseling. pertaining to war. Cunningham-Bryant, the new assistant professor and director of fellowship advising, is a native of California. Though she once believed she would go into law, she came to realize it was not her heart’s desire. However, there was one subject she found absolutely fascinating: archaeology. She delved into that realm, aiming to know the ancient world better than the back of her hand. Alicia has conducted fieldwork in Egypt and Sudan, working to better understand the cultures of the old world, and has an intricate understanding of a number of ancient languages and scripts. After her studies and her work as an archaeologist, Cunningham-Bryant found herself a place at Westminster College. She is currently teaching Welcome to Thinking I but is hopeful to be teaching classes on archaeology in the coming years. Weston, the Honors College writer-in-residence, is a native Utahan who served in the U.S. State Department for more than a decade, including seven years during the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. He witnessed the chaos in Fallujah during the Iraq War and has seen the effects wars have on the soldiers back at Stephanie Santarosa, the new assistant director of Honors and fellowship advising, interacts home. He wrote the highly acclaimed book The Mirwith first-year students on their first day in the Honors College at orientation on Aug. 18. ror Test: America at War in Iraq and Afghanistan based on Photo Courtesy of Katie Saad 2 THE INVESTIGATION OF AN HONORS DOG BY SCOUT BADENHAUSEN T R A N S L AT I O N B Y : H O L D E N R A S M U S S E N We asked Honors dog Scout, an observer of the Honors community, to reflect on the many conversations she has overheard while dutifully resting in Dean Richard Badenhausen’s office and to tell us what questions seem most important for those beginning college to consider.1 When The Tall Friend2 first started bringing me to Nunemaker when The Tall Friend says I do good. For me, good is defined by Place, time passed wholly uneventfully. I spent most of my days The Tall Friend. asleep or silently singing to myself with my eyes closed. I had no What is good anymore? Who am I if I am not a good girl? I interest in what the Short Friends3 were saying or in doing any- do not know who I am, because I cannot separate myself from the thing other than what pleased me most. dictations of The Tall Friend: “Good girl, Scoutie” only means However, in my something when he twilight years I have says it, even though begun listening more he means only to supcarefully to what peoport me. He is not to ple say in Nunemakblame; this circle has er Place. Many Short caught him, too. There Friends worry about is no one to blame. whether they are “good Notwithstanding, enough” in their writthis confusion has also ing and class discuscreated a small feeling sions. Sometimes, the of liberation and not Short Friends wonder a manic nihilism. If if they are even good I am indeed correct people. that someone other At first, these questhan me determines tions seemed trivial the meanings of my to me. After all, The actions, then failing to Tall Friend has only be good or accomplish ever referred to me as my goals no longer a “Good girl!” I have means I lose an esnever once felt inadesential part of myself. Scout, a long-time observer of the Honors community, gazes into the abyss, wondering if the abyss quate. However, upon Failure, instead, is an gazes back. repeatedly hearing about exposure of the conPhoto Courtesy of Richard Badenhausen the doubts of the Short tingency of whatever Friends, I began to interrogate myself along similar lines: “Am I it means to be good at a particular time. Ultimately, what “good” really a good girl?” means changes and new actions are defined by new circles of I founded my investigation on this hypothesis: I am a pet; thus, meaning. my owner determines who I am, what I am, and what qualities I It seems to me that Short Friends should not ask, “Am I good?” embody. He speaks who I am; I am good only if The Tall Friend but instead should ask, “When I fail to be good, what possible calls me such. This suggests that nothing I do determines if I am avenues do I open?” When the Short Friends’ prompts disappoint good or not; my agency is null and the meanings of my actions are or when I fail in any of my various projects (sleeping, defending artificial and external to me. Nunemaker, and so on) neither I nor the Short Friends should My investigation has turned over the implicit circularity in the shame ourselves. We should not believe that we have lost some meaning of my life. I am good only when the Tall Friend says I essential part. We should see an opportunity to unveil a new path. am; The Tall Friend calls me good when I do good; I only do good Letting go of what you think makes you who you are is difficult, but it is better than chasing a tail you will never catch. Translator’s Note There is no perfect English translation of the word Scout uses to refer to Richard, so I have opted for this, maybe crude, approximation. - TRANS 3 Another approximation. - TRANS 1 2 3 First-year Honors students socialize in Nunemaker Place during Honors College Orientation on Aug. 18. Photo Courtesy of Katie Saad Nunemaker Adapts to Meet the Needs of an Expanding Program BY STEPHANIE HELD Students in Westminster’s Honors College have said Nunemak- is “essential.” er Place is an important resource for the community — but worry “Honors is one of those more intangible programs,” he said. rapid growth may negatively impact student use of the building. “Honors can mean many different things at different institutions, For many, Nunemaker is the common denominator that uni- and so the fact that there’s a physical location associated with the fies the dynamic and diverse Honors community. All Honors stu- Honors College is really important.” dents, no matter their class standing or major, are welcome to use Recent changes have some students concerned about Nunethe kitchen, nap on the bean bags, or eat from the candy bowls. maker’s future. In 2017, the Honors College welcomed its largest “I think [Nunemaker] is very important to the Honors com- incoming class — 67 traditional-entry and 16 lateral-entry stumunity,” said Charlie Saad, a senior chemistry major and applied dents. math minor. “I think it’s kind of As a result, the first-year Tuesday ground zero for the Honors commuConversations program was moved “We feel really strongly that we want nity and it’s the place they can all turn from Nunemaker to HWAC 354. to.” Many upper-class Honors students to shape this space so that it is a place Nunemaker was named for Avon said they worry this switch will negathat students want to come to and that executive and Presbyterian philantively impact the community. they can have their needs met.” thropist Irene Nunemaker, who fi“I loved, as a first-year student, nanced its construction in 1977. The congregating in Nunemaker with my Richard Badenhausen wood and concrete building is located other peers in my cohort,” said Katy on the bank of Emigration Creek and Molinari, a sophomore public health was originally a religious activities center and relaxation space for major. “I felt like having it in Nunemaker added to the atmoWestminster students, faculty, and staff. sphere. If you move it to HWAC I feel like that kind of takes away Nunemaker became home to the Honors College in the sum- from the experience.” mer of 2004 and provides office space for Richard Badenhausen, Aware of student concerns, Badenhausen said he and Santarosa dean of the Honors College, and Stephanie Santarosa, assistant have been looking for different ways to bring students into the director of Honors and fellowship ad- building. Student Honors Associate Katie Saad created a survey vising. The building also offers a study that was emailed to students asking how Nunemaker could best and hangout space for students and accommodate their future needs. hosts numerous Honors events, in“We feel really strongly that we want to shape this space so cluding Student Honors Council pro- that it is a place that students want to come to and that they can gramming, Honors orientation, and, have their needs met,” Badenhausen said. “We didn’t have a full until recently, Tuesday Conversations. sense of what students wanted out of the space, so that’s why we In addition to its practical func- did the survey.” tions, Nunemaker serves as a physical After reviewing the survey results, Badenhausen said there representation of the Honors learning is talk of hosting focus groups with students to discuss plans for community, which Badenhausen said Nunemaker moving forward. 4 A SMILE AND A HANDSHAKE: HOW A NETWORK OF FRIENDLY FACES AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORT CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE DURING YOUR WESTMINSTER EXPERIENCE Honors Students come together to compete in the annual athletic faceoff against Honors faculty and staff at the end of the Spring 2017 semester. Photo Courtesy of Elaine Sheehan BY ELAINE SHEEHAN The Honors journey starts even before Honors Orientation in August. For me, it started with a smile and a handshake, as it does for many of us. I recall making myself comfortable on the couches in the lobby of Nunemaker, my parents by my side, and Scout sitting dutifully next to Richard. “Any guy with a dog in his office must be chill enough to not be that scary,” I thought to myself. Looking back on how terrified I was, I can’t help but laugh. But I also can’t help but feel compassion. For many students in Honors, and in colleges everywhere, the journey starts with doubt, or at least a bit of anxiety. I can see it when prospective students ask me how hard Honors is going to be in comparison to “regular” classes. My answer is always that it isn’t harder necessarily, rather, that it is different. Adjusting to Honors does take time but it isn’t any harder than adjusting to other aspects of college, such as living with strangers, learning to manage new schedules, and encountering a wide variety of new perspectives that peers bring to campus from around the world. What makes Honors special is that, for every challenge it presents to adjusting students, it presents solutions to those challenges. Although my adjustment began with a smile and a handshake in Nunemaker, many students begin this process over the summer in their home state when they receive a letter in the mail. Garret Wilcox (‘18) recalls the beginning of his Honors journey fondly: “One of my Peer Mentors, Amanda, wrote me a letter over the summer before freshman year. Having the engagement and knowing I would have a community to support me if I ever needed help made the transition to college life in a new state a lot easier.” Honors Peer Mentors are the initial system of support in the journey of an Honors student. The great thing about Peer Mentors too is that they aren’t just the students that are assigned to your Honors Orientation group at the beginning of the year. 5 class supported me and made me feel comfortable sharing what the class meant to me.” The class itself felt more like a group of tightly knit friends by the end of the semester than it did a group of students from different majors and backgrounds. This feeling of support in moments of vulnerability is also felt acutely when interacting with professors. Jessica Taghvaiee (‘19) was deeply impacted by an important interaction with her professor, Kara Barnett. “When I was going through a difficult time in the Honors Program, Kara went out of her way, whether within or outside of her office hours, to help me brainstorm ideas for my prompts and regain confidence in my writing skills,” says Jessica. “During this time where I had begun to doubt my intellectual ability, Kara acted as more than a professor, but a friend I knew I could always count on and who has continued to support me in all my future endeavors.” Professors acknowledge that students will oftentimes need support throughout their time at Westminster, not just during the first year. When Honors students are most in need, both their peers and professors will be there to support them. Gano Hasanbegovic (‘18) recalls a particular moment in which he was glad for support from members of the Honors community. “There was this [independent] group tabling on campus that began saying some pretty Islamophobic things to me,” he recounts. “A friend in Honors supported me, backed me up, and told professors about it. The group was kicked off campus thanks to them.” Honors juniors Naomi Shapiro and Sally Miller attend the annual year-end Honors Banquet in spring 2017. Photo Courtesy of Calen Smith “Peer Mentors” also come in the form of other older students that are willing to reach out. Kara Kornhauser replied excitedly when I asked her about her relationships with other Honors students that “having older honors students in classes and as mentors has given [her] the opportunity to ask questions about Westminster and get a better sense of the school and the program.” She is grateful that her tour guide and students in her Outdoor Orientation were in Honors and could help her feel confident while starting college. My involvement in Honors is due entirely to my older peers and my professors believing in me. An Honors student in one of my classes recognized my ability to write well before I even dared to share my writing with anyone but my most trusted confidants. James insisted I write for Honorable Mention and offered endless amounts of help on my first story, reassuring me even when I was ready to quit for fear of failing. To this day, two years after he graduated, I still reach out to him every once in awhile just to chat about life advice, discuss my research, and ask for tips on navigating college, even though I should theoretically know after three whole years. It was Honors friends like him that helped me even after I had “transitioned” to college. They recognized that support is necessary even after the first year of college. When asked about times when she felt supported by the program, Elizabeth Johnson (‘19) recalled taking her final for Arts and Performance, an Honors seminar that requires being vulnerable and sharing one’s thoughts through artistic mediums: “I took a major risk in sharing some of my responses but the entire Stephanie Santarosa converses with Polina Lyubavina and Jared Rich at the Honors banquet. Photo Courtesy of Calen Smith Kate Blair and Christine Sheehan exchange profile pages at Honors orientation. Photo Courtesy of Honors Peer Mentor Peer mentors McKenzie Campbell, Aaron Smith, and Cole Polychronis attend the Honors Mix & Mingle event. Photo Courtesy of Katie Saad 6 Giancarlo Panagia, Annette Donald, and Abby Leinbach at the Honors Banquet. Photo Courtesy of Calen Smith Johnny Carr, Hayden Kjelleren, and Paul Nasca attend lateral-entry orientation. Photo Courtesy of Katie Saad Of the many students I interviewed, all of them expressed are encountering. There is someone to prompt you to share your gratitude for the support they received throughout their Honors writing, your research, or your work of art. There is someone to care for you. journey. They were all able to mention at least a handful of As I near graduation, I think mentors, professors, or friends more and more about the Honors (and those who fit into all three What makes Honors special is that, for every Banquet at the end of the year. As of these categories) that had challenge it presents to adjusting students, it is tradition, I will give my little made an impact on their time at speech, my “Senior Moment,” of the Westminster. presents solutions to those challenges. highlight of my Honors experience. So for every hour of extra It is impossible to think of one, single reading or additional ounce of moment but I know what my advice stress due to what seems like impossibly high standards, there is someone to sit with you while will be to the first-year students. I will tell them that each time they you read and tell you that your prompt is actually pretty good. reach out to another Honors student it will make a difference, even if There is also someone to talk to about the new world views you it’s as simple as starting with a handshake and a smile. The graduating class of 2017 gathers one last time at the Honors Banquet. Photo Courtesy of Elaine Sheehan Continued from Page 1 To better deal with the growing number of first-year students, peer mentors will be receiving leadership and mentoring training from Santarosa. They will have more responsibilities as the college continues to grow, and Badenhausen said he hopes they continue to play a key leadership role in keeping the Honors community close and connected. An additional effort to build the Honors community is Lunch 7 with the Dean, a new event where first-year students are invited to join Badenhausen in Nunemaker Place for a light lunch every few weeks. Because Badenhausen teaches just one Welcoming to Thinking seminar this fall, these lunches are an opportunity for all first-year students to engage with the college dean. It also provides a more “intimate setting” for students to meet peers they may not have class with. Student Profile: Hive Caretaker Nate Woolridge B Y M A D E LY N B AY L E S When junior Honors student Nate Wooldridge first came to Fortunately, Wooldridge’s other hive is doing well. Altogether, Westminster College, he had no previous experience beekeeping. this hive is made up of around 20 frames, 10 or 11 of which he But the beekeeping position piqued estimates are purely honey. Because the his interest when he stopped by the hive is still in its first year, Wooldridge college’s Environmental Center, so said he plans to hold off on harvesting he decided to give it a try. its honey until next year, after he has Wooldridge said he learned much split the hive and created a second of what he knows about beekeeping colony. from books and various online As concerns rise over colony sources. He also received help from collapse disorder, which occurs when the previous student beekeeper worker bees abandon their hive, and from Will Deutschman, the Wooldridge said the importance of head of Westminster’s chemistry local beekeeping cannot be overstated. department, whom he refers to as his His bees, through pollination, have beekeeping “sensei.” already had a significant impact on Although Wooldridge has enjoyed Westminster’s campus gardens, and his time beekeeping, he said it has have also positively affected students, Photo courtesy of Annette Donald a steep learning curve and he’s he said. encountered some difficulties along Wooldridge said he enjoys talking the way — from wax moths (pests whose larvae chew through to people about bees and often brings his friends to visit one of comb) to one of the hives attempting to replace its queen and his hives. Last year, the Environmental Center held a bee-focused ultimately ending up without one at all. Without a queen, worker event where it showcased soaps and lip balms made from the bees began laying drones: male bees who, unlike worker bees, do campus bees’ honey. In the future, Wooldridge said he would like not collect nectar or otherwise contribute to the honey-making to broaden his bees’ influence at Westminster by holding similar process. outreach events. Professor Profile: Community Activist Julie Stewart BY DIANA KHOSROVI Westminster College’s Honors College not only transitioned unique style of co-teaching; and Honors College Dean Richard from a program to a college this year, but Badenhausen’s steadfast vision to help also experienced the biggest incoming the college grow and succeed. first-year class in its history. In spite Stewart, who teaches traditional and of its growth, the community remains lateral-entry students in addition to her tight-knit — thanks, in part, to staff responsibilities as assistant director, said and faculty like Julie Stewart, the new she isn’t afraid of the college’s expansion assistant director of the Honors College. and doesn’t think anyone else should be Julie Stewart joined the Westminster either. faculty in 2013. In Spring 2016 she “I definitely think it’s going to be helped launch the brand new Honors a balancing act to keep this intimate course, Data/Society/Decision-Making, community with the growth of our which added a new interdisciplinary community,” Stewart said. “But I can conversation to the Honors curriculum. see that with the new crucial additions “I was first inspired to be a professor to faculty, there is a strategic plan in when I had a class in which we didn’t sit place [...] and we will be able to stay the Photo courtesy of Annette Donald through a lecture but actually sat down wonderful family that we have always and talked about the issues,” Stewart recalled. “One of the reasons been.” why I love this Honors College so much is because we get to do On top of her involvement with Honors students, she also that same thing of sitting around the table and talking about the serves as the Assistant Director of Honors Teaching, Learning, issues.” and Assessment and as the head of Westminster’s customized Stewart said this seminar model is largely successful because of major program, where she supports students in creating programs the college’s ambitious students, who are able to think critically that better cater to their unique interests. about texts and bounce off each other’s ideas in class; the college’s 8 Let’s Get Your Perspective The Honors community represents an array of academic fields, backgrounds, and experiences. In your opinion, what ties everyone together? Carissa Uresk Hikmet Loe Student perspective Professor perspective The American artist Allan Kaprow, who initiated a new form of art in the 1960s called “Happenings,” famously said: “The line between art and life should be kept as fluid, and perhaps indistinct, as possible.” Kaprow espoused blurring lines to find a new way of being that renounces hierarchy and boxes. To me, the Honors Photo courtesy of Annette Donald classroom is the best realization of Kaprow’s ideals — one where lines blur each time we meet to allow curiosity, creativity, and passion for our respective fields to flourish. For example, there is a liminal space that exists in our classrooms where the unexpected happens. I think we all have experiences that can range from a moment, to a pause, to a full on everyoneholding-their-breath to see what unfolds next. That space is quite exciting and often followed by a rush of input from students and instructors. Faculty expertise may be divergent, yet become crystallized through working together. I’ve been fortunate in co-teaching with a neuroscientist (Russ Costa), an arts educator (Heidi Van Ert) and a visual artist (Matt Kruback), and will teach next term with a professor of environmental studies (Brent Olson). Our academic backgrounds meet in the space of perception as we work within our fields to understand the larger questions that unify us: How do we learn and know? How do we see, and see things differently to both come together and draw (respectfully) apart? The Honors College also supports teaching in the Clemente Course at East High, where we bring these same questions and a passion for learning to prepare select students for college. Paired with a Teaching Fellow (Honors student Emma Metos), we engage in broader issues through art by drawing on students’ experiences and backgrounds. Just as in the Honors classroom, lines blur and break down, providing us the space to truly engage with and learn from each other. Honors students come from a variety of geographic locations, age groups, academic fields, and life experiences. So how, if we are all so different, does the community remain cohesive? I think there are multiple explanations for this, including the initial bonding at first-year orientation, the shared struggle in Welcome to Thinking, and Photo courtesy of Annette Donald the classes we take together throughout our college experience. But I also think it’s something more than the time we spend together that connects the community. After all, just because you spend time with people doesn’t mean you’ll make meaningful connections with them. For me, there is another factor at play that explains this community: curiosity. All Honors students, regardless of their background or life goals, have a desire to know more about the people and ideas that surround them. But our curiosity is not concerned with just gathering information and storing it for later use. Our special brand of “Honors curiosity” demands that we look critically at texts, question our own assumptions, and recognize that life does not operate in disciplines. This inquisitive nature is enhanced by class discussion, use of the team-teaching model, and repeatedly asking, “So what?” Honors curiosity is also not limited to the classroom. Walk around campus and you’ll find Honors students discussing the ethics of big data, strategies for political activism, and whether science is really objective. We recognize that curiosity is a group activity — we are at our most curious when others voice questions or ideas that help us think deeply. Overall, our community remains cohesive because our different backgrounds and experiences become fuel, not barriers, for curiosity. “ To me , th e Hon or s c l a s s ro om i s t h e best “Our special brand of ‘ho no r s cur iosity’ re alizatio n of K a prow ’s i d e a l s — on e w h e re l ines dem ands that we l o o k cr itical l y at tex ts, b lu r e ac h tim e we m e et to a l l ow c u r i osity, questio n o ur own assum ptio ns, and cre ativ ity, an d pa s s i o n for ou r re s pe c t i ve f iel ds recognize that l ife do es not o perate in to fl o u r i s h .” discipl ines.” 9 NEWS & NOTES Kate Bradshaw (’03) is now chair of Westminster’s Chris Cunningham (’15) has moved congressional Carissa Christensen (’18) will intern with the Take alumni board. offices, joining the staff of Elizabeth Esty Back the Night Foundation on a national level to help (D-Connecticut) as a legislative correspondent. increase awareness about Title IX and sexual assault on Mike Acord (’07) is a pediatric radiology fellow at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. college campuses. She is also working on bringing more Emma DeLoughery (’16), now a second-year student events focused on these issues to Westminster and other at the Mayo Clinic Medical School, is first author on a local universities. Creed Archibald (’09) teaches ninth grade English at new publication called “Use of Three Procoagulants in Highland High School in Salt Lake City. Improving Bleeding Outcomes in the Warfarin Patient Jadie Adams (’18) will present her mathematical with Intracranial Hemorrhage,” in Blood Coagulation research in tiling theory at the Joint Mathematics Bryan Craven (’10) started as manager of strategic and Fibrinolysis (2017). The data collected in this Meeting in San Diego. marketing at Micron Technology in Boise, Idaho. project was gathered with the support of her Honors College Summer Research Grant. Sara Dunham (née Rees, ’10) completed medical Holden Rasmussen’s (’18) modified version of a paper called “Science Towards Ethics: Epistemological school at the University of Utah and, this summer, Adia Thorton (’16) is now a marketing coordinator at Humility and the Violence of Scientism,” which started a family medicine residency in Ventura, CHG Healthcare in Salt Lake City. was written for the Science, Power, and Diversity California. Demetri Coombs (’11) recently graduated from Drexel seminar, will be published in the Fall 2017 issue of the Jeremy Dormitzer (’17) started a job as a software Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (UReCa), engineer at HubSpot in Boston, Massachusetts. the peer-reviewed undergraduate journal of the National University Medical School — where he received the Collegiate Honors Council. Medical Humanities Scholar Award — and started his Sean Lynne (’17) started his studies at University of six-year residency in plastic reconstructive surgery at Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine. the Cleveland Clinic. His capstone project on medical ethics was also recently published in Annals of Anatomy. Jadie Adams (’18), Allie Nelson (’18), & Calen Smith (’19) recently presented their work at the SACNAS Tim Lindgren’s (’17) essay “Ecocide, Genocide and the National Diversity in STEM Conference this fall. Failure to Protect Alternative Life-systems,” written with Cassidy Jones (’11) published a co-authored article the support of an Honors College Summer Research Ambur Staab (’19) has a paper under review for in the George Wright Forum (vol. 34, issue 1) called Grant, has been accepted for publication in The publication and is the vice president of the Pre- “Bringing Parks Back to the People: Revisiting the Dual International Journal of Human Rights. He just started Professional Health Society. Mandate and Core Values of the National Park Service.” graduate studies at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), University of London. Jake Wayman (’11) graduated from the Virginia Carolyn Janecek’s (’19) paper “The Veneer of Objectivity” has been selected for publication in Commonwealth University School of Medicine in Jake Smith (’17) had a photograph published in the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (UReCa), Richmond, Virginia. He will be staying at VCU for a 2017 issue of Scribendi, an arts and literature journal the peer-reviewed undergraduate journal of the National three-year residency in emergency medicine. produced by the University of New Mexico. He also had Collegiate Honors Council. a short film accepted for the companion website. Allie Roach (’12) moved to Seattle and is now Jessica Taghvaiee (’19) has been selected as a McNair senior research associate at Novo Nordisk, a Danish Catherine Blakemore (’17) has been accepted into Scholar. She is currently serving as an immigration multinational pharmaceutical company. the Masters of Strategic Communication program at intern at Catholic Community Services in its Westminster College and will begin the program in immigration and refugee services department. Her Jennifer Cain (nee Mattis, ’13) just began the January 2018 while continuing to run her business full mentoring program, The Generation Project, has veterinary science PhD program at the University of time. received the Civic Engagement Center’s Merit Take Kentucky studying equine parasitology. Action grant for 2017-2018. She is also the new coRachel Darata (’18) is co-author with geology professor leader of Salt Lake City’s Congressional Action Team Kellie Carrigan (’13) is the vice president of content Tiffany Rivera and others on a paper in the journal (SLC CAT) for UNICEF. and training for Onfire Learning, a company that Earth and Planetary Science Letters called “The duration provides a learning management system and curriculum of a Yellowstone super-eruption cycle and implications Calen Smith (’19) presented his research on neuro- designed for personalized education. for the age of the Olduvai subchron.” genetics at the Cognitive Society for Interdisciplinary Jeff Pedersen (’13) recently graduated from Dartmouth Nicole McKenna (’18), Ember Bradbury (’19), College Medical School. Annette Donald (’19), and Abby Leinbach (’19) Haley Schiek (’20) teaches a Vinyasa flow yoga class are currently serving as leadership for Westminster’s at Westminster College’s Health, Wellness and Athletic Feminist Club. Center every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., which is free for Learning. Fehmi Yasin (’13) has received funding from the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research students. Opportunity Worldwide program to spend a year Taylor Stevens (’18) is editor-in-chief of The Forum, conducting research at Hitachi’s Central Research Westminster’s student news organization, for a second Laboratory in Hatoyama, Japan during his Physics year. She was also recently hired as a staff reporter Ph.D. studies. covering government for The Salt Lake Tribune. Nicole Bedera’s (’14) co-authored article, “Who Gets Zoey Gray (’18) conducted summer research to Define Campus Rape?” appeared in the New York on barriers to accessing community gardens for Times on Sept. 18. underserved populations in Salt Lake City. 10 Did you do something notable? We want to know! Email your news and notes to Richard at [e-mail]. MEET THE SHC Photo courtesy of Carissa Uresk Holden Rasmussen (’18) Vice President Diana Khosrovi (’20) Secretary Elaine Sheehan (’18) President Julie Norman (’20) Treasurer Max White (’20) Historian Who is your best friend in Honors and why? What is your favorite Student Honors Council event? Holden Rasmussen: Olivia Perez and I have known each other since the eighth grade. We never planned to attend the same college, let alone be in the same academic and social circles after high school, but here we are! We spend a lot of time talking about music, current events, and what we’re doing in school. She’s a political science major and I’m a philosophy major, so we’re pretty well-versed in important topics that matter to both of us; our conversation is never dry. Julie Norman: One SHC event I really enjoyed was a Prof Picks the Flick with Julie Stewart. The film, “A Better Life,” was so timely and the perspective of a sociologist was simply fascinating. Elaine Sheehan: My favorite SHC event was probably the chili cook-off we had last year. Nothing brings a community together better than good food, a break from finals, and a chance to escape into good conversation with old friends! What’s the most interesting conversation you’ve had with someone in Honors? Diana Khosrovi: It’s hard to pick just one… Han Kim always knows how to start an interesting and passionate discussion about human rights and social justice for Asian Americans in our society. We’re both super passionate for this stuff – so much so that we started a new organization on campus this year, the Asian American Student Association, where the conversation can continue. Max White: I talked with Christy Seifert about how a wrestler in ancient Greece by the name of Aristocles wasn’t good enough to be an Olympic wrestler. Instead, he wandered Greece until he fell into a cult that worshiped the teachings of Pythagoras. There, he changed his name to Plato. It would be like “The Rock” becoming a philosopher! RICHARD’S DREAM by Jessica Taghvaiee 11 H ONOR A B LE M E N TION EDITO RS 20 1 7-20 1 8 Photo courtesy of Katy Molinari Stephanie Held (’19) Copy Editor Elain Sheehan (’18) Managing Editor Taylor Stevens (’18) Copy Editor Calen Smith (’19) Layout Editor Annette Donald (’19) Photo Editor Scout Invie (’19) Layout Editor Note From the Editors With this issue of Honorable Mention, we hope to showcase multiple facets of Westminster’s Honors College and address concerns related to its rapid expansion. Despite the many changes, our intimate community has remained and is still what defines the Honors College. That community is diverse — members come from different age groups, academic fields, geographic locations, races, ethnicities, and life experiences — but cohesive. Honors students, faculty, and staff come together to create a welcoming and supportive environment to facilitate academic exploration and personal growth. As we grow and take on the challenges that come with transitioning from a program to a college, our sense of community is what will allow us to overcome those difficulties. We look forward to seeing what comes next. Honors College Westminster College 1840 South 1300 East Salt Lake City, Utah 84105 westminstercollege.edu/honors · · Fall 2017 Volume 16 Issue 1