FSU Honors Newsletter November 2017

Issue #7 November 2017

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

HONORS

Photo by Blakely Baker

3

SAVE THE DATE

11

LOOK FORWARD TO SPRING

4

DIRECTOR'S DESK

12

APPLYING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

6

ADVISOR'S CORNER

14

DORM ROOM RECIPES

7

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

15

ASK SYBILL

8

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

17

"SAY CHEESE!": HONORS

10

PROGRAM EVENT PHOTOS

FSU'S LABYRINTH

FO ELBAT

CONTENTS

18

STUDENT ARTWORK

Follow us!

Facebook: Florida State University Honors Program Instagram: @fsuhonors Twitter: @fsu_honors

SAVE THE DATE

November/ December Events November 18th / Garnet and Gold Goes Green 9:30 am at Doak Campbell Stadium Gate D November 20th / HSA Friendsgiving 5:00-7:00 pm at Landis Skydeck November 27th / Holiday Decorating Party 3:00-5:00 pm at HSF, 2nd floor December 5th / HSA Monthly Breakfast at 9 am at HSF featuring Greek Yogurt Bar December 6th / ACE Exam Strategy Workshop 7:00-8:00 pm at HSF December 12th / FSU Faculty Series Luncheon Breathing Life into T. Rex with Gregory Erickson,

Professor of Biological Science 12:15 pm at Ukirk Tallahassee

FROM THE DIRECTOR'S DESK Honors Students, As the semester draws to a close, I would like to remind everyone that Tallahassee and the entire panhandle Gulf Coast is a beautiful place with lots of scenic areas. Yes, you should take your classes seriously and “get good grades” but you also need to balance your life by getting outside. For example, my family recently spent a glorious weekend at Grayton State Beach. Yes, that weekend I had lots of work to do (a quiz and letters of recommendation to write) but I felt I needed a break. Thus we headed to the coast for 48 relaxing hours!

If you have never been to the coast between St. Mark’s and Pensacola, you need to see it. The beaches at St. George Island and Grayton have open dunes and are relatively serene while Panama City Beach and Destin are more action-packed. But the entire coast is worth the effort. Closer to home, Tallahassee has a number of outdoor areas that are perfect for running, hiking, or biking. If you drive out Pensacola Street past Capital Circle you find about 10 miles of trails around the south shore of Lake Talquin. Heading north of town on Meridian Road you will find Maclay Gardens State Park linked to Forestmeadows Park for a combined total of 10-12 miles. And on the east side of Tallahassee you will find Tom Brown Park that connects to the Lafayette Heritage Trail Park, which connects to the Alfred Greenway. These combined trails total approximately 15 miles of uninterrupted, off-road joy! If you would like more information about any of these places, please stop by the Honors office. Or if you know of any cool outdoor spaces in the Big Bend, please let me know.

All the best, Dr. Mark Kearley HSA Director

Advisor's Corner

Deadline to apply for a Spring 2018 start in Honors in the Major program is December 8. More information and the application can be found at: https://honors.fsu.edu/honors-major/admission-honors-major If you are graduating in Spring or Fall 2018 now is the time to fill out your Honors Medallion Audit, just in case! Find the form at: https://honors.fsu.edu/sites/g/files/upcbnu561/files/Medallion%20Audit%20 Update.pdf As finals come closer and stress starts to build, self-care is vital. If you are feeling overwhelmed or not yourself, we encourage you to check out our amazing Counseling Center. They are located on the second floor of the Askew Student Life building and their hours for appointments and walk-ins are M-F 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. https://counseling.fsu.edu/

Do you know about PAC? ACE Learning Studio offers Personal Academic Consultations. These are FREE one-on-one meetings with ACE instructors to review and improve your study and personal success habits! These are not long-term coaching situations, but they are great to get a few new tips to improve your studying. Topics include: time management, learning styles/memory, reading strategies, study skills, graduate school exam prep, and more!

Schedule an appointment by calling 850.865.0852 or go to their website: https://ace.fsu.edu/resources/personal-academic-consultations-pac

Women in STEM Scholarship - The creators of Cards Against Humanity have created the Science Ambassador Scholarship for women. It's a nifty and creative application (potentially something you can use in the future too).

Applications are due December 11th, but you can apply in the future too.

Here's the website for more details: http://www.scienceambassadorscholarship.org/#intro

Alumni spotlight

Jessie ruth smith Jessie Ruth Smith graduated in 2014 with a degree in Meteorology, in addition to minors in Mathematics and Communications. She currently works for the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

As a student at FSU, Jessie was a member of the Marching Chiefs, as well as numerous honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, and Chi Epsilon Pi. She also was involved with Homecoming Court, 4FSU Student-Produced Weather show, and campus ministries. Initially, she was drawn to Florida State University, and the Honors Program, because of the individuality and attention that FSU provided her with. She felt that every student, faculty member, and adviser she interacted with was genuinely interested in her achievements and future goals. At the. beginning of her educational career, Jessie, originally an Exploratory major, took an Honors course with Dr. Ruscher, called Into to Atmosphere, and enjoyed the projects and lab work so much that she declared her major as Meteorology by the end of the semester.

After her graduation, Jessie worked an assistant position for a nationally recognized law firm; while the job was not in the field she had intended to work in, it provided her with valuable learning opportunities.

Currently, she works as a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Melbourne, Florida. Since her graduation, achieving this position is her greatest accomplishment, because of the extreme competition for her job. As a meteorologist, she analyzes models for forecasts and provides information to the public, including hazardous weather warnings when necessary.

Jessie believes that the Honors Program greatly influenced her career path after college, and helped her to decide which branch of meteorology she wished to pursue, by allowing her to intern with the NOAA office in Boulder, Colorado. She advises current Honors students to take courses or attend seminars outside of their current major, because something unexpected could lead to new opportunities or interests. She also advises students to apply to as many scholarships and fellowships as possible, because aside from the monetary value, they provide countless chances to build resumes and network with professionals in a wide array of fields.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: KAITLYN HUETTEMAN During Kaitlyn Huetteman’s sophomore year, she joined the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) because she sought a way to bring classroom concepts to life, specifically in cellular biology and genetics. She ultimately accepted a research position in the lab of Dr. Timothy Megraw and has had the privilege to work in his lab for the past two years.

Kaitlyn’s research, titled Autophagy regulation in the genetic network of brain development in Drosophila, involves investigating the genetic network of a genetic neurological disorder called Autosomal Recessive Primary Microcephaly (MCPH). This syndrome is characterized by small brain size due to reduced cerebral cortex development, resulting in poor cognitive function. Her lab has identified that a cellular process is a pathological basis for MCPH. Currently, Kaitlyn is investigating the effects of a certain gene mutation on the regulation of this process in an effort to further our understanding on the genetics of this disease pathway.

Through the generosity of Fred and Debbie Tresca and with the support of Dr. Megraw and the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement, Kaitlyn received a 2017 IDEA Grant to fund her research project for this past summer. She used the summer to begin her Honors in the Major undergraduate thesis and presented her findings at the 2017 President’s Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence.

Kaitlyn says her experiences at FSU and with research have played a significant role in helping her identify the path she wants to take in her future. She plans to be continuously engaged in research as she continues to pursue a career in medicine.

Florida State University's Labyrinth NOW OPEN

On November 2, 2017, FSU's new labyrinth was opened to the public. Located in the coutyard between the Psychology Building and the College of Medicine, the flat, winding paths offer an opportunity to disconnect from the busy, technologyfocused world and reflect quietly. Dr. Laura Osteen says, "To walk a labyrinth is to slow down, to give yourself time to focus on what’s weighing on, racing around, or possibly hiding in your mind and heart...A labyrinth allows us to pay attention to our thoughts, and I propose that attention, our ability to awaken to ourselves and each other, that attention is exactly what sparks, sustains and informs all change.�

The labyrinth was designed with accessibility in mind. The flat paths are wheel-chair accessible and a tactile model is available at the entrance to trace with your hands.

For more information on FSU's labyrinth, go to: labyrinth.fsu.edu.

Photos provided by FSU Photography Services

SCHOLARSHIPS

A GUIDE TO EARNING THROUGHOUT COLLEGE Every year, students struggle to cover their college expenses. Between books, tuition, housing, and meal plans, fees can reach thousands of dollars. In their senior year of high school, kids spend time applying for scholarships with the hopes of alleviating some of the pressures of payment, but many don't realize that these scholarships can be applied for throughout their college career!

The resources below give insight into sources where thousands of dollars

worth of scholarships, provided by major corporations, charities, and foundations, are available for students to apply. Most only require the submission of a short essay, or the filling out of an application. The resources act as a large database of scholarships, which range in award amount from $500 to full tuition. Many of them are tailored to specific groups of people, and there are opportunities for almost every student who takes the time to search and apply.

THE RESOURCES

Jordan's article

>>>THESE SITES ACT AS MASSIVE DATABASES FROM WHICH MANY SCHOLARSHIPS CAN BE FOUND

FASTWEB.COM SCHOLARSHIPS.COM >>>MORE SCHOLARSHIPS, AND TIPS ON APPLYING!

FINANCIALAID.FSU.EDU

TIPS ON APPLYI NG!

Start applying now! The earlier you apply, the more opportunities you will have!

Look for scholarships that fit your interests - they'll be easier to apply for!

DORM ROOM RECIPES

MICROWAVE MAC N' CHEESE INGREDIENTS Elbow noodles : Pre-shredded cheese (you pick what kind!) a little milk water

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Add 1/3 cup of elbow noodles to a microwave safe mug.

2. Pour 1/2 cup of water into the mug.

3. Microwave noodles and water for 2 minutes, and stir. Continue microwaving at 30 second intervals until the water is evaporated.

4. Once all of the water is evaporated, add cheese and a splash of milk. Mix, and microwave for another 30-60 seconds.

5. ENJOY!

ASK SYBILL: Advice and Tea Leaves The Perks of Being a Honors Student DEAR SYBILL: What are the perks of

being an honors student, besides early registration?

~JUST WONDERING DEAR WONDERING: This is such an

important question to ask. While early registration is a blessing, the Honors Program offers so much more to its students. Included in the long list of "perks" next to a great addition to your resume are a free t-shirt, free monthly breakfasts, small classes with the best faculty on campus, and a community of peers, directors, advisers, and graduate assistants that are here to help you in anyway you need. They are solely committed to your success.

Additionally, leaders from all over campus contact the Honors Program to offer their resources because they know the dedication, creativity, and accomplishments of Honors students.

As an Honors Student, you are never short of resources and opportunity if you ask an Honors advisor or do a little digging on the Honors Program website.

Not only is the Honors Program here for you, the Honors Student Association

executive board is dedicated to making sure your honors experience is enriched with both social and academic opportunities. Other sister programs, such as the Honors Peer Mentors, Honors Colloquium Leaders, Honors Delegates, and HSF Student Collaboration Committee, work to bring students together and foster leadership. Finally, there are tons of scholarships available only to Honors students that can help you study abroad, attend a conference, or award you for a great honors thesis!

As Madison Scarcella, HSA President, says, "There are so many opportunities within our evergrowing program, but your Honors experience is what you make of it. It can be as simple as monthly breakfasts, or as involved as you want it to be."

Say "Cheese"!

FSU HONORS PROGRAM EVENT PHOTOS

Light the Night

Light the Night

Karaoke for a Cause

HSA Monthly Breakfast

HSA Monthly Breakfast

Light the Night

Student Art Featuring: AURELIJA BERNOTAITE

Photo by Summer Schantz

Editor:-in-Chief:Â Kayla Rojics Content Editors: Ellis Daugherty and Jordan Block