Table of Contents

A Letter From Our Director 2

by Dr. Wilson
PASSHE Summer Honors
Program 3
by Dan Gladis
Honors Photo Gallery 4-5
NCHC Conference 5
by Zane Barger
Student and Alumni
Spotlights 6-7
by Zane Barger
Student Poll 7
by Hanna Forrester
Faculty Spotlight 8
by Kevin Squires
by Zane Barger
Mardi Gras, jumbalaya, voodoo, andSlippery Rock? On No-
vember 6, 2013, eight SRU Honors students travelled to the Big
Easy to present at the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC)
student research conference.
The event hosted hundreds of honors students from across the coun-
try in an interdisciplinary conference that spanned fve days.
In addition to hundreds of poster presentations and artistic per-
formances, the conference also featured several keynote speakers,
including Ruby Bridges, the frst African American student to attend
William Fritz Elementary School in New Orleans. Bridges is the sub-
ject of the iconic Norman Rockwell painting The Problem We All Live
With and a recognizable fgure in the civil rights movement.
I had such a great time in New Orleans with the Honors Pro-
gram, said Jessica Sears, who presented on fundraising. I really
enjoyed getting to meet honors students from across the country
and sharing our experiences.
The NCHC conference is one of the largest undergraduate
Continued on Page 5
NCHC Conference
From the Slippery Rock University Honors Program
Volume I, Issue I Spring 2014
The Honors
Connection
Welcome to the frst newsletter of the SRU Honors Pro-
gram! I want to thank the students who have worked hard
to make this newsletter happen: Zane Barger, Abbie La-
hmers, Dan Gladis, Genna Walker, Maria Heintzinger,
Hanna Forrester, Elizabeth Chobany, and Kevin Squires.
I also want to congratulate this years Honors Program
graduates. Theyve worked hard to get where they are
and I know that they are headed for more great things.
Im nearing the end of my third year as Honors Program
director and it has been a great experience. I thought it
would be a good time to look back at where weve been
and look ahead to where were going. Geographically,
weve been all over the map: spring trips to Toronto, Chi-
cago, and Washington, DC; National Collegiate Honors
Council conferences in Phoenix, Boston, and New Orleans;
Honors spring break trips to London, Greece, and Cuba;
excursions to Fallingwater, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
and Museum, the Carnegie Science Center, the Pittsburgh
Zoo, the Warhol Museum, musicals, symphonies, dance
performances. Honors students sure do get around!
Our students have also been busy in honors classes,
delving into the historical past, learning about govern-
ment and international relations, and occasionally think-
ing philosophically; learning how to appreciate litera-
ture and maybe even write their own; studying the stars
in astronomy and the mind in psychology.
Ive reviewed dozens of contract courses and research
projects, and honors students have completed thousands
of service hours. It wears me out just thinking about it all
youre a busy group! Personally, it has been incredibly
rewarding to be a part of all that you do.
Looking forward, I see a bright future for the Honors
Program. Slippery Rock University is in a period of tran-
sition, with many new faces in the administration. Our
new president, Dr. Cheryl Norton, and new provost, Dr.
Philip Way, have emphasized the value and importance
of honors education at SRU. Well be working to grow
the program, increase the course offerings for honors stu-
dents, support international experiences, and help you to
succeed professionally. We are also planning to improve
the facilities available to the Honors Program students;
more about that in the future. The SRU Honors Program
will continue to offer students opportunities to grow aca-
demically, to contribute to the community, and to explore
the larger world. And I look forward to continuing with
all of you on this journey.
A Letter From Our
Director: Dr. Wilson Zane Barger
Editor and Writer
Environmental Science
Major, Writing Minor
Slippery Rock, PA
23, Senior
PASSHE Summer Honors Program
by Dan Gladis
In May and June of 2013, fel-
low honors student Jessica Sears
and I had the pleasure and privi-
lege of representing the Slippery
Rock University Honors Program on
the annual PASSHE Summer Honors
Study Abroad program. The 2013
program was hosted by Bloomsburg
University and included intensive
coursework in Western European
Musical History and Global Mass
Media. Twenty-eight honors stu-
dents, two from each PASSHE school,
gathered to learn, explore, and
grow. While that sounds gauche and
clich, it would be diffcult to deny
that no learning, exploring or grow-
ing occurred during the three weeks
our group was together.
This learning, of course, comes in
forms much more varied than those
found in the lab or the lecture hall.
To discuss the context of Mozart is
one thing, but listening to some of his
works at his own home is another; to
converse on the impact of mass me-
dia is fne, but to tour the BBC or the
Vatican Radio gives life to an other-
wise abstract exercise. It was these
experiences, and so many more, that
Jess and I shared with new acquain-
tances who are certainly now long-
term friends.
There are so many wonderful
memories I will forever retain from
this trip, but one of that number I can
share was on our free day in Rome.
I and a bunch of the new friends I
had made on the trip took a train
to Lido di Ostia where we spent the
day lounging on a beach along the
Mediterranean Sea. At that point, it
was only two days until we were to
go home, and so spending that time
with those folks was worth the world
to me. And the Mediterranean Sea
was beautiful and refreshing!
At this point, I cannot but power-
fully recommend that honors students
continue to apply for the PASSHE
Summer Honors Abroad program. It
contains loads of wonderful, quirky,
intelligent people with whom genu-
ine, lasting friendships form. It pro-
vides opportunities for growth and
education on so many levels, in ad-
dition to the undeniably helpful six
credits that each student earns at no
cost!
To hear more of these fun and
unique stories, contact Dan Gladis
or borrow a copy of his book
on the experience entitled, Euro
Journal 2013, which can be read
online for free at blurb.com, or
very soon borrowed from the
Honors Offce in hard-copy form.
2 3
Dan Gladis
Writer
History & European
Cultural Studies Majors,
Philosophy Minor
Aliquippa, PA
Senior, 20
Newsletter Staff
Maria Heintzinger
Layout
Public Relations Major,
Business Administration,
International Affairs Minors
Valencia, PA
20, Sophomore
Abbie Lahmers
Layout
English Major,
Communication and
Literature Minors
Delmont, PA
21, Junior
Dr. Wilson Fairy
Magic Major
Hometown: Oz
Age: 254789374875983
475982 years
Senior (Citizen)
NCHC Conference (Continued)
research conferences in the country, and only seems to
grow as time goes by. This past years theme was Con-
fict, Transformation, and Creolization and emphasized
research that dealt with challenging cultural structures.
As such, it was set in New Orleans, LA, a city known for
its iconic culture that blends both old and new customs
into a resplendent, oft-conficting mash-up of languag-
es, religions, and ideals. Nowhere else in the country
can one fnd towering Catholic cathedrals juxtaposed
against whimsical voodoo shops, the air ripe with jazz
and the scent of decay.
The students got to experience this cultural melting
pot in their off-time, though it was no less education-
al than the conference itself. Several took part in the
NCHC-sponsored City as Text program, which sent
students throughout the city to research selected topics
to present on later in the day. For example, some stu-
dents went to the celebrated Preservation Hall to study
the history of jazz; others met with a voodoo priestess
to learn about the religion.
No matter the topic, the students agreed that the con-
ference was both exciting and informative. I learned a
lot in New Orleans, said participant Caitlin ONeil. I
strongly encourage students to apply for the conference
if given the chance.
The 2014 NCHC conference will occur in Denver, CO,
under the theme of The Thrill of the Climb.
D
r
.

S
p
a
r
r
o
w

s

H
e
a
l
t
h
c
a
r
e
/
M
e
d
i
c
a
l

E
t
h
i
c
s

H
o
n
o
r
s

c
l
a
s
s
4 5
Honors Program
Phot o Gal l ery
Kevin Squires
Writer
Biology Major,
Chemistry Minor
West Miffin, PA
Junior, 21
Ollie the Otter
Marine Science Major
Hometown: Somewhere off
the coast of Africa
Age: How dare you.
Super Senior
Genna Walker
Writer
Creative Writing and
Philosophy Major,
Literature Minor
Windber, PA
Junior, 21
Bottom left: In Fall 2013, the students traveled to
Frank Lloyd Wrights famed Fallingwater building.
Mid-left: While waiting for the art gallery crawl in
Pittsburgh, students posed with the Giant Duck.
Mid right: Students at Heinz Hall following the per-
formance of the music of composer John Williams.
H
o
n
o
r
s

s
t
u
d
e
n
t
s

a
t

t
h
e

F
r
a
n
k
l
i
n

D
.
R
o
o
s
e
v
e
l
t

P
a
r
k

i
n

W
a
s
h
i
n
g
t
o
n
,

D
.
C
.
Elizabeth Chobany
Writer
Athletic Training Major
Johnstown, PA
Freshman, 19
Hanna Forrester
Writer
Early Education,
Special Ed. Major
Ellwood City
Freshman, 18
Alumni Spotlight: Rachel Diamond
How long have you been a mem-
ber of the SRU Honors Program?
I have been a member of the SRU
Honors program my entire Slippery
Rock career, two years.
What are you most excited about
seeing in Canada?
We are supposed to receive a
lobster fshing lesson so that should
be memorable.
What do you hope to get out of
this experience/how will this ex-
perience beneft you?
I hope to gain knowledge about
the Canadian Maritimes through
hands on experience. This trip will
beneft me because I will get to
How long were you a member of
the SRU Honors Program?
I was in the honors program for all
4 years of college and a member of
the Executive Board for 3.
What was your favorite Honors-Pro-
gram related memory?
Probably one of my favorite
things was the travel. I visited many
new cities that have helped to make
me a more well-rounded person. I
went to Boston, Toronto, and Chica-
go, all of which I had never visited
before the HP trips. I was also able
to incorporate the HP into my in-
ternational experiences through my
contract course about the globaliza-
tion of business.
What do you miss most about the
Honors Program?
I miss getting to travel and attend
cultural events for free or reduced
cost. To all the current honors students
I say Take advantage of all the op-
portunities the HP provides for you.
You will never be able to travel and
experience new things like that
again in your life.
How did the Honors Program aid
you in achieving your goals?
I have been able to reference my
experiences in the HP in every job
interview. I have gained so much ex-
perience within the program and on
the Exec Board.
What are you currently doing?
I am currently fnishing up my year
with the SAP Graduate Academy
and I am starting to apply for a per-
manent position at SAP. The Grad
Academy is one of SAPs initiatives
to recruit early talent. To those that
are looking for post-college employ-
ment, many companies are investing
in these types of program. They of-
fer a great opportunity to try differ-
ent types of jobs before committing
to one.
What are your future plans/goals?
I would like to work my way up
as a consultant to become a Project
Manager at SAP. I absolutely love
to travel, so I hope to be able to do
more of that.
Do you have any advice for cur-
rent Honors Program students?
Take advantage of every oppor-
tunity you have in college. I cannot
possibly recommend the Career Ser-
vices Department enough. Develop
your personal and professional net-
work. You never know where those
connections will lead. I would not be
at SAP if it were not for the great
people in Career Services and the
University Payroll Offce.
Student Spotlight: Parker Balla
be exposed to a culture I have not
been around before and it will give
me frsthand insight into my feld of
study, Environmental Science.
Do you have any advice for future
applicants to the summer honors
program?
Put effort and time into your ap-
plication.
What are your future plans/goals?
After graduation I hope to fnd
a job where I can contribute to the
environment. I would love to be out-
doors a lot in my career and have
the opportunity to travel frequently.
6
Parker will be representing the SRU
Honors Program at the 2014 PASSHE
Summer Honors Program in Canada.
How long have you been a mem-
ber of the SRU Honors Program?
Ive been a member since I was
an incoming freshman.
What are you most excited about
seeing in Canada?
Im most excited about all of the
experiences that will take me out
of my comfort zone, such as lobster
fshing and tasting unfamiliar foods.
Overall, the entire trip in and of it-
self is enough to be excited about;
meeting new students who are as
passionate about education and ex-
ploring as I am will be a wonderful
feeling. I know that we will all be
able to learn from one another dur-
ing the course of this program.
What do you hope to get out of
this experience/how will this ex-
perience beneft you?
I hope to not only gain a better
sense of community with fellow Hon-
ors students, but I also hope to gain
better global awareness. Studying
geography and the way people live
will be enlightening and even apply
to my future career plans.
What are your future plans/goals?
In the future, I would like to be-
come a successful marketer, pref-
erably in the feld of fashion or
pharmaceuticals. Marketing involves
studying people and patterns, which
is part of what the Canadian Mari-
times Honors trip will involve.
Additional comments or things
you would like to mentioned?
Id like to thank everyone involved
in the interviewing, planning, and
fnalizing processes of this once-
in-a-lifetime opportunity. For me,
there is no better way to learn than
hands-on. As a note to all college
studentstraveling is an experience
that I encourage everyone to seek.
You will always fnd a new way of
seeing things.
Student Spotlight: Ashley McCollum
Where would you like the Honors Program to take its
spring trip in 2015?
North Carolina 16.7% 5
Virginia Beach 43.3% 13
Savannah Georgia 10% 3
Canada 30% 9
Where is your dream vacation?
Europe 40% 12
Spain 26.7% 8
Anywhere with Mountains 13.3% 4
Ireland 20% 6
Number of Students Polled: 30
Date Poll was Conducted: April 15, 2014
Student Poll
by Hanna Forrester
Congratulations to Ms. Ashley
McCollum and Mr. Parker Balla,
the next representatives of
Slippery Rock Honors. They will
travel to Mansfeld University
and Canada in a few months
for this years program, The
Canadian Maritimes: Geological
Wonders Living from the Land
and Sea.
7
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Balok
Interview by Kevin Squires
How long have you been teaching
honors courses?
I taught my frst honors class at
SRU ten years ago.
How does the honors section of
your course differ from a tradition-
al section?
My expectations are higher; the
assignment load is heavier; the dis-
cussions are richer and are the back-
bone of the course.
What do you feel makes your
course and honors courses in gen-
eral benefcial to honors students?
In recent years, I have given stu-
dents increasing opportunities to
demonstrate their understanding of
a literary work in ways other than
on traditional tests. In other words,
students are encouraged to develop
assignments within other strengths. I
Graduating Seniors
Zane Barger
Carol Barnes
Candice Blevins
Alexandra Bolling
Nicholas Cercone
Holly Chester
Hannah Choby
Lisa Correll
Katherine Cramer
Nicole Crevar
Chelsea Denman
Jenna DePizzo
Kelsi Dobran
Elizabeth Eckert
Amanda Farber
Cassandra Foust
Jacob Frampton
Corissa Fretz
Megan Guerrieri
Katelynn Huber
Ilana Ialongo
Chelsea Kelligher
Lauren Marriner
Laurie Martin
Timi Martin
Shane Mattson
Michelle Millen
Michelle Mullins
Ryan Noblet
Caitlin ONeil
Melissa Patterson
Paige Pautler
Kourtney Pike
Lauren Pollock
Kathryn Port
Heather Rabold
Carly Reed
Lindsay Ritchey
Sarah Rothrock
Alyssa Rough
Tara Schlosser
Abby Schon
Rebecca Searight
Jessica Sears
Zachary Sherman
Jenalee Shields
Elizabeth Smith
Kelly Smith
Melissa Stewart
Ashley Taylor
Chukwuebuka
Ugwuoke
Amanda Wassil
Kaitlin Wiegmann
Matthew Wozniak
Deanna Wright
Maria Zaffuto
believe we possess different kinds
of intelligence; unfortunately, a
great deal of assessment is based
on a students knowledge of linguis-
tics, a critical part of his or her per-
formance, but linguistic success is not
the only way a student can demon-
strate competence. For example, a
student recently performed a dance
which refected her understanding of
a particular short story. Several se-
mesters ago, two music majors wrote
a piece of music which captured the
playful spirit of Puck from Midsum-
mer Nights Dream. It has been my
experience with Honors students that
when given freedom to explore al-
ternate ways of expressing their
understanding of a piece of litera-
ture, they create incredible, creative
work.
What is the most rewarding part of
teaching the honors course?
I love what my students teach me.
Also, it is refreshing to know that I
do not have to cover the basics
each time. Most honors students
have strong academic foundations
which allow us to move more quickly
and more deeply into material. I like
that.
Contact Information
8
Offce Location:
Honors Program Offce
336 Patterson Hall
Mailing Address:
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way
Slippery Rock, PA 16057
Telephone: 724.738.4003
E-mail: honorsprogram@sru.edu
Director
Dr. Bradley Wilson
bradley.wilson@sru.edu
724.738.2379
Secretary
Connie Schmidt
connie.schmidt@sru.edu
724.738.4382
Photo courtesy of SRU