Florida State Honors Program Newsletter Issue #17 - April 2019

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITYÂ

HONORS

ISSUE #17 MARCH - APRIL 2019

UPCOMING EVENTSÂ

4

RECENT HONORS EVENTS

5

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:

11

APPLYING ACTIVISM

SAVANNAH GRANT

13

ENDING THE STIGMA OF

TABLE OF

ANNA BRADY

STUDENT SUBMISSIONS:

MENTAL HEALTH (OUT OF

SPRING BREAK EDITION

DARKNESS WALK)

CONTENTS

7

8

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT:

3

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Upcoming Events April 3, 2019

April 17, 2019

Kids Inc. Orientation 6-7 PM in HSF April 5, 2019

Relay For Life

GBM

Meeting at 6 PM, headshots at 5:30 April 18, 2019

Contact krm16n@my.fsu.edu for info

Monthly Breakfast 9 AM in HSF

April 7, 2019

Rez Day!

Food and fun at the Rez! 1-4 PM April 13 , 2019

Field Day on Landis Green April 16, 2019

Cookies for a Cause 7 PM in HSF

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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:

Savannah Grant

below: Grant spent spent the summer of 2017 working with the Andean Alliance for Sustainable Development in Peru

No one quite understands what it means to uphold a legacy of excellence as Savannah Grant. The senior and member of the honors program has logged over 500 community service hours during her time at FSU as well as taking an active role in several organizations both on and off campus. With her very own Ted Talk in the works, Grant’s hard work and outstanding accomplishments are an inspiration to honors students and everyone who’s met her.

Her devotion to community can be attributed to her interest politics and activism.

Grant is double majoring in political science and international affairs because of her dedication to “learning from diverse populations and seeing there is no one-size-fits-all solution to social issues facing today’s world.” With her passion driving her, Grant has excelled academically.

She plans to use her time at FSU to propel her towards a career in political consulting after attending law school.

Outside of the realm of academia, Grant has been involved with a variety of service organizations including Dance Marathon, Global Scholars, and Make-A-Wish Foundation. More recently, she’s been working with the Veterans Legal Clinic in Tallahassee, offering free legal advice to veterans. She’s helped foster student’s interest in international politics by co-founding a

United Nations Association Chapter at FSU. Furthermore, she’s been influential in politics on campus by being an active member of the UNITE Student Government party.

In the Honors program, Grant has served as a member of the executive board for the Honors Student Association. She’s been proud to serve as a leader and “really learn more about the incredible network of both students and opportunities we have available at FSU if we are willing to involve ourselves and apply.” To other honors student she advises: “never be afraid to ask questions to find your own path if you are not seeing one that interests you or you feel is right.”

Currently, Grant is interning with a law firm as a complaint writer and volunteering at the Tallahassee Veterans Legal Clinic. She looks forward to giving her TED talk on “lending assistance and serving others we know who have ventured off the “path” of success and in turn helping ourselves move forward with purpose, from my experience in the Veteran’s Legal Clinic.”

Source: https://news.fsu.edu/student-stars/2018/07/06/savannah-grant/

right: Grant at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City

Student Submissions:

spring break edition

Alumni Spotlight: Anna Brady Graduated with a B.S. in Psychology from FSU in 2014

Q: What groups or organizations were you involved with during your time at FSU? A:On campus, I was involved with Realizing Everyone’s Need for Emotional Wellness (RENEW) and Psi Chi for the majority of my time at Florida State. RENEW was a great experience that supported the development of my public speaking skills and provided knowledge that would be useful in my later graduate career, while Psi Chi offered

opportunities to learn more about graduate degrees in psychology.

Although not an organization, I was also a Freshman Interest Group (FIG) instructor. Planning and teaching the FIG seminar, with the support of supervisors, made it possible for me to teach as a first year graduate student. Because I was in a FIG when I was a freshman, it was really fun starting and finishing my academic career at FSU with the FIG program.

Off campus, I was involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters. I mentored an elementary student at a local school for about two years. This experience taught me a ton about the Tallahassee school system and

helped me figure out that I was interested in educational psychology.

Q:What was your favorite memory from the Honors College? How has your experience with the Honors College influenced where you are now?

A: There are two experiences that stand out to me. I completed an honors thesis under the advisement of Dr. Jon Maner. Throughout the honors thesis process, I worked closely with Dr. Maner’s former graduate student, who is now a faculty at University of Michigan, Dr. Charleen Case. The mentorship and support that I gained from Dr. Case was incredibly helpful. Not only did she help me with my honors thesis project, she also provided a ton of advice through my Ph.D. application process and into my Ph.D. As a Ph.D. student, I work hard to offer support to undergraduates in the same way that Dr. Case offered support to me. A good mentor can make a huge difference in students’ lives.

After I completed my honors thesis, I presented the project at an Honors College Research event. Presenting the research to a broader audience was great practice in learning how to explain my research effectively. It was really gratifying to discuss my research with others!

Q:With regard to your career what are you doing now, and where do you hope to take your career in the future?

A:Presently, I am a doctoral candidate in an educational psychology Ph.D. program at The Ohio State University (OSU). Broadly, educational psychology combines many lines of research from social, developmental, and cognitive psychology and focuses those lines of research on learning and learning contexts. Because I was interested in more applied research (e.g., research that is directly connected to practice), the field of educational psychology was a perfect fit for me. My research at OSU primarily focuses on motivation and self-regulated learning in college students. I am particularly interested in interventions that are intended to support student learning.

At OSU, I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of different programming that supports college student success. For the first three years

of my program, I taught a course titled “Learning and Motivation: Strategies for Success in College” which focuses on content knowledge and strategic knowledge of motivation and self-regulated learning. I have also worked with the Ohio Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, which is a program funded by the National Science Foundation. Both of these experiences have highlighted the importance of the bridge between research and practice. After I complete my Ph.D., I plan to apply for tenure-track faculty positions. In my future career, I hope to continue my involvement in creating and facilitating interventions that support student learning!

Q:What advice would you give current FSU Honors students?

A:My advice is to keep an open mind and explore all your options! There were many experiences throughout my undergraduate career that helped me figure out what I like (and what I don’t like). I believe that these experiences are key to figuring out what opportunities to pursue upon graduation. I would also encourage students to reach out to graduate students, faculty, and professionals in the field they’re interested in. Most people are happy to Add subheading answer your questions!

I would also advise students to do things that force them to step out of their comfort zone. When I started the honors thesis process I remember thinking “There’s no way I’ll ever be able to write this paper and defend it”, but I did! The Honors program offers a lot of helpful support that can help you achieve your academic goals.

Applying Activism Honors Experience Students start new RSO to protest Unethical Labor Conditions

Typically, when identifying their favorite classes, students rely on a complex ranking system based on number of tests and papers given, difficulty of grading, and whether the professor cares about attendance. A quick search on Rate My Professors can confirm this. However, once in a while, a really good professor is able to reach their students on a deeper level, inspiring them to go beyond the limits of the classroom. This is the case for Madelyn Johnson and Kinsey Kuhlman, two students who were motivated to become activists for change after what they learned in their

above: The Student Labor Association after delivering a letter protesting the unethical factory conditions used to produce FSU gear

Feminist Perspectives on Globalization class.

Johnson and Kuhlman, both freshmen at FSU, enrolled in this topical class as part of the Honors Experience Program (HEP), which allows honors students to take thought-provoking classes concerning topics on “Freedom and (In)Equality.”

Taught by Dr. Christina Owens, they learned about the various subjects about the global exploitation of women but were particularly interested in the unfair factory conditions that women faced in the garment industry. In response to class, Johnson said “We realized that, equipped with the knowledge from this class, we could make a positive change.” Thus, the two started the Student Labor Association (SLA) to promote fair labor practices. “We stand for equality, ethicality, and thoughtful consumption” says Kuhlman.

Inspired by the United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS), an organization that was created in

response to the Workers Rights Consortium and has been successful on college campuses, Kuhlman and Johnson have been working hard to get FSU involved. Currently, they are trying to get FSU to join the Workers Right Consortium so that factories in which FSU apparel is produced could be monitored and ethical production ensured. The young organization has already sent a letter to President Thrasher, demanding that all FSU gear is be sourced ethically and a petition to the same end is underway.

Both Johnson and Kuhlman recognize the crucial role that the Honors Experience Program played in creating the club and giving students a place to discuss important issues of equality and freedom across the world. Kuhlman says "HEP Has inspired me to take action against injustices not only in Tallahassee, but within the larger global context that we all live in today in our increasingly globalized society." The SLA is an inspiring example of how relevant, ethics driven classes can incite efforts for change, and demonstrates the power of passionate students to make this change happen.

Get to Know HEP The Honor's Experience Program (HEP) is a program that allows a cohort of 100120 honors students to take topical classes concerning "Freedom and (In)Equality."

The program, while only in its first year, has already hosted a number of events including lectures, field trips, and forums. The goal of the program is to foster flexible, higher-order thinking as a foundation for future leadership roles and academic success. HEP looks forward to an exciting future and hopes to continue to inspire and motivate next year's incoming students.

above: HEP faculty, Dr. Azat Gundogan, Dr. Christina Owens, and Dr. Ross Moret

Ending the Stigma of Mental Health Mental health is a subject One way this is being addressed on that often goes untalked about.

FSU’s campus is through an Many individuals stay silent due interesting event coming up called to the repercussions and The FSU Out of the Darkness Walk. judgements that they believe The FSU Out of Darkness Walk is a could come with being open campus walk that raises money for and vulnerable about their the American Foundation for Suicide mental health. One serious Prevention (AFSP). The money raised potential outcome of poor will go towards the North Florida Add a little bit of body text mental health is suicide. For Panhandle AFSP branch to sponsor college students, suicide is the local suicide prevention training second leading cause of death workshops, workshops for survivors, (Center for Disease Control and and to research for suicide Prevention, 2017). Additionally, prevention. of those who commit suicide, The goal of AFSP is to reduce the 80-90% were not receiving any rate of suicide 20% by 2025. At the mental health help. Despite its walk, there will be a resource fair for seriousness, suicide is a topic community mental health and onthat is important to talk about. campus resources. There will be As college students, it is speakers that talk about a personal important to consider what can struggle with mental illness. This year we do to make a difference to the resource fair will be located in the ourselves, friends, and Commons Courtyard, right next to community at large. the Globe, ASLC, and Career Center.

If interested in being a volunteer, email ootdfsu@gmail.com . To raise money and walk in the walk , register for free as a walker. If you cannot make it to the actual walk, join as a virtual walker to raise money at the following link: https://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm? fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=6115&fbclid=IwAR34hyZ54BnfkRvlwT tfpkttRq5i38OxKAKrdkt8VX8Q5SOSWcKeqPNbHGM The walk is Saturday, April 13 with registration at 11:30 and the walk officially beginning at 12.

Q:

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: JORDAN BLOCK CONTENT CREATED BY: LILLIE BRODY, MARTHA SIZEMORE PHOTOS: KACI BRISCO