University Honors Program Newsletters: The Current and With Honors e-Zine

Voices from Abroad -- My experience as a World Scholar

Students enjoy pizza from Bearno's as they learn about exciting new volunteer activities, during the last Honors Volunteer Program meeting. HONORS CALENDAR Feb. 6 HSC Lecture: Multiple Personality Disorder: Causes and Cures, 4 p.m., Ekstrom Library w103 Feb. 8 Deadline for "Paving the Road to Leadership” conference Feb. 13 HSC & HVP Valentine’s Day party, 11-1p.m., Honors House Feb. 17 "Paving the Road to Leadership" conference Feb. 19 Deadline for Muhammad Ali Scholar Application Study Abroad -- Portugal Summer 2007 Applications are due Feb. 26 Last day to withdraw from a class Food, Fun and Free books! Join Honors 346 Students for The Big Read Louisville is reading Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston as part of The Big Read, a nationwide effort to encourage reading for pleasure and learning. U of L will be having a Big Read celebration on Feb. 15 including: a presentation by Dr. Karen Chandler (English) a book discussion led by Dr. Beth Willey (English) a performance by the River City Drum Corp a free light lunch catered by Café Kilimanjaro a showing of the film adaptation presentations by the students in Honors 346 a book discussion led by Dr. Lucy Freibert (professor emerita of English) An additional part of the Big Read, on Feb. 21: renowned poet, playwright, and African American scholar Mari Evans will discuss her musical Eyes scenes from the musical performed by UofL African-American Theatre program students Dr. Anita Harris (Women and Gender Studies) will discuss Hurston’s career as an anthropologist and folklorist. A limited supply of additional copies of the book will be available on Feb. 5 from the Ekstrom Library Reference Desk. Bring your U of L ID to sign up for the Big Read and receive your book! For more information including times and locations click here. Improve Your Leadership Skills! Participate in "Paving the Road to Leadership" Saturday, Feb. 17, 2007, Freshman L.E.A.D. is sponsoring "Paving the Road to Leadership," a leadership conference designed to develop your leadership skills and provide an opportunity to network with peers and local leaders. The day's activities include seminars to help you identify your leadership style, discussions with community leaders, and a keynote address. Visit this link by Feb. 8 to register and learn more information. Breakfast and lunch are provided. Graduating in Spring 2007? Don't forget to tell Honors if you intend to graduate as a University Honors Scholar! If you are planning on graduating in spring 2007 and are finishing or have already finished your requirements for the University Honors Scholar (UHS) designation, be sure to stop by the Etscorn Honors Center to fill out a brief form. This form ensures that you are listed as having completed this designation for commencement. Please make sure that come by and fill this out no later than March 9. New Feature: Green University The U of L Honors Program, in cooperation with The Partnership for a Green City , will soon be offering courses with “Green”, or environmental subjects at their core. To jumpstart this new alliance Honors Students are invited to participate in the following Green activities. Take the time to make a difference in your community right now. WORKSHOP: The Ohio River: A New Century. The workshop focuses on the changes to the river that have occurred over the past century: history, the river as a natural resource, uses of the river, ecology, and river stewardship. Attendees will learn how the river has changed over time and how these changes have impacted plant, animal, and human lives that it supports. The workshop will be held on the river, on a barge moored at the Louisville Rowing Club (east of the Tumbleweed restaurant on the Waterfront). Workshops are scheduled for March 9, 16, and 17 and last all day. To register for a workshop go to this website and sign up. In the Comments section at the bottom of the registration form, type: "U of L Honors Program." CLEANUP THE OHIO RIVER: Honors program students are also invited to participate in cleanup activities on the Ohio River with Living Lands and Water. Living Lands and Water is a nonprofit group from East Moline, Illinois, that has worked to cleanup the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. Working from their own tow and barges, they picked up over 40 tons of debris in Louisville last year. Cleanups are scheduled all through the month of March (see attached information). Students will be working with Living Lands and Water from flat bottom boats to cleanup the Ohio River and some of its major tributaries (Harrods Creek, Beargrass Creek and Salt River). To register for cleanup go to www.livinglandsandwaters.org and click on the box Ohio River Cleanup 2007. There you will have access to the cleanup schedule. On that page choose to Register On-Line, then fill out and submit the form electronically. Volunteers are needed to assist Kristen Ellis, the Riverbottom Restoration Coordinator for Living Lands and Water by helping pile felled honeysuckle that will later be chipped. Please read the following attachment for more information on volunteer opportunities to remove invasive plant species, specifically Honeysuckle and Euonymus.	If there are corrections or omissions, e-mail honors@louisville.edu to update information. Honors Celebrates Black History Month A Tribute to Woodford R. Porter (1919-2006) By Nichole Burruss There are a multitude of unsung African-American heroes that have contributed to the success we students enjoy and take for granted everyday, but thanks to Carter G. Woodson, who initiated “Negro History Week” in 1926, we have come to look to the month of February as a reminder of the African and African-American contributions to the world we live in. Mr. Woodford R. Porter was one of those contributors and pioneers. He was the first African-American to serve on the University of Louisville’s Board of Trustees and this milestone led to the naming of the Woodford R. Porter scholarship in his honor in 1984. This academic merit-based scholarship is awarded to African-American students admitted to the University. The Society of Porter scholars is one of the largest student organizations on campus and it promotes leadership, service, scholarship and heritage. Recipients of this scholarship have gone on to serve Louisville and the Nation proudly in a plethora of careers. I am personally proud to have had the honor to meet Mr. Porter on several occasions, serve as President of the scholarship organization named in his honor and promote his legacy of scholarship and diversity to the future generations of Porter scholars and the larger University of Louisville Community. Today, I charge you with joining me in remembering his life and advancing his legacy. Call for Proposals The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) The Conference Planning Committee for the 2007 National Collegiate Honors Council is pleased to announce the Call for Proposals for the 2007 annual conference. Proposals will be accepted for general sessions, poster sessions, idea exchange, student interdisciplinary research panel and diversity issues. New to the 2007 conference: submissions will be accepted for emphasis on the arts including master classes, ensembles, visual arts and independent film. To submit proposals, please see the NCHC website. Deadline for Conference Proposal submissions is Feb. 28, 2007. The conference will be held Oct. 31 through Nov. 4, 2007 in Denver, Colo. For more information, please see the website information or contact Hallie Savage, Conference Chair. Honors Student Council News and Notes HSC has put together a series of guest lectures for the spring 2007 semester. Dr. Bob Meyer will deliver the first of the term "Multiple Personality Disorder: Causes and Cures" on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 4 p.m. in Ekstrom Library w103 (in the new wing). Next general HSC meeting: Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. in the Honors House. Free food! Please send agenda items to secretary Laura Bishop at lbbish01@louisville.edu. TALK BACK TO HONORS In the lobby of Etscorn there are anonymous surveys you can fill out and let the Honors Student Council know what you'd like to see us doing! Just fill it out and turn it in at the front desk. The surveys will be given to HSC and we will use them to offer more and better social events, food, meetings and other activities for you. VALENTINE'S DAY PARTY We will hold our annual Valentine's Day party on Tuesday, Feb. 13 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Honors House. There will be free food and lots of company. You'll also have a chance to decorate a valentine of your own to be delivered to a local nursing home. Sponsored by Honors Volunteer Program and Honors Student Council. U of L Dance Marathon CARDS for KIDS Priority registration for Dance Marathon application packets are due TODAY! The donation/entry fee is $40 until the end of business hours on Feb. 5th. Late registration continues until the day of the event but the donation/entry fee increases to $50. Packets are available in the Student Government Association office (W301 in the Student Activities Center) or see Melissa Stordeur in the Etscorn Honors Center. Contact your family, friends, coworkers, and instructors to raise donations for the Children's Hospital Foundation. ULDM hopes to raise enough funds to renovate a family area in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Fabulous prizes will be awarded to individuals who raise the most donations! Dance Marathon info sessions for registered dancers and volunteers will be held on Mon., Feb. 19th from 12-1:30 p.m. in the Floyd Theatre and on Tues., Feb. 20th from 12-2 p.m. in W303A of the SAC. Visit www.uldancemarathon.com for additional information. The U of L Dance Marathon will take place on Feb. 24-25. It is a 24 hour dance-a-thon to raise money for Kosair Children's Hospital Foundation. Join us for fun, food, and the families of Kosair Children's Hospital! Hungry? Thirsty? Looking for a quick snack? There are snacks and Coca Cola products for sale at cost in the Honors House available to any Honors student. Payment works on the honor system and all the prices are marked. There are chips, crackers, Pop tarts, fruit snacks, and many different carbonated beverages ( Mt. Dew, Ale8, Coke, Diet soda, etc) plus bottled water. These inexpensive snacking options are brought to you by the Honors Student Council. The service is provided and run solely by students. Become a Muhammad Ali Scholar, 2007-2009 The Ali Scholars Program, offered to full-time undergraduate University of Louisville students, is a unique 2-year experience combining training, research and service in the areas of violence prevention, peacemaking, and social justice in an urban living context. This $2000 scholarship covers travel, seminars and materials. This opportunity is provided by the Muhammad Ali Center for Peace and Justice at the University of Louisville. The deadline for applications and supporting materials is Feb. 19. For more information please con tact Stacy Bailey-Ndiaye at sbbail01@louisville.edu or 852-0058. REMINDER Keep Our Classrooms Clean! Please also note that in addition to food and drink being prohibited in the Honors House computer lab, we also kindly request you refrain from eating and drinking in the Etscorn Honors Center classroom, rm. 132. Exceptions to this rule will be made for meetings, study sessions and other events, but only as approved by Dr. Richardson.	Errol Wint, a 2006 World Scholar is pictured here in Costa Rica, where he is studying. My Experience as a World Scholar By Errol Wint, Spanish “I am currently taking Pensamiento Critico, so I'm looking at this as an opportunity to not only think in Spanish, but also to think critically in Spanish. I meet in a class of 100 students on Tuesdays, and then a smaller group of about 25 on Wednesday. We have a huge project that we have to do with the group, so I am going to be working one of one with the Costa Rican students. “I'm feeling better because I know that I can speak Spanish. It is really interesting. I have had days here when I could understand every word spoken to me, and my speech was smooth to the point that people have asked me if I am of Hispanic background. Sadly, I have had more days where I stumble over my words, trying to translate Spanish words to English and then figure out the meaning. “I am very excited right now because I have actually felt my mind completely change to Spanish! I just do not have control of the ability to switch back and forth yet, so this is what I am working on, to think in Spanish. “Each day is a challenge for me. I find myself reading the paper, listening to salsa music, trying to talk to each and every native and do whatever I can do to recapture the "Spanish mind" that seems to come and go. “I'm going to persist with the class as well as the community service. They told me that I am going to be a Gym/Ingles teacher for young Costa Rican students. I'm very excited about this. “I will be back in contact. This is a huge challenge and I feel myself growing the more I persist.” Errol is junior Spanish major at the University of Louisville and is active in many student organizations and campus activities. He is a graduate of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lexington, KY. Errol has served as a summer orientation staffer (SOSer), participated in the Freshman L.E.A.D program and is an active member of Spanish club. Outside of his rigorous academic commitments, he devotes time to the retention and graduation of African-American students on this campus. He is currently running for the position of President of the Society of Porter Scholars. The Society of Porter Scholars is student-led academic enrichment and support organization for students receiving the Woodford R. Porter Scholarship. For more information about Errol or one of the many student organizations with which he is affiliated, please e-mail him at elwint01@louisville.edu. Good Luck! English-Speaking Union Scholarship Congratulations to Bethany Johnson and Brandon Meeks have advanced to the finals for the Kentucky branch E-SU scholarship competition for 2007. They will both be interviewed at Spalding University on Feb. 10. Join the Honors staff in wishing them luck. Plan to make the most of your summer! Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP) The Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP), directed by the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research, provides University of Louisville students, who would like to know more about graduate-level education, with a 10-week research experience in a department that offers graduate degrees. These fellowships will also be available to under-served/under-represented student populations from regional colleges and universities. Mentors will provide students with individualized research projects, and the program will provide group seminars on topics related to research and graduate education. Students should be, preferably, in their sophomore or junior year of study. JOB OPPORTUNITIES Peer Advisors Needed for Summer Orientation Peer Advisors are needed for the 2007 summer orientation session. The Honors Program will be hiring Peer Advisors to help incoming freshmen plan and schedule their courses during the 2007 Freshman Orientation Program. This is an outstanding opportunity for Honors students to learn more about the university, discuss their experiences in the Honors Program with interested new students and parents, and earn some money along the way. The pay rate will be $9 per hour for approximately 20-25 hours each week from May to the Fourth of July. In order to apply you must have completed at least 30 hours and have a 3.35 or higher cumulative GPA. Applications are due March 30 by 4:00 p.m.. IMPORTANT NOTE: Both the Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP) and Summer Term II classes will conflict with the required work schedule for a Peer Advisor. Please take this into consideration when applying for the Peer Advisor position. Please download this application. Once you have completed it, please return it to the front desk at Etscorn Honors Center. The Anne and William Axton Reading Series, Spring 2007 Mark your calendar! The 2003 US Poet Laureate, Louise Glück’s most recent works include Averno (2006), a National Book Award finalist, "October", a six-part poem chapbook, The Seven Ages, and Vita Nova. Other poetry collections include Meadowlands, Pulitzer Prize winner The Wild Iris, Ararat, and The Triumph of Achilles. A reading will be held at Ekstrom Library's Chao Auditorium on March 29, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. Locations and dates subject to change. Please call the English Department at U of L to confirm at (502) 852-6801. Calling all Honors Students! Calling all Honors Students! The Current is now taking art and writing submissions. Art submissions can be in any medium, but a picture will need to be taken in order to include the work in The Current. All submissions must be original and are subject to content review by the Honors staff. Share your talent, share your passion, and share your hobby! Please contact Nichole Burruss with questions and submissions.