Honors Endeavor Newsletter Spring 2021

The

ENDEAVOR Newsletter of the Oklahoma City University Honors Program

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Director’s Corner

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Undergraduate Research Day

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Honors Program Graduates

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Honors Student Council 21-22

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NCHC 2020

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Covid in College: A Year in Reflection

Newsletter written and edited by Zac Zubia Writing assistance by Carly Pontius

Pictured: Gold Star Building, home of the OCU Honors Program

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SPRING TWENTY-TWENTY-ONE | 2021

DIRECTOR’S CORNER e are so happy to be able to share this OCU Honors Program year-in-review at this extraordinary moment in human history. The challenges that faced us as a university and an honors program as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic were shared by communities across the globe. As we try to make sense of where we’ve come, what we’ve learned, and who we’ve become over the course of this year, it gives me great satisfaction to bear witness to the ways that our students, faculty, and staff have met this year’s challenges with remarkable grace, generosity, creativity, and resilience. From move-in day in August to the honors graduation dinner in April, we have found ways as a program to honor our students’ achievements and our traditions as a program all while adjusting to new safety protocols and making the most of new modes and technologies to keep our learning community afloat. I’m happy to say that the Honors Program has not just survived this year, but it has thrived! You’ll be able to get a glimpse at some of those activities and achievements in the pages ahead, including our participation in the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) virtual conference last fall and our introduction of the first ever virtual OCU Undergraduate Research Day (URD) this spring.

The great unexpected disruption to our regular patterns and practices has brought with it an opportunity to reexamine our goals, values, and priorities as a program. In partnership with the OCU Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the OCU Honors Committee has undertaken a deliberate reassessment of our recruiting and admission policies and has instituted a series of new practices that will help us further our commitment to ensure equitable access and to cultivate a diverse and inclusive learning community. We embrace these changes as an opportunity to reaffirm the deepest values of honors education: inclusive, cooperative, and collaborative learning. While we look for brighter days ahead, we are deeply proud of all we have learned and accomplished during this difficult year!

Karen Youmans, Ph.D. Honors Program Director

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@ocuhonors

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH DAY OCU’s 20th annual Undergraduate Research Day was during the week of March 12-17, 2021! In a year unlike any other, URD was reimagined to incorporate students’ research in a safe and effective way using video presentations.

Congratulations to all participants for their excellent work. Category winners received $150 cash prizes, while the Grand Prize winner received a cash prize of $350.

This year’s Grand Prize winner was Elizabeth Gwartney, who presented her research on “Novel Antibiotics from Oklahoma Soil.”

Standard Presentation Winners CATEGORY

Student(s)

Title

Supervising Faculty

HUMANITIES/ SOCIAL SCIENCE

Rebekah Small

Beloved Disciple of the Dr. Lisa Wolfe Beloved Child?

Identifying the Mysterious Figure of Jesus’s Affection

HEALTH/ NATURAL SCIENCE

Elizabeth Gwartney

Novel Antibiotics from Oklahoma Soil

Dr. Greg Mullen

PERFORMING ARTS

Sarah Schulz

The Five Stages of Grief and Recording Attributes in Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Dr. Dave Easley

Lightening Presentation Winners: HEALTH/NATURAL SCIENCE

Chassiti Oglesby and McKenzie McCoy Chassiti Oglesby and McKenzie McCoy

A Comparison of Dr. Jason Miller Protein Intake Among Male and Female NAIA Collegiate Athletes

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HONORS PROGRAM GRADUATES NICHOLAS ATKINS from Waco, Texas, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Music in music theater with minors in design and production with an emphasis in lighting design. Some of his successes at OCU include playing Harold Hill in “The Music Man,” serving as president of Kappa Sigma, and representing his class in the NYC Showcase. After graduation he plans to begin his career in musical theatre and move to NYC. MEGAN CHENG from Memphis, Tennessee, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Music and a certificate in nonprofit leadership. While at OCU she completed a study on Buddhist chanting and how music strengthens ties to spirituality and religion. She also studied abroad in England where she received the Bob Wilson Prize, which acknowledges the highest APM from a student, and composed a workshop musical. After graduation, Megan plans to stay in Oklahoma for a few months before moving to New York City to pursue a career in casting.

OLIVIA CLICK from Edmond, Oklahoma, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy/religion with minors in history and interfaith studies. While at OCU, she completed “The Indistinct and the Distinct: Meister Eckhart’s Relation to Monism,” a paper presented at the Southwest Commission on Religious Studies in March of 2020, “The Compatibility of Being and the Unconditional,” a senior thesis in religion and also writing sample for graduate school, and a final creative project for Jr/Sr Honors seminar in Peace and Nonviolence, for which she created a 5X6-inch book of poems about ecological justice and peace that had photography of nature from camping trips interwoven throughout.

After graduation, she will pursue her Ph.D. in philosophy at Villanova University.

ABBY CROSSWHITE from Tuttle, Oklahoma, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in biology with minors in chemistry and environmental science. Some of her successes while at OCU were serving as president of Beta Beta Beta (spring and fall 2020), publishing “A Floristic Inventory of the John W. Nichols Scout Ranch, Canadian County, Oklahoma in the Oklahoma Native Plant Record Volume 19, No 1 (2019),” and being a quality control lab intern at Stonecloud Brewing Co. Following graduation, she will be taking a year off to focus on working before applying to medical school to become an orthopedic surgeon.

ASHLEY FREEMAN from Tulsa, Oklahoma, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in cell and molecular biology. While at OCU, she was a member of the Sooner Athletic Conference Co-Champion soccer team in 2018, and she served as the athletic director for the Student Activities Council. She is a 2X NAIA Scholar, which honors student athletes who are juniors or above in academic standing with at least a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average. She plans to apply to medical school in the 2021 application cycle, taking the year off to work and gain experience within the healthcare industry.

ZOE DONGAS from Nashville, Tennessee, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Music in musical theater with a minor in international studies. While at OCU, Zoe co-organized the Student Walkout Against Gun Violence with Dr. Starkey and her Peace and Non-Violence class, helped restart the OCU Catholic Student Association with honors peer Ashley Freeman, and served as president for three years and interned in the Refugee Resettlement office at Catholic Charities of Oklahoma City her junior and senior year. After graduation, Zoe will be moving to New York City to begin auditioning for theatres and to explore new ways to engage with the larger refugee and immigrant communities.

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TAYLOR DOWNEY from Edmond, Oklahoma, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in religion with a major in youth ministry and a minor in English. Some of her successes while at OCU include serving as director of communications for Miracle Marathon, serving as the 2020 chapter president for Alpha Chi Omega, and receiving OCU’s 2020 Outstanding Junior Award. After graduation, Taylor plans to continue working full time as the youth director at Acts 2 United Methodist Church in Edmond. She will also be getting married three weeks after graduation on May 30!

CLAIRE ENGELHAUPT from Ellicott City, Massachusetts, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in dance management. In her time at OCU she served as the vice president of committees for Phi Mu, Epsilon Epsilon, has been published in the undergraduate journal “Stellar,” and served as a performer, line captain, and director’s assistant in the American Spirit Dance Company. After graduation, Claire will be attending University College Dublin to purse an MA in cultural policy and arts management.

ASHLEY FREEMAN from Hickory, North Carolina, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in dance management.

Her successes while at OCU include serving as wardrobe supervisor for the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment’s 2019 production of “Home for the Holidays” and serving as a founding member and vice president of the OCU Catholic Student Association. After graduation, Ashley will be relocating to Atlanta, where she plans to work in the film and television industry.

SAVANNAH FUNKHOUSER from Piedmont, Oklahoma, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in cell and molecular biology. During her time at OCU she served as chief of staff for the Student Government Association, was the vice president of recruitment information for Alpha Chi Omega, and was a Project Transformation Intern. Savannah will be applying to Medical School after graduation.

CLAIRE GRIESE from Chantilly, Virginia, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in dance management. Some of Claire’s successes while at OCU include completing several multi-sectioned projects for courses such as Touring, Nonprofit Management, Development and Fundraising, Stage Management, and Dance Studio Management, serving as Jo Rowan’s director’s assistant for the American Spirit Dance Company, and completing a summer internship with the Miami Dolphins Entertainment and Special Events department where she planned events and presented a revenue-generating idea to the senior leadership team. After graduation, she will enroll in the MA Cultural Policy and Arts Management Program at University College, Dublin.

HANNAH HAMEL from Southlake, Texas, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting with a minor in directing.

While at OCU, she served as president of Play Club for three years, vice president of Fight Club for two years, and was cast as the lead role in an OCU Mainstage production. After graduation, she plans to move to Chicago to pursue a career in acting.

GINGER HARRIS from Plano, Texas, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting with a minor in directing.

While at OCU, she played the role of Olympe de Gouges in TheatreOCU’s production of “The Revolutionists” by Lauren

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HONORS PROGRAM GRADUATES (Continued) Gunderson, and helped develop “Keep Me in Mind,” a new musical by Simón Gómez Villegas, for which she was the stage manager and swing for the last mounting of the show (April 2019/Wanda L. Bass School of Music, Project21) and acts as the composer/playwright’s dramaturg for ongoing development. She also was able to participate in Oklahoma Scholar-Leadership Enrichment Program’s intercollegiate seminar titled “Memoir as a Manifesto” where students created their own memoirs and manifestos. After graduation, Ginger will be continuing at OCU to pursue an MA in non-profit leadership with a focus in arts administration.

EMILY HERNANDEZ from Mustang, Oklahoma, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in cell and molecular biology with a minor in chemistry. During her time at OCU, she was elected as the regional president for the South-Central Region of Tri-beta, the biological honor society. She presented her research at several conferences and was awarded a grant from TriBeta to continue her research on antibiotic producing bacteria. She discovered and named two mycobacteriophage through her research and will present it before graduation. After graduation, she plans to take the DAT and apply to dental school in the 2021 cycle. She would also like to share that she has had the honor and privilege of being Mary Ellen and George R Randall Great Plan Scholar, and is thankful for the Randall family and all fellow scholars she has met and made connections with over her four years at OCU. DIONE HORNE from Broomfield, Colorado, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in vocal music. While at OCU, Dione sang in a masterclass for Kristin Chenoweth, who then selected Dione to sing in another masterclass for Richard Jay Alexander.

She also was able to graduate early. After graduation, she plans to take a gap year in order to continue training with Joe Fitzgerald and prepare for a master’s degree in vocal coaching.

OLIVE KOEHLER from Oklahoma City will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in theatre and performance with a minor in political science. Some of her successes while at OCU include writing, producing, and starring in the original play “Straightening Up”; working on and performing in the sophomore jury project “It’s Not About You”; and performing in Maxwell McIntire and Liv Story’s play “123/60-100.” After graduation, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in library and informational studies with the goal of becoming a children’s librarian as well as continuing to write and perform comedy that has important messages.

OLIVIA LASKIN from Richmond, Virginia, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting with minors in children’s theatre and directing. While at OCU, she performed the role of Thomasina in Tom Stoppard’s “Arcadia,” served as artistic director for Out of the Box, and received the Claire Jones Award for Excellence in Children’s Theatre her junior year. After graduation, Olivia plans to move to New York City to start pursuing an acting career in plays and musicals and work as a teaching artist at a children’s theatre.

ELISE LEVY, from St. Louis, will be graduating with a Bachelors of Fine arts in acting with a minor in directing. While at OCU, she directed “John Proctor Is The Villain” by Kimberly Belflower for Out of the Box in the fall of 2019, was the president of OCU Jewish Stars, directed “The Revolutionists” in Spring 2021, was business manager of Out of the Box, and was the artistic director of Stripped. She also enjoyed working on a scene between Suffolk and Margaret from “Henry VI Part II” for Shakespeare Showcase her junior year, as it was a difficult yet rewarding experience. After graduation, Lisi has plans to return to St. Louis to direct her first musical with a non-profit theatre arts organization, Gateway Center for Performing Arts, this

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summer. After this, she hopes to join an acting or directing apprenticeship in New York City once it is safe to do so.

LOREN MATRONE from Frisco, Texas, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in cellular and molecular biology with a minor in chemistry. While at OCU, she was the founder and president of the OCU Pre-Health Professionals Club, represented OCU as a voting delegate at the 2019 Oklahoma Student Government Association Fall and Spring Congresses where she passed legislation that advocated for increased dental health care resources on college campuses, and studied abroad at the University of Cambridge in England where she won the Pembroke-Kings Summer Programme 2019 Blog Competition.

After graduation, Loren plans to attend University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston to receive her Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree.

KATHRYN MCGAHA from Edmond, Oklahoma, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in studio art and design with an emphasis on graphic design. While at OCU, she has been on the president’s honor roll each semester, designed the skateboard trophy that was given to the winners of OCU eSports River Rumble competition, and participated in an OSLEP seminar titled “Memoir as Manifesto.” After graduation, she plans to begin employment with a marketing or graphic design firm.

MAXWELL MCINTIRE from Wichita, Kansas, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting with minors in design and production, costume technology, and directing. While at OCU, he played Bernard in “Arcadia” by Tom Stoppard (OCU School of Theatre 2019-2020 season, directed by Hal Kohlman). He served as co-writer of “123/60-100,” a play produced by the Shadow Collective, a theatre organization consisting of OCU students. He also collated a proof-of-concept scene for a later verbatim theatre project on environmentalism, currently titled “Silent Spring” as part of his Honors Jr/Sr Seminar: Peace & Nonviolence, taught by professor Robin Meyers. After graduation, he will begin his professional career in theatre, focusing on acting and playwriting.

VIRGINIA (GRACE) MERTZ from Prairie Grove, Arkansas, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in biomedical science with a minor in psychology. Some of her successes while at OCU include being crowned Miss Indian OCU for 20182019, serving as the co-president of Kappa Phi 2019-2020, and being a part of the Wesley Leadership Team 2018-2019.

After graduation, Grace will begin the entry-level doctorate program for occupational therapy at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

KAYLILA PASHA from Meridian, Mississippi, graduated in December 2020 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting with a minor in directing. While at OCU, she studied Advanced Shakespeare abroad at Roehampton University, London, and performed in TheatreOCU’s Mainstage production of “The Laramie Project” (2020). She was the Undergraduate Research Day Fine and Performing Arts winner in 2019 for “Disability and Special Needs Awareness in Contemporary Theatre” and Interdisciplinary Humanities winner in 2019 for “International Child Slavery: Pakistan.” She has already joined the staff for the Meridian Symphony Orchestra in Meridian as the marketing manager and executive assistant. She is also the founder and creative cirector of Kaylila Creative, her marketing business founded in 2018.

ELIZABETH PRUITT from Edmond, Oklahoma, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Music Education in vocal education. She has spent her spring semester of 2021 student teaching choir at the Classen School of Advanced Studies in Oklahoma City.

During her time at OCU, she has served as a resident assistant for three years and been a member of CNAFME.

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HONORS PROGRAM GRADUATES (Continued) SARAH SCHULZ from Moorhead, Minnesota, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Music in music theatre. While at OCU, she helped create OCU CARE and became its first secretary, presented a project at the National Collegiate Honors Council 2020 virtual conference titled “The Five Stages of Grief and Recording Attributes in Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’” and served on the Out of the Box committee for 3.5 years as the music school representative, helping raise money for the program by organizing biyearly fundraisers. Sarah plans to “consciously take time to explore facets of myself and my interests, with the goal of accepting my uncertainty, embracing my wandering, and building a foundation for a meaningful life.”

SARAH STOUT from Norman, Oklahoma, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Music with pre-med track with an emphasis in instrumental music (violin). While at OCU she presented bacteriophage research at the 2019-2020 Undergraduate Research Day, was the associate concertmaster of the 2020 OCU symphony, and performed in the pit orchestra of several OCU musical theater and opera productions. After graduation, Sarah will be working as a medical scribe in addition to volunteering and shadowing to prepare for applying to physician assistant programs.

OLIVIA TARDIBONO from Oklahoma City will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in dance management with a minor in business entrepreneurship. During her time at OCU, she served as the Alpha Phi vice president of finance, performed as a dancer in “All that Jazz” at MT Sessions, and was a sound technician for American Spirit Dance Company’s “Home for the Holidays” and “Broadway Revue.” After graduation, she plans to start creating entertainment content as well as working for a non-profit organization.

TAYLOR TWEEDELL from Quincy, Illinois, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in dance management. Some of her successes at OCU include receiving the OCU Outstanding Leadership Award in 2019, serving as president of Students of Arts Management for the 2019-2020 school year, and working as the co-head of the film/editing department for the Student Choreography Showcase. After graduation, Taylor plans to move to St. Louis to pursue a career in the arts management industry.

BAILEY WEBB from Oklahoma City will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in psychology with a minor in child advocacy studies. Some of her successes while at OCU include becoming captain of the women’s soccer team, completing an internship at Palomar and the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigations, and winning the SAC soccer conference during her sophomore year. After graduation, she plans to enroll in the Kramer School of Nursing at OCU. JORDYN YOUNGER from Jefferson, South Dakota, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Music in music theater and vocal performance. While at OCU, she was awarded as junior marshal, served as the national live auditions coordinator for the Wanda L. Bass School of Music, and sang the role of Adele in OCU’s production of “Die Fledermaus,” which won first place in its division in 2019-2020 from the National Opera Association. She hopes to pursue a performance career in NYC after the pandemic has resolved.

ZECHARIAH ZUBIA from Edmond, Oklahoma, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in music, pre-med track. Some of his successes while at OCU include performing his senior recital in Fall 2019, working as the student assistant honors director (Honors StuPro), and serving as vice president of Lambda Chi Alpha. His favorite Honors Program memory was in Honors LAS with Dr. Starkey. Zac plans to seek out medical school opportunities and either start his medical career or take the year off and reapply for the following year. He is also getting married in late July and plans to stay in Oklahoma City for at least a year post graduation.

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HONORS STUDENT COUNCIL 21-22 PRESIDENT: KRISTEN OLMSTED “Hello, my name is Kristen Olmsted! I am a vocal performance major with a minor in economics at OCU, and I am from Sugar Land, Texas. I am a member of Gamma Phi Beta and Sigma Alpha Iota, executive director of OPERAtions (a student-run opera organization), and will serve as the head Honors peer mentor in the fall. This spring, I was inducted in the Blue Key Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi, and Pi Kappa Lambda. As president of HSC next year, I look forward to furthering the engagement of Honors students with the Honors Program and the Honors faculty.”

VP OF PROGRAMMING: SARA MASSOUDI I’m a BFA acting major with double minors in directing and Children’s Theatre from Plano, Texas. Some organizations I am a part of are Alpha Phi, Alpha Psi Omega, and I’m a First Year Experience mentor! I joined the Honors Program because I wanted to be a part of a community where I am intellectually challenged and encouraged to have high standards for my academic success. I look forward to strengthening our Honors community and working with the rest of the council next year!

VP OF ADMINISTRATION: GABBY YOUNG I’m Gabrielle Young, and I am a sophomore from Tulsa, Oklahoma. I am currently pursuing a degree in dance management with minors in social media and business entrepreneurship.

As well as being involved in the Honors Program, I am a part of SAM and Circle K with leadership positions in Alpha Phi, SGA, and Miracle Marathon. When I am not in class or working with one of these organizations, you may find me drinking copious amounts of iced coffee or playing with my cat, Zara. I am so excited to be your VP of administration this upcoming year, and I hope to use my role to create a stronger and closer Honors community.

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE: ASHLEY NGUYEN I’m Ashely Nguyen and I am a freshman from Edmond, Oklahoma. I am a cell and molecular biology major and Spanish and business entrepreneur double minor. I am the Tribeta historian, a Circle KI co-founder and treasurer, a member of OCU Sideline POM, a NSO Leader, and the Homecoming director of service and spirit competitions. I wanted to join the Honors Program to have the opportunity to have an academically rigorous schedule that would allow me to better develop my critical thinking and analysis skills, rather than just having surface-level learning. Also, I wanted to build a community with other academically ambitious individuals and mentors to help support and guide me toward my future goals and aspirations.

I am looking forward to help continue to build the Honors community by hosting events that connect Honors students together or help increase our presence within the greater Oklahoma City community.

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DIRECTOR OF MARKETING: SADIE KOOPMAN I am a double major in music theater and vocal performance, and I am on the POM Squad and a part of OCU CARE. I am from Cincinnati, Ohio, and I joined the Honors Program to meet people outside of my major and take classes that challenge me! In my position, I am looking forward to finding new ways to advertise and highlight the honors college and connect more with incoming freshmen. Fun fact about me I learned how to play the spoons over quarantine because it is an instrument I could learn without having to buy it first.

SECRETARY: KATY MANDERFELD I’m Katy Manderfeld and I am a music theater/vocal performance double major from Minneapolis, Minnesota! I am currently a freshman and I will be serving as the HSC secretary. Outside of Honors, I am very involved in my sorority (Gamma Phi Beta) and Out of the Box at OCU! I have loved being a part of the Honors Program and I am very excited to serve on HSC. I hope to build community and create more events for the Honors Program next year! Can’t wait!

INCOMING HONORS ASSISTANT STUDENT DIRECTOR: CARLY PONTIUS Carly Pontius is a sophomore dance performance major from Colorado Springs, Colorado.

She joined the Honors Program for her interest in studying the arts in an interdisciplinary way and being a part of the larger OCU community in addition to the performing arts community. She is looking forward to being assistant to Dr. Youmans to connect with Honors students and professors. She is a member of the Students of Arts Management and performs with the American Spirit Dance Company. For her sophomore year, she served as the student senator representing Dance and Entertainment in the OCU Student Government Association and was a new student orientation leader. As a junior, she will serve as the director of OKConnect for the New Student Orientation program, which helps bring food and OKC culture to students during the first week of classes. She is passionate about performing and learning dance, but also about teaching, and works as a dance teacher during the summer months. As any Coloradan would, Carly loves nature and hiking, and is passionate about sustainability.

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NCHC 2020 This past November, the 55th annual National Collegiate Honors Council Conference was held in virtual format. Instead of a traditional in-person event, students were able to view sessions online, allowing for more opportunities to see different presentations.

This year, the OCU Honors Program had two students present their research at the national level. Sabrina Bartley, psychology junior, presented her research, “’Heterosexist Behaviors in Greek Organizations and the Overall Sense of Belongingness in LGBTQ+ Members.” Sarah Schulz, music theatre senior, presented her research, “The Five Stages of Grief and Recording Attributes in Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’” Both Schulz and Bartley presented via PowerPoint and recorded their discussion alongside the material.

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COVID IN COLLEGE: AN OP-ED OF REFLECTION The last year has tested everyone in different capacities. From a pandemic, to divisiveness, to never ending semesters, we are tired and running low on energy.

A new normal has been established and now we try to reacclimate to life before COVID hit as slowly the world seems to return to normal. A year that lives in infamy has brought specific challenges that we could not have expected, from sudden evacuation from campus to the learning associated with Zoom and online classes. Even social interactions have been difficult as isolation has become so easy and natural for many.

Dr. Lisa Wolfe mentions this phenomena emphasizing how “it is difficult to associate names with faces when you can only see the top half of someone’s face” and how engaging students has been particularly challenging. Along the same lines, Dr. Wolfe emotes her own exhaustion at times as she is “mentally juggling so many things” including “students in the classroom, students on Zoom, and all the technology facilitating that.”

Dr. Wolfe continues to understand what this year has meant for students, dictating she “felt heartbroken from them on many occasions.” Professors like her are not uncommon at OCU and within the Honors program, as they recognize how “difficult situations” become “unbearable, from finances to family conflict.” This sentiment from professors have contributed to many accommodations for students and empathy students have been desperately craving.

Yet, this year has also been full of innovation and hope. The Class of 2024 was welcomed into OCU with open arms, all while maintaining and abiding by social distancing protocols. Within the Honors program, two students, Sarah Schulz and Sabrina Bartley, were able to present research at the National Collegiate Honors Council in November of 2020 and more students were able to participate in interdisciplinary sessions. This year, we recognize the value of a smile, as Dr. Wolfe highlights her excitement in “seeing my students smile!” This year we have seen science innovation in the capacity to produce a vaccine faster than previously thought. We even were able to safely have Honors Senior Dinner.

Perhaps the most important thing we recognize this year is the value of community. On a small campus like OCU, and the Honors program, we have made it through the fire, and I believe have come out stronger.

Yes, we have lost beloved people along the way, as I am not immune to these situations myself. Yes, we have been pushed past my limits and made it. But I would not have been able to make it this far without the support and love of communities around me.

I would never have expected to finish my time at OCU during a pandemic; and yet, there is no other way I could have imagined a year of many insights to be realized.

As a graduating senior, I look forward to returning to fullness of life with friends and sharing close moments, but I am most thankful for the professors who have taught me more than I thought I could

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know. On behalf of the current and graduating students at OCU, we are thankful for this year and for the faculty and staff who continue to give even when they are running on empty.

For now is the time of rest and healing, which will allow us to move forward.

Sincerely, Zac Zubia Special thanks to Dr. Wolfe for her thoughts and time.

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