Spring Break
Honors program offers great opportunity
Lindsay Kenderes
Issue date: 11/12/09 Section: Lifestyles
Dr. Rhonda Matthews, the director of Edinboro University's Robert C, Weber Honors Program, said the "best-suited student [for the program] doesn't even know" that the honors program is right for them. Students that the honors program looks for, Matthew said, "are not satisfied with one thing, they look for connections…[and are] intrigued."
In the past, the program has been designed around incoming freshman with a high school GPA of 3.5, minimum SAT of 1100, an ACT of 25, or to be in the top 15 percent of their graduating class. Now, in addition to freshman, students with at least twelve hours of Edinboro University credit and a 3.3 GPA may also join the program.
Students in the honors program have the opportunity to dedicate themselves to a topic within their major by completing a required senior thesis.
"The senior thesis allows a student to create an original piece of research," stated Matthews, "giving them an independent opportunity."
A senior thesis is a great way for students to explore their field of interest outside the classroom and it allows students to have more experience in research, which may be helpful when applying to graduate schools.
Along with the required senior thesis, each semester students are required to take a three credit hour honors class. These honors classes usually have fewer students, allowing a seminar-based discussion. This creates a challenging and rewarding experience, increasing interaction between students and professors.
It seems with every organization there is required community service; Matthews doesn't look at community interaction as a duty, but rather an opportunity for students to engage with the community on and off campus.
Some of the volunteer opportunities that students have participated in include: Random Acts of Kindness in Edinboro (R.A.K.E.), tutoring at the Writing Center and designing brochures for the honors program.
Since honor students go above and beyond the normal workload of an undergraduate student, honor students reap the benefits.
In the past, the program has been designed around incoming freshman with a high school GPA of 3.5, minimum SAT of 1100, an ACT of 25, or to be in the top 15 percent of their graduating class. Now, in addition to freshman, students with at least twelve hours of Edinboro University credit and a 3.3 GPA may also join the program.
Students in the honors program have the opportunity to dedicate themselves to a topic within their major by completing a required senior thesis.
"The senior thesis allows a student to create an original piece of research," stated Matthews, "giving them an independent opportunity."
A senior thesis is a great way for students to explore their field of interest outside the classroom and it allows students to have more experience in research, which may be helpful when applying to graduate schools.
Along with the required senior thesis, each semester students are required to take a three credit hour honors class. These honors classes usually have fewer students, allowing a seminar-based discussion. This creates a challenging and rewarding experience, increasing interaction between students and professors.
It seems with every organization there is required community service; Matthews doesn't look at community interaction as a duty, but rather an opportunity for students to engage with the community on and off campus.
Some of the volunteer opportunities that students have participated in include: Random Acts of Kindness in Edinboro (R.A.K.E.), tutoring at the Writing Center and designing brochures for the honors program.
Since honor students go above and beyond the normal workload of an undergraduate student, honor students reap the benefits.
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