Category Archives: Honors News

Honors updates!

UGA Center Is Incubator for Excellence in Undergraduate Research

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The track record of the Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) at the University of Georgia makes the center a model of “high-impact” practices that allow students of exceptional promise to engage in faculty-mentored research almost from the day they arrive at the Athens campus. 

Founded in the late 1990s, CURO allows undergraduates, including non-honors students, to

  1. “create a self-selected research career, allowing them to earn credit hours which can count towards degree program completion.
  2. “gain access to presenting (Symposium); funding (Summer Fellowships) and publishing (JURO, the Journal of Undergraduate Research) opportunities.
  3. “form a mentoring relationship focused on conducting research and professional development.
  4. “develop a deeper understanding of their chosen field by working closely with a research faculty mentor.”

As evidence of the center’s success, UGA can point to the involvement of all of the university’s Goldwater scholarship winners in CURO since the center’s inception, and to the fact that CURO has “figured prominently in the programs of study” for 5 Rhodes Scholars,  5 Gates Cambridge Scholars, 4 Marshall Scholars, 3 Mitchell Scholars, 5 Truman Scholars, 5 Udall Scholars, and Fulbright Student Scholars.

We believe that the Goldwater awards are a strong indication of the level of undergraduate support and mentoring at a given institution, and UGA and CURO offer two special programs to augment the already impressive features of the center:

Summer Fellowship Program–In this extremely intensive program, students submit research proposals for 30 fellowships each summer.  If selected, students spend 320-400 hours over the summer working closely with one or more faculty mentors on the research project that the student has self-selected.  The summer fellowship program has “led directly” to 4 Goldwater  and 2 Udall Scholarships.

CURO Honors Scholarship Program–Honors students in their very first semester at UGA may begin their participation in this program, which focuses on developing the writing, presentation, and other professional skills necessary to clarify and develop their research, and to make it as persuasive as possible.  To date, 7 honors scholars have gone on to win Goldwater scholarships.

Please go to this link for more information on CURO eligibility.


New MSU Honors College Students: Why They Chose Honors

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Editor’s Note: The following item comes from the staff of Michigan State University Today.

Citing interests in research opportunities, study abroad programs and the flexibility offered by the Michigan State University Honors College, 20 top high school scholars have chosen MSU for the next chapter of their academic careers.

The students’ average high school grade point average is approximately 4.3. The average ACT score is 35 (out of 36) and the average SAT score (critical reading plus math only) is 1520 (out of 1600).

The newest Alumni Distinguished Scholarship and University Distinguished Scholarship recipients hail from Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wyoming.

The scholarships, which are considered among the most competitive awards in the country, are valued at more than $115,000 for in-state students and $190,000 for out-of-state students. They cover full tuition, room and board and a stipend for up to eight semesters of study.

All students will join MSU’s Honors College along with approximately 500 other outstanding incoming students.

Alumni Distinguished Scholars:

  • Rebecca Carlson of Rockford, Rockford High School
  • Kevin Chase of League City, Texas, Clear Creek High School
  • Tyler Alden Cochran of Manhattan, Kan., Manhattan High School
  • Kim Gannon of Downers Grove, Ill., Lemont High School
  • Adam Greene of Taylor, Harry S Truman High School
  • John Groetsch of Holt, Okemos High School
  • Thomas Grubb of Haslett, Haslett High School
  • Laura Hesse of Madison, Ind., Shawe Memorial High School
  • Abigail Lewis Johnson of Winter Springs, Fla., Winter Springs High School
  • Claire Morrison of Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe South High School
  • Joseph Mulka of Livonia, Churchill High School
  • Patrick Murray of Taylor, Harry S Truman High School
  • Adam Michał Olszewski of Ann Arbor, Pioneer High School
  • Matthew Suandi of Williamston, Williamston High School
  • Angela Sun of Canton, Plymouth-Canton High School
  • John Wenzel of Haslett, Haslett High School

University Distinguished Scholars:

  • Eric Boerman of Mohnton, Pa., Twin Valley High School
  • Jaazaniah Catterall of Rock Springs, Wyo., Rock Springs High School
  • Zach Farmer of Cincinnati, Ohio, Anderson High School
  • Ana Veskovic of Allentown, Pa., Parkland High School

Alumni Distinguished Scholars were selected from more than 1,100 of the top high school seniors who applied to MSU and took an intensive general knowledge exam. They were then selected by a committee composed of faculty and administrators based on the results of the exam, high school programs and achievements, other standardized test scores and interviews with the finalists.

University Distinguished Scholars were chosen from an MSU applicant pool based on academic records, accomplishments and interviews with the finalists. Students were selected by the director of admissions and dean of the Honors College on the basis of their high school programs, achievements and standardized test scores.

For more information about the scholarships, visit the Honors College or the Office of Admissions.

FAQ about the Purdue University Honors College Curriculum

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Editor’s Note: This FAQ explaining Purdue’s revised honors curriculum is from the Purdue Honors College site.  We are constantly touting the importance of honors curriculum, and this is a good example of a clear and concise explanation of a solid curriculum.


Q: Why are 24 credits required to graduate with honors?

A: 24 credits represent a significant investment of time and intellectual energy in honors coursework. The number of credits—which amounts to an average of a single 3-cr. honors course per semester for 8 semesters—is sufficient to distinguish the honors degree and to allow for the completion of that degree within 4 years.

 Q: Why are HONR courses required?

A: The 5 credits of required HONR courses specify a minimally enhanced breadth of study, which can be further enhanced through elective Honors courses. HONR courses also build community and identity among honors students across the disciplines.

Q: Why must 9 credits of honors electives be taken after the first year of college enrollment?

A: To ensure that some of the additional breadth and depth is not just at the introductory level. This requirement is also intended to keep the Honors College students involved in honors activities during the time between their first year and the beginning of their thesis research. 

Q: Why are up to 12 credits specifiable by individual colleges?

A: To allow the Honors College curriculum to comply with the accreditation requirements of some colleges while not extending the major curriculum significantly beyond 120 credits.

 Q: Why is a thesis or scholarly activity required?

 A: The thesis requirement specifies a minimally enhanced depth of study, which can be further enhanced through elective Honors courses. The thesis demonstrates that a student has distinguished himself or herself in the chosen field of study and can help prepare a student for professional or scholarly life after graduation.

 Q: Is the thesis requirement different from college to college?

 A: Yes. The implementation of the thesis requirement is left to the colleges—with the option to delegate this to departments—which both simplifies its administration and leaves the experts within each college or department to judge the quality and appropriateness of student work.

 Q: Will students in every college be able to participate in the new curriculum?

 A: Yes. It is designed to allow students from every college across the university to be able to follow—and to graduate within normative time.

 Q: What are the differences among HONR courses, H courses, and H contract courses?

 A: HONR courses are interdisciplinary courses offered through the Honors College; H courses are honors sections of existing courses offered by the academic colleges; H contract courses are non-honors courses in which the instructor and student do an independent honors project together in addition to regular coursework.

UNC Chapel Hill Honors Students Win Eight Major Awards in 2012-2013

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Editor’s Note: The following is from UNC Chapel Hill:

The 2012-2013 academic year has been fruitful for students who participated in Honors Carolina offerings and pursued national scholarships. Honors Carolina student Rachel Myrick won the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship last fall, and seven other students joined her this spring as winners of distinguished scholarships and awards.

Will Leimenstoll is one of UNC’s two 2013 Luce Scholar Program winners. His Honors Study Abroad semester in Cape Town, South Africa played a key role in fostering an interest in urban planning that he will continue in Asia. Henry Ross is UNC’s second 2013 Luce winner. He is an Honors Carolina student studying classics and criminal law who hopes to learn more about legal systems in Asia during the coming year.

Kelsey Jost-Creegan is a 2013 Humanity in Action Fellow. She is an Honors Carolina student who explored her interests in migration and human rights through Honors Carolina courses.

Akhil Jariwala was selected as a 2013 Udall Scholar. He plans to utilize the experiences gained as an Honors Carolina student studying business and environment to integrate clean technology solutions across the globe. Patrick Short is the 40th Goldwater Scholar from UNC. He is an Honors Carolina student who served as a coordinator for ten classes in Honors Carolina’s C-START program and is double majoring in applied and computational mathematics and biology.

Will Lindsey recently became UNC 30th Truman Scholar. He is an Honors Carolina student and a history and political science double major who studied Shakespeare during his Honors Summer in London and Oxford. Will seeks to attend graduate school for public policy and law.

Alex Caprara is the 2013 UNC winner of the Beinecke Scholarship. He is an Honors Carolina student who discovered his love for classics in an Honors seminar. Alex will delve further into the field with this graduate award.

These eight students discovered and stoked their interests with the support and resources offered by Honors Carolina.

Rhode Island Honors Prof Receives Sondheim Teaching Award

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Editor’s Note: This post was generated by the University of Rhode Island, contact Dave Lavallee.

In the last 21 years, students have sent so many letters of appreciation to University of Rhode Island Professor Cheryl Foster that they fill a big cardboard box.

But now the entire nation knows that Foster, a philosophy professor and associate director of the URI Honors Program, is one of the best teachers in the land.

In fact, it was former student and Rhodes Scholar Rachel Walshe who nominated the Wakefield resident for a Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award. On March 22, Foster was named one of only seven teachers nationally to receive the Sondheim Award and one of only two university professors to receive the award.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., announced the 2013 winners from a pool of hundreds of nominees. The awards were created in honor of Stephen Sondheim’s 80th birthday in 2010.

“Teachers define us,” said Sondheim in a release issued by the Kennedy Center. “In our early years when we are still being formed, they often see in us more than we see in ourselves, more even than our families see, and as a result, help us evolve into what we ultimately become.”

That certainly was true for Walshe, a 2000 URI graduate who earned a Rhodes Scholarship in 2001, and is now a free-lance director who just directed an acclaimed production of Anne Boleyn at the Sandra Feinstein Gamm Theatre in Pawtucket.

When she got word of her Rhodes Scholarship a little over a decade ago, Walshe called Foster first.

“She was my first phone call that fateful day. Not to my mother or to my father. But to Dr. Cheryl Foster, the woman who I can say without a shred of doubt is the single most influential person in my life – inside the classroom and out,” Walshe said in her nomination letter posted on the Kennedy Center/Sondheim website.

“Cheryl is more than a teacher. She is an activist; a revolutionary waging class warfare on a system rigged against kids like me,” said Walshe, a child of divorced parents raised on public assistance.

Her letter said she went to a string of mediocre schools in working class towns, and she was the first person in her family to go to a four-year college straight out of high school.

“And now, I was going to Oxford. Against all odds, I won a Rhodes Scholarship. I looked at my competitors from Yale, Harvard, Princeton, and Amherst and it was crystal clear: this day had been made possible by the unrelenting commitment of a single, transformative teacher.”

Walshe met Foster in 1997 while taking existentialism at URI.

“As demanding as she is passionate, Cheryl requires the same high level of intellectual rigor whether you are a dean’s daughter or a mechanic’s son. Her fearless delivery of the carpe diem message of existential philosophy to her working class students was my call to action: Be moved. Be inspired. But for God’s sake, don’t be lazy!”

Walshe said that is why she is a theater director today. “Cheryl taught me that whether you are rich or poor, black or white, old or young, the way to the brain is through the heart. In her honor, I strive to create important theater that inspires my audiences to feel and think.”

Foster said comments like Walshe’s and so many others strike at the heart of what she does—work to help students develop so they can discover their own goals.
A founder of URIs National Scholarship and Academic Opportunity Office, where she worked until 2005, Foster recently returned to the Honors Program as associate director with a special academic advising role for freshmen and sophomores.

“I have a whole box of notes from students who have written to me over the years,” said Foster, the 1996 URI Foundation Teaching Excellence Award winner. “I have kept them all. On my hard days, I go look at some of them and they remind me why I do what I do. The students are very generous.”

Foster is also the recipient of an American Philosophical Association’s Teaching Award Citation in 1998, and the College of Arts and Sciences Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising in 2008.

Donald H. DeHayes, URI provost and vice president for academic affairs, said in a note of congratulations to Foster, “This is a wonderful and highly deserved honor and it is particularly meaningful that you were nominated by one of your former students. On behalf of all of URI, congratulations and thank you for the passion and inspiration that you bring to your work as a teacher and scholar.”

“Dr. Cheryl Foster is a treasured colleague and phenomenal teacher and scholar who challenges students to pursue their dreams,” said Winifred Brownell, dean of URI’s College of Arts and Sciences. “Students praise the transformational nature of her teaching and advising and describe her as passionate, creative, brilliant, articulate, inspirational, accessible, and engaging.”

Foster said that every day she feels grateful to be part of a community where the choice to teach creatively is taken seriously.

“Over the years my work has improved tangibly due to investments made in that work by my department and college, the provost’s office, the president, the Honors Program and the URI Foundation,” Foster said.

As an example, Foster has on several occasions taken students to the Gamm Theatre and arranged to have the actors and director meet with the class afterward, or to art galleries and talks with artists thanks to the College of Arts and Sciences Excellence Fund. On other occasions she has awarded prizes for various accomplishments (not all academic) in her 300-person Introduction to Philosophy class. The grand prize was always a URI basketball game in the President’s suite.

“Still again the Honors Program has supported in myriad ways the development of courses and experiments that extend a student’s education beyond the normal classroom,” said Foster as she thanked Economics Professor Richard McIntyre, current honors director, and Philosophy Professor Galen Johnson, the previous director, for having faith in her “wacky” ideas.

“And through it all, the Philosophy Department and the URI Foundation have underwritten various endeavors and expenditures that truly enriched my classroom. I am always astonished by the Foundation’s forward-thinking generosity and faith in what we do, and always thankful for my department’s collective commitment to excellence in teaching.”

Ole Miss Honors Student Shines at Public Policy Conference

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Editor’s Note: The following post is by Misty Cowherd of the Ole Miss Office of Communications.

OXFORD, Miss. – With the growing debate over federal spending, Travis Gray created quite a stir with his presentation on the economic impact of agricultural subsidies in Mississippi during the recent Southeastern Conference for Public Administration in Coral Springs, Fla.

Gray, a native of Little Rock, Ark., is a senior in the University of Mississippi’s Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College. He submitted a portion of his honors college thesis, “The Economic Impact Analysis of Agricultural Subsidies in Mississippi,” which was the only undergraduate paper accepted for presentation at the conference.

An agricultural subsidy is used to pay to farmers and agribusinesses to supplement their income, manage the supply of agricultural commodities and influence the cost and supply of commodities such as wheat, feed grains or sugar.

Using the Regional Economic Model, or REMI, forecasting and policy analysis tool, Joseph “Jody” Holland, visiting assistant professor in public policy leadership, helped Gray with his analysis of a projection model of Mississippi’s economy without federal agricultural subsidies. He also worked with Gray on recommendations for the presentation.

Gray’s longitudinal analysis attempts to identify the economic impact of the state not receiving $400 million to $500 million annually in farm subsidies – how it would affect the farm and food industries in Mississippi. His analysis was that 3,000 jobs would be lost immediately the first year. But with the appropriate market mechanisms, he projected that over time, the economy would correct itself.

“The overall theme of our panel was called ‘Strengthening Rural Economies,’ which was ironic because taking away subsidies will hurt economies – immediately,” Gray said. “But we came up with policy recommendations for after we removed the subsidies.

“Our presentation really dominated the conversation afterwards. The public administrators and scholars really clung to the idea of changing the food system. It wasn’t necessarily a detailed, economic discussion of our methodology, but moreso a big picture about food in America – what we eat and where it comes from.”

The annual conference, known as SECoPA, gives students opportunities to present their research before an audience of practitioners, students and academics, said William E. Solomon, past president of SECoPA and local host chair. This year’s conference included 260 participants, of which 42 percent were students.

“SECoPA conferences are hosted in a different city each year within the Southeast, which offers attendees a chance to meet fellow ASPA members from different areas and also to network with potential employers,” Solomon said. “This conference is very student-friendly and it offers a great way to network with professors, practitioners and fellow students.”

Gray scored high marks not only for his presentation, but also for his professional demeanor during a dinner with executive council, Holland said.

“His paper spurred more discussion than any other paper in the room,” Holland said. “The comments that were received focused on Gray’s policy recommendations. There are negative connotations around farm subsidies, so the conversation was about how these recommendations would affect individuals.

“The feedback was about sharing experiences and models that complemented his recommendations of providing subsidies to local food economies. Even though it may be federal funds used, people suggested that it be managed and implemented at a local level.”

Gray has a triple major in public policy leadership, political science and French. He said he got interested in foreign and agricultural policy in high school – one of his friends owns a sustainable farm and does workshops for farmers. His interest grew by reading books such as the “Ominvore’s Dilemna” and watching documentaries such as “Food Inc.”

“There is always a political debate about subsidies, which is the basis of the industrial agricultural system,” Gray said. “Without subsidies, the system wouldn’t be as lucrative. Industrial agriculture has all these negative externalities: obesity and public health issues, environmental degradation or weakening local economy for globalization. Dr. Holland suggested we look at an economic analysis – look at how subsidies are actually manifested in the economy.

“For the ideas I’m throwing out there, it would take a complete paradigm shift in America to change the way we think about food.”

Gray is unsure how he will use his research in the future. For now, he is focusing on completing his degree. After graduation, Gray plans to attend law school and, possibly, specialize in food law.

IU Hutton Honors College Student Wins $20,000 Award

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Editor’s Note:  The post below is from the Hutton Honors College site.

Indiana University junior and HHC student David Bloom has received the 2013 Palmer-Brandon Prize in the Humanities, one of the most prestigious awards given by the College of Arts and Sciences in Bloomington.

The $20,000 Palmer-Brandon Prize is given annually to outstanding full-time College of Arts and Sciences humanities majors to support their continued academic, scholarly and creative pursuits. Recipients are considered to be in the top 1 percent of undergraduates in their discipline.

“David’s exceptional academic achievement and his passion for languages and religious studies make him a wonderful choice for the Palmer-Brandon Prize in the Humanities,” said Larry Singell, executive dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “He is deeply admired and respected by his teachers and fellow students for his leadership and service in the College, and beyond, while at IU. I look forward to watching him continue to develop as a scholar and an agent of positive change in the world.”

Majoring in French, Jewish studies and religious studies with a minor in Hebrew, Bloom’s research areas include the conception of self in the Hebrew Bible, the Apocrypha, pseudepigrapha and the Dead Sea Scrolls. A native of Louisville, Ky., he intends to become a rabbi.

Bloom credited his interest in his research areas to a course he took his freshman year that examined concepts of death and the afterlife in ancient Judah.

“We’re often trying to reconstruct history from a few sources and ancient texts, and in this class, it was fascinating to see that ancient Israel didn’t exist in a vacuum and had a place in this whole culture of ancient near-Eastern societies,” he said. “To take these texts and resources and look at them and see how they impacted each other made all these wonderful connections. Unpacking that puzzle made it very exciting and spurred my interest.”

Bloom plans to attend Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion where, after a year of study in Jerusalem, he hopes to further his education at the college’s Cincinnati campus. The site is home to one of the world’s best Jewish libraries, he said.

Bloom is founder and editor-in-chief of the Undergraduate Journal of Jewish Studies, the only completely undergraduate-driven peer-reviewed and intercollegiate Jewish studies journal in North America.

He is also president and founder of Interfaith Youth Core’s Better Together Campaign at IU; winner of the 2011-12 Robert A. and Sandra S. Borns Merit Scholarship in Jewish Studies; recipient of the 2012-13 Sandra and Stanley Trockman Scholarship for Intellectual Engagements and Accomplishments in Jewish Studies; and a 2013 Founders Scholar.

He received the 2012 Albert and Agnes Kuersteiner Memorial Prize, and received first place in the Bill Gallagher Essay Contest through IU’s Department of Religious Studies in 2013.

 

 

University of Georgia Honors Students: High Achievement in Prestigious Awards

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In reviewing honors programs, we maintain stats on “prestigious scholarships”–Rhodes, Marshall, Gates, Truman, Goldwater, Udall, among others–which are won by students of leading state universities.  Often, we cannot tell how many of those awards are earned by honors students at the schools, even though we know that many of them do win awards.

In the case of the outstanding honors program at the University of Georgia, we do know that a very high percentage of the many recent awards won by UGA students have gone to students in the honors program.  UGA as an institution has also established a strong record overall.

Below is a list of the awards won by UGA honors students, just in the past two years.  Bear in mind that only a very small number of Rhodes, Marshall, and Truman awards are granted in a given year–32 Rhodes, 40 Marshall, and 62 Truman scholars, nationwide, in the most recent year.

We also believe that a high number of Udall and Goldwater scholarships is a marker for institutional or program support for undergraduate research.  UGA honors, working with the Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) at the school, has been highly successful in recent years.

Rhodes–1

Marshall-1

Truman–1

Goldwater–5 (plus an honorable mention)

Udall–5 (plus two honorable mentions)

Boren–5

Fulbright–10

See also these posts on our site:

Goldwater Scholars 2013: Public University Leaders

Udall Scholars 2013: Univ of New Mexico Leads, Georgia Best Last Two Years


 

Twelve KU Global Scholar Seniors Address Symposium

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Editor’s Note: This post by KU staff has been lightly edited.

The first University of Kansas Global Scholars cohort presented their research at the Global Scholars Symposium on April 20. The daylong symposium, coordinated by the Office of International Programs, showcased the seniors’ research on topics ranging from developmental disabilities in Kansas and Peru to herbal remedies in 20th century Slavic folklore.

The 12 students served on panels including a final roundtable panel with the entire group discussing their Global Scholars experiences.

“This symposium is a perfect example of the scholarly enterprise that Global Scholars was organized around. The scholars represent the first cohort, whose interests are as innovative as they are creative and intellectually stimulating. This is a perfect way to showcase and share the undergraduates’ talents and promote KU’s mission as an international research university,” said Brent Steele, director for faculty programs.

Global Scholars recognizes and encourages undergraduate students who have an interest in global studies and a strong academic record. The students come from a wide range of disciplines across the university. They were selected for their demonstrated interest in global and international studies, plans for studying abroad, and potential for continued high academic achievement and leadership. Each student participated in a three-hour seminar taught during the spring semester and was paired with a faculty mentor with similar interests during their undergraduate studies. Three cohorts are currently participating in the program.

The Global Scholar presenters:

  • Alexandra Chase, Wichita, senior in psychology and international studies
  • Joshua Dean, Overland Park, senior in economics
  • Katie Fankhauser, Topeka, senior in environmental studies
  • Ryan House, Salina, senior in biology
  • Sarah McCabe, Berryton, senior in journalism
  • Jeff Miller, Lawrence, senior in anthropology
  • Shenji Pan, Jiangsu, China, senior in mathematics and economics
  • Jay Patel, Ottawa, senior in psychology
  • Taylor Patterson, Manhattan, senior in ecology and evolutionary biology
  • Amy Sinclair, Wichita, senior in microbiology
  • Sarah Stern, Lawrence, senior in journalism and Latin American studies
  • Matthew Werner, Wichita, senior in electrical engineering and computer science.

Michigan Liberal Arts Grad Makes It Big in the Business World

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The following excerpt of a story by Rachel Severin of UM:

Natasha Luppov (B.A. with Honors, U-M, 2008), former Captain of the Michigan Varsity Cross Country team, has plenty of experience thinking strategically. Natasha currently manages Commercial Operations strategy for Levi Strauss & Company in San Francisco, guiding decisions to drive profitable growth. “I’ve been fortunate for the opportunity to work in strategy for a variety of inspiring companies,” says Natasha.

She began her career as a Business Analyst with McKinsey, working with Fortune 100 clients, as well as the Department of Education, on issues ranging from growth and innovation strategies to operational excellence. Despite an enriching two years with McKinsey, Natasha moved on to work in strategy for Nike. “Essentially, this was my dream job after competing for the Varsity Cross Country & Track teams in Nike products during my four years at Michigan,” says Natasha.

“The Nike experience was nothing short of amazing, complete with the opportunity to lead a variety of strategic initiatives including work for the London Olympics, the Global Running business, and Nike’s new NFL partnership.” It was a difficult decision to leave Nike, but Natasha followed a life-long desire to live in San Francisco, and is delighted to be a member of the Levi’s team.

Natasha credits the LSA Honors Program with providing a collaborative environment where she could challenge her own beliefs. “The LSA Honors experience created an instant small-knit community at Michigan, fostered by inspiring and supportive professors, and a diverse group of talented students. I still remember how humbling it was every single day to be surrounded by classmates who were so smart and accomplished,” recalls Natasha.

At the University of Michigan, Natasha pursued a range of interests, with a double major in Political Science & Russian Language and Literature, and a minor in Art History. In addition to being Captain and 4-year letter winner on the Cross Country and Track & Field teams, Natasha served as the NCAA student representative for the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, an editor for the Michigan Journal of Political Science (recognized by UNESCO as one of fifty top political science journals worldwide).

Natasha was appointed Associate Chief Justice for the Central Student Judiciary – University of Michigan’s highest student court, adjudicating all manner of disputes that arise among members of the approximately 1,000 recognized student groups.

 In five years, Natasha hopes to be running her own business. “I’m constantly flirting with the idea of pursuing my entrepreneurial goals,” she adds. A lover of travel, she hopes to continue exploring different cultures and surroundings (up next: Brazil!). Still an avid competitive runner, Natasha’s current training goal is to qualify for the 2016 Marathon Olympic Trials.

A proud Wolverine and Ann Arbor native, Natasha encourages Honors students to explore the world beyond the classroom during their time at Michigan. “Ann Arbor is an incredible city that offers so many different opportunities, and ones that you’ll remember forever. Attend world-renowned concerts at Hill Auditorium, cheer on the countless number of nationally-ranked athletic teams, visit the many inspiring museums, go for a run in the Arboretum, you can never eat too many sandwiches at Zingerman’s, and don’t forget to frequent The Brown Jug!”