Dr. TehQuin Forbes is the Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships Coordinator for the UF Honors Program.
Rebekah Noonan is the Honors Marketing and Communications Student Assistant.
Phillip-Dylan Ndwiga is a second-year student from Clearwater, Florida studying Computer Science and Finance. One day, he hopes to work as a software engineer in the gaming industry.
Raina Fan is a junior studying Economics on the pre-law track. Originally from Beijing, China, Raina lived in Tampa for eight years before calling Gainesville home. She was also part of the writing staff for the UnCommon Thread’s inaugural volume.
Susan Rossano is a senior majoring in History and Political Science. She is one of the Editor-in-Chiefs of PRISM Honors Magazine and the Community Service Director for the UF Pre-Law Honors Society. She aspires to attend law school and become a practicing attorney.
DIRECTOR’S CORNER
Dear Honors Program Alumni,
On behalf of the Honors Program, I am so pleased to bring you the 2nd edition of The UnCommon Thread. Many thanks to Dr. TehQuin Forbes, our graphic design student assistant Rebekah Noonan, and the current honors students who developed the 2023-2024 Honors Program highlights included in this issue.
While 2023-2024 marked my second year as Interim Director of the Honors Program, I have been with the program since 2005 when I started as an honors advisor. Jason Bell was one of the student assistants at the time - a dynamic student whether he was winning a Rock Band competition as the lead singer or co-teaching the honors course he designed on computing.
More recently I had the opportunity while traveling in the United Kingdom to visit two of our honors alumni studying at Oxford. Over lunch in the Balliol College Hall, I convinced Honors and John V. Lombardi Scholar alumnus Mihael Cudic to turn his cutting-edge research interests into an honors seminar. You can learn more about his honors course on Artificial Intelligence and Psychiatry, as well as a profile on Jason Bell in this issue.
You’ll also find a variety of features on the academic opportunities, student activities, and student leaders and scholars from this past academic year. Our program faculty have actively pursued new opportunities for our students to gain experiences critical to achieving their academic and career goals, as well to foster their sense of community and belonging here on campus. And we’re not done yet!
You’re invited to help us continue transforming the experiences of UF Honors students. Please check page 24 to learn more about ways to connect. Whether you want to share your honors experiences, discuss ways to contribute to the program as alumni, or even just to say hi as a former student of mine, please don’t hesitate to reach out: mjohnson@honors.ufl.edu.
Go Honors Gators!
Dr.
Melissa L. Johnson Interim Director, UF Honors Program
Spotlight: Alumni
JASON BELL
Raina Fan: From my knowledge, you graduated with degrees in Integrated Biology and Anthropology? After that you went to pursue an MBA. Can you talk more about that experience and what made you choose those degrees?
Jason Bell: I was the first in my family to pursue a university degree. I was always interested and had a background in Environmental Science, Ecology, and Zoology, and I found the opportunity while I was at UF to be able to do [them]. Later on, combining my Master’s degree of Business Administration and background in pre-health sciences, I found my way into Healthcare Administration. After I moved back down to Miami, I secured a job with the largest healthcare system in South Florida which is called Baptist Health. Here I am, 15 years later, as an Assistant Vice President for the organization.
JASON BELL (he/him) graduated from the University of Florida Honors Program with a BA in Anthropology, a BS in Integrated Biology, and a minor in Zoology in 2005. Additionally, he also earned an MBA from the Warrington College of Business. During his studies, Bell was a student assistant in the Honors office and also helped teach an honors course called Collegiate Computing. Now based in South Florida, he is the Assistant Vice President of Operations at Baptist Health South Florida. We chatted about how his uncommon experiences at UF Honors have guided his successful career.
R: What are you passionate about and how have you been able to integrate that into your career?
J: So I have two threads that I continue to pull through my career and experience. The first is higher education. My first exposure to that is working for the university at the Honors office. For four and a half years, I was able to work there, grow there, build great relationships but also be given tremendous freedom and empowered by the leadership there. I take that into everything that I do now. My primary role right now is to overlook the education department for the health system for our organization.
The other thread that I pulled through is this interest in Ecology. It was my academic background, but I managed to integrate it into what I do in the health system now as I lead our organization’s interest with a lot of environmental groups. Whether that be the local parks or the zoological foundation that oversees Zoo Miami, I maintain those interests as a very prominent part of my life.
R: In recent years, hospitals have been in the center of attention. How has your experience been as an executive member of the largest hospital chain in South Florida?
J: So, as we went through the COVID pandemicand we are now on the other side of it - it kind of reaffirmed how much of a passion and a calling degrees in healthcare are. We were the epicenter of this global pandemic. It reaffirms that it is not just a job, it’s more than a job.
R: What is the biggest lesson overall your current position has taught you?
J: The hardest part of a leader’s job is the actual management of people. If you bring the right people into your organization, it makes the job easier. As a leader for many years, you reframe your thoughts, so you view things not necessarily as an operational problem; you look for people’s opportunity within them.
R: So now let’s talk about your involvement with the Honors Program more in-depth. What were your involvements within the Honors Program?
J: With honors specifically, I started off as a student assistant. I then progressed to be both the student assistant and the webmaster for the honors department, and then I became an Adjunct Instructor. It presents such an incredible opportunity for me. I often tell people it was probably the best decision that I made when I was at UF - getting involved with the Honors Program and Honors office. I think it helped me grow quickly as a professional and to be treated like a professional. The folks in the office at the time really made an effort to treat the students in the office like peers. So I really felt very much empowered and entrusted to make a difference.
R: What is the biggest lesson you learned from your time at the Honors Program?
J: I think the biggest lesson was the value of being involved, more than just attending class. From working for the University, to studying abroad, to participating in research, those are all things that were not requirements, but I am so glad I did them because they exposed me to so many things. These extracurricular type aspects to the experience were hugely important.
R: Can you expand more on your experience studying abroad with the Honors Program?
J: Yep! It was a summer study abroad program. I lived in a town called Merida in Mexico. It was for the University of Florida students coupled with local and public school teachers from Florida. We were put through both educational programing and experiential tours regarding Anthropology and Ecology in the Yucatán Peninsula. We visited architecturally very important sites as well as ecological habitats of the area. I really got an appreciation for what the Yucatán culture looks like. It was an incredibly powerful experience.
Thank you to Jason Bell for agreeing to the interview. It’s always great to hear from honors alumni!
Interested in telling us how your honors experience impacted your career?
Send us an email: honors@ufl.edu
SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE FOR THE HONORS FIRST GENERATION COMMUNITY
In the University of Florida Honors Program, where ambition meets opportunity, lies a unique and multi-pronged initiative designed to assist the first-generation students in the Honors Program. Spearheaded by passionate individuals within the UF Honors Program, many of whom were first-generation students themselves, the program aims to maintain and improve a welcoming and resourceful environment for students of all backgrounds.
Honors first-gen, first-year students in Dr. Spear’s Fall 2021 professional development class
Dr. Kristy Spear is the UF Honors Program’s Assistant Director for Experiential Learning. She leads a professional development course tailored specifically for the needs of incoming first-generation students at the beginning of each Fall semester. A cohort of 10 to 15 students is enrolled in the course, joined by two upperdivision peer instructors who are first-generation students themselves. According to the honors website, students who take the course (1) evaluate opportunities for campus involvement, internships, study abroad, research, leadership, and service based on personal and professional goals, (2) develop effective professional strategies for selfpromotion (resumes, cover letters, interview techniques, etc.), and (3) build a supportive network of other honors first-generation students and leaders.
families to attend a four-year college institution. It is the goal of many Honors Program leaders, like Dr. Spear, who advises Honors First Generation, that the affinity group fosters an environment that provides the resources and guidance for these students’ trailblazing experiences. Events such as picnics and mixers are often hosted within the new Honors Village space, fostering community pride within the program.
Dr. Spear continues to share her connection with students beyond their undergraduate experiences. She stays in touch with current and graduated firstgeneration students and continues to support their success even after their time within the program.
“The Honors advising team and general members understand that everyone is unique. We are dedicated to providing that avenue for each individual in a way that’s complementary to their goals, interests, and pursuits.”
Central to the success of this course program, says Dr. Spear, are the peer instructors who play a vital role in guiding their peers through their experiences as first-year students. These student leaders provide academic guidance, relatable perspectives, and mentorship that resonates deeply with first-generation, firstyear students. These leaders become invaluable mentors and allies on their peers’ academic journeys by facilitating conversations on relevant topics and offering extra support outside of traditional classroom settings.
In combination with the professional development class, the UF Honors Program also focuses on weaving the social network for this subsection of students across age cohorts. Honors First Generation refers to a group within honors that caters to the social needs of a subpopulation of students. What once was a fully-fledged honors student organization is now an affinity group, which lacks a formal student leadership structure. The mission remains the same, however: To support honors students who are the first in their
“There’s something wonderful about being part of that journey for somebody else and so many people’s lives, to help them go through life’s struggles and transition phases. It is always rewarding and valuable when recollecting those experiences and memories,” Dr. Spear said.
Ultimately, the program aims to empower highachieving, ambitious first-generation students to chart their paths and define success on their terms. It provides a support structure for students to recognize their strengths and push past the obstacles. The University of Florida Honors Program is paving the way for a brighter, more equitable future in academia and beyond.
BY RAINA FAN
Cooking Together, HONORS & APRONS: Creating Community
BY PHILLIP-DYLAN NDWIGA
With all the opportunities, classes, and involvement, it’s quite easy for students in the Honors Program to get overwhelmed by their busy schedules. Fortunately, Honors & Aprons offers a refreshing break from the academic hustle. Led by Portia Ludwig, a 3rd-year Public Health major, this inclusive culinary organization welcomes all skill levels, from novices to seasoned chefs. What sets Honors & Aprons apart, according to Portia, is its relaxed atmosphere, where members can connect and collaborate in the kitchen, emphasizing fun over formality.
Collaboration is a key aspect of Honors & Aprons that Portia strives to foster in every meeting. In the kitchen, it’s all about teamwork—everyone pitches in to create a masterpiece that reflects both individual efforts and the unity of the organization. At the start of each meeting, members examine the recipe and divide into groups, led by board members, to work on different elements of the final dish. Members have the flexibility to choose their groups and move between them as they please. Once all components are ready, they’re brought together, and all members contribute to completing the final dish. The culmination of the meeting is the enjoyment of the collective creation. With plenty of food to go around, members can help themselves to multiple servings, while leftover ingredients are auctioned off in an informal “Honors & Aprons Food Auction” organized by the board members, ensuring nothing goes to waste.
The collaboration within Honors & Aprons extends beyond its kitchen meetings, venturing around the Honors Village residential complex to work together with other UF Honors student organizations. Collaborative events are quite common among the Honors Program clubs, allowing the organizations to promote each other through fun, shared events. It’s a great way for members of one organization to experience the diverse activities and membership of other organizations. During the Fall 2023 semester, Honors & Aprons successfully teamed up with two other honors organizations: Honors Tabletop for Plates n’ Play in mid-September, and the Honors Chords for Cookies & Caroling in early December.
In Spring 2024, Honors & Aprons hosted one of their most successful meetings with the theme of “Cursed Cooking.” Taking place on April Fools’ Day, Portia wanted the club’s final meeting of the semester to highlight the fun and creativity behind the holiday. The vision for the meeting was to create a wide array of different foods that all contrast with one another, expressing an idea of randomness to contrast the synergy found in a typical Honors & Aprons menu. With bacon-wrapped apricot bites, chocolate cherry cookies, and Korean beef tacos on the menu, it’s safe to say their vision came to fruition, as the “cursed” combination of these foods left the members’ taste buds tingling with the April Fools Day celebration. It was the perfect way to shake things up and give Honors & Aprons one last “hurrah” before ending the semester. Members described this meeting as one of the best in Honors & Aprons history, with Vice President Jack Britton
At the end of the day, Honors & Aprons is more than just a cooking club: It’s an outlet for honors students to express themselves in the kitchen, meet and interact with peers, and unwind from their busy schedules. With the newly completed development of the Honors Village residential complex and a growing community of on-campus honors students, Honors & Aprons is ready to welcome a surge of new members and continue to provide timeless meals and create lasting memories for years to come.
Students collaborate in a Mediterranean Cook Along
NAVIGATING THE FUTURE
AN HONORS COURSE ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND PSYCHIATRY
BY SUSAN ROSSANO
In an era marked by the unprecedented spread of artificial intelligence across many disciplines, it is not surprising that the technology has been more extensively incorporated into the healthcare sector. To better educate students interested in a variety of fields, the UF Honors Program offered a course in Spring 2024 focusing on the applications of artificial intelligence for psychiatry as part of its Signature Seminar series. The one-credit course, titled “Artificial Intelligence Applications for Psychiatry,” is taught by UF Honors Program alumnus, Dr. Mihael Cudic, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Center for Precision Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. It sought to examine the intersection between artificial intelligence and psychiatry by analyzing traditional computational techniques and generative artificial technologies. The course also provided students an understanding of neurobiology and clinical psychiatry to contextualize these techniques, presenting both artificial intelligence and psychiatric concepts.
The course embraced an interdisciplinary nature, including students from various majors and backgrounds. It spotlighted relevant concepts, including molecular biology, genetics, neuroscience, epidemiology, and economics, incorporating multiple perspectives to present the subject holistically. By bringing together diverse students and emphasizing a variety of analytical lenses, the course provided students with a broader view of artificial intelligence that they might not have gained otherwise. Students in the course deemed it “extremely engaging and interesting,” according to GatorEvals, the course review and evaluation system used by students at UF. They appreciated learning about “AI applications, research databases, improving [their] ability to write preliminary stage research papers, and use of Jupyter Notebooks and Python 3.” One student in particular stated that the class led to them gaining “a decent interest in machine learning mechanisms and how they can apply to different medical and public health fields.”
Dr. Cudic explained that this course was relevant to students seeking career paths in engineering or healthcare, as they can enhance their foundational understanding of this interconnected relationship that is likely to increase in the future. This course might have even informed students of career and research opportunities they otherwise might not have known about, causing them to contemplate slightly different paths. Dr. Cudic explained that he is, “excited for the application of artificial intelligence in the sciences as he has recognized the value that artificial intelligence has in the sector, such as diagnosing cancers and tumors!” According to him, the course was “interdisciplinary by merging engineering and medical components and innovative by showing how a diversity of skill sets can impact the field of medicine.” Dr. Cudic summarized that the course was a special experience because it “allows students coming to class with different goals to learn for their career and develop new methods to obtain research outcomes.”
The University of Florida and its Honors Program have been rapidly adjusting to the new digital landscape, striving to be national leaders in artificial intelligence. The University of Florida’s artificial intelligence initiative focuses on “educating and preparing the workforce for the fourth digital revolution.” This education objective has spurred self-service AI programs like NaviGator, the use of AI algorithms in natural science research, as well as the development of artificial intelligence centered classes. By supplying students with a complex understanding of the applications of artificial intelligence in nontraditional fields like psychiatry, the University of Florida Honors Program directly supplemented UF’s AI initiative. The course fit within the scope
of artificial intelligence prioritization that UF has established, while also managing to adopt a level of specificity revolutionary to the instruction of the curriculum.
This course was futuristic and equipped students with skills and knowledge that they can utilize in several different ways in the present as well. As stated by Dr. Cudic, while artificial intelligence has already been limitedly integrated into psychology, there is a high likelihood that the two fields will converge more extensively in the future. The purpose of this class was to contextualize the intersection between generative artificial intelligence and psychiatry for students, the challenges facing the relationship, and equipping students with ideas for how to navigate these problems. Dr. Cudic believes that the course was an out-of-the-box opportunity for University of Florida honors students to think unconventionally; learn about a new, exciting frontier; and combine creativity with rigorous intellectual inquiry. Although the course may have reshaped some students’ approaches to artificial intelligence and medical concepts, its aim was to foster interdisciplinary systemic thinking that has undoubtedly prepared them for the increasingly complex digital landscape.
UF STUDENTS AWARDED PRESTIGIOUS OVERSEAS EXPERIENCE
UF is named a
TopPerforming Institution for Boren Scholars
All nine University of Florida students who applied for the 2024 Boren Awards were successful, with six awardees and three alternates. Their achievement earned UF recognition as a Top-Performing Institution for Boren Scholars this year, ranking 5th.
MEET UF’S 2024 BOREN RECIPIENTS:
• Cody Case, ‘25, is a Boren Fellow and Ph.D. candidate in Ethnomusicology who will study Portuguese in Brazil.
• Nehemie Cyriaque, ‘24, is an International Food and Resource Economics major who will study Vietnamese in Vietnam.
• Caroline Davis, ‘24, is a double major in Business and Sustainability Studies with a minor in Spanish. She will study Swahili in the United Republic of Tanzania.
• Amie Edwards, ‘25, is a Boren Fellow Alternate and a Ph.D. candidate in Architecture who hopes to study in Akan in Ghana.
• Zoe Golomb, ‘24, is a Boren Scholar Alternate and double major in History and International Studies. She hopes to study Turkish in Azerbaijan.
• Charles Horowitz, ‘24, is a Political Science major who will study Turkish in Azerbaijan.
• Elizabeth Kemp, ‘25, is a Linguistics major and Business minor who will learn Russian in Armenia.
• Mikhail Mikhaylov, ‘24, is a double major in International Studies and Economics with a minor in Public Health. He will study Russian in Latvia.
• Caroline Rabideau, ‘24, is a double major in Political Science and International Studies with a minor in Linguistics. She will study Turkish in Azerbaijan.
Zoe Golomb ‘24, Honors Student
Mikhail Mikhaylov ‘24, Honors Student
The Boren Awards allow students to participate in immersive language programs within the U.S. and overseas. The prestigious award focuses on fields of study critical to U.S. national security. After completing the long-term study abroad program and graduating from university, Boren Scholars and Fellows work for the U.S. federal government for one year as part of their award commitment.
New to Boren’s lineup of Regional Flagship Language Initiatives is the Southeast Asia Flagship Initiative (SEAFLI). It allows applicants to study in Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Nehemie Cyriaque will have the honor of experiencing this program firsthand in its inaugural year, traveling to Vietnam in the fall of this year.
“[SEAFLI] seems like such a carefully curated program that encompasses all aspects of cultural immersion, from being provided the opportunity to live in a homestay, engaging in cultural activities like pencak silat martial arts, and meeting with local language partners,” says Cyriaque. “I think this is a fantastic opportunity to delve into [Vietnamese] culture and explore the complexity of the culture and people.”
For Mikhail Mikhaylov, receiving the Boren Scholarship was a three-year journey. “My initial reaction [to the news of winning] can be encapsulated by the sentiment of ‘At Last!’” says Mikhaylov. Despite the initial rejections and not advancing as a finalist multiple times, he persevered until his success this year.
Mikhaylov credits the Honors Program’s “unwavering support” for his growth as a Boren applicant: “UF fostered a perfect balance between kind support and necessary criticism. Through the discerning guidance of the review committee and the dedicated staff of the UF Honors Program, I received invaluable feedback instrumental in refining my writing to its fullest potential. The process of introspectively evaluating one’s amalgamated skills, experiences, and interests and subsequently aligning them with the discerned criteria of a particular award committee is often a challenging endeavor.”
Dr. Morgan Rich and Michael K. O’Malley, an advisor for the UF Honors Program, are two of the review board members who provided critical feedback for the Boren applicants. The board searches for a clear, wellreasoned thesis, discovers opportunities for elevating the argument, and shares that feedback with the student. Their advice guides students down a path with a greater chance for success.
“The applications I reviewed all showed a deep desire for public service,” says Dr. Rich. “The students, throughout their undergraduate careers, were already making measurable contributions to future careers and see the value in language learning.”
Whether a student receives a prestigious award or not, O’Malley stresses the value of applying. “These applications really make you think about who you are and why your background and experience have uniquely qualified you for the particular award, and I think it’s a wholistically enriching experience, as long as you’re open to (sometimes quite critical!) feedback.”
The Boren Awards are open to undergraduate and graduate students. Students interested in Boren’s African Flagship Languages Initiative (AFLI) might be surprised to learn that the initiative is hosted by the UF Center for African Studies and the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. AFLI is an 8-week full-time domestic summer intensive program offered on campus in Gainesville.
UF language programs, such as the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, and the Centers for African Studies, Latin American Studies, and European Studies, are crucial elements in these applicants’ journey to receiving the award. Students use these learning spaces to develop the foundation of their language studies, preparing them for the Boren Awards and other opportunities.
Reprinted with the permission of author Braden Blue of UF’s Student Success office: https://studentsuccess.ufl.edu/success-stories/2024/boren2024/
Alan Halaly is a Journalism Senior from Coconut Creek, FL
Spotlight: Student
ALAN
UNCOMMON EXPERIENCE: Water Reporter at the Las Vegas Review Journal
FAVORITE HONORS COURSE: Professional Development for the Lombardi and Stamps Scholars with Regan Garner
Alan entered the University of Florida in 2020 considering several paths and majors, but when he first stepped foot in the newsroom of The Independent Florida Alligator, all other possibilities outside of journalism faded from view. In time, he became a managing editor and eventually held the position of editor in chief. He was a part of the staff that received a 2022 Society of Professional Journalist National Mark of Excellence Award, which highlights the best collegiate works published or broadcasted in that year.
Alan has interned at highly regarded news organizations, most notably The Miami Herald. There, he was a full-time climate reporter covering stories about water quality and additional environmental issues. Alan gravitated towards climate reporting after taking a course with Professor Cynthia Barnett that led to him engaging in a project examining the progression of Florida’s water quality. This project, named “Watershed,” won the Student Journalism Award. He said the class allowed him to realize that this distinct form of environmental journalism combined his interest in Florida’s ecosystem with his passion for writing and reporting.
With this newfound desire to pursue climate reporting and his experience from The Miami Herald, Alan took a position as a water reporter at the Las Vegas Review Journal. In this role, Alan covers stories regarding water and the environment, which is especially pertinent in Las Vegas given its water scarcity challenges. He is the only reporter in the institution dedicated to water issues and
stories about wildlife, drought, and negotiations for the usage of the Hoover Dam.
Alan has received numerous awards and accolades during his time as a student at the University of Florida. Outside of the aforementioned accomplishments, Alan notably received first place at the Explanatory Reporting Competition of the 2023-2024 Hearst Journalism Awards Program. His winning article, “When the Storm Hits”, detailed the vulnerability of phosphate plants and mines in the southeast to more extreme climate conditions. Alan is also a Lombardi Scholar, which provided him the opportunity to travel to South Africa with the UF Honors Program to learn about its eco-tourism sector and governmental structure.
Phosphogypsum stack behind a fence in Bartow, Florida (Alan Halaly, “When the Storm Hits.”)
After graduating, Alan will continue working for the Las Vegas Review Journal as a climate reporter. Driven by his passion for environmental justice, Alan will continue to use his skills, knowledge, creativity, and experience to author groundbreaking environmental articles.
Julianne Owen is an Aerospace Engineering Super Senior from Jacksonville, FL
Spotlight: Student
JULIANNE
UNCOMMON EXPERIENCE: Co-oping at NASA’s Johnson Space Center
FAVORITE HONORS COURSE: Professional Communication for Engineers
Right from the beginning, Julianne immersed herself in UF’s rich extracurricular environment. As a freshman, she joined a design team and the engineering organization FLEG, where she found mentorship and guidance from older students who helped her navigate the aerospace field. “There have always been students I could ask questions to,” she says, highlighting the support system that played a major role in her early development.
Julianne’s determination led her to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where she did three co-op rotations. In her first co-op, she worked with the flight mechanics and trajectory design team, contributing to the Artemis project—NASA’s mission to send humans back to the moon. In her second rotation, Julianne joined the Cronos mission control group, providing command and data support for the International Space Station. During her final rotation, Julianne joined the crew and thermal systems division, helping with thermal vacuum testing for deep space tech. This role also offered a unique opportunity to interact with astronauts during their airlock training, having conversations that were both enlightening and inspiring.
Julianne credits the UF Honors Program with providing a strong foundation for her success. The program’s faculty, advisors, and fellow students created a supportive network that was key to her finding success. Through honors, she says she met her best friends and found numerous opportunities, such as co-ops and internships, that shaped her career trajectory.
One of Julianne’s most prestigious accomplish–ments was being selected for the Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship, designed for aspiring leaders in the aerospace industry. This fellowship pairs students with top-tier space companies and executive-level mentors. Julianne was excited to join SpaceX, where she will work with life support systems for the Dragon program.
After spending the summer in Hawthorne, California, working with SpaceX, Julianne sees herself continuing her education, possibly pursuing graduate school, and eventually launching her own company in the aerospace industry. “I aim to be a leader in this field,” she states. “And I hope to achieve that while staying connected to all the amazing people I’ve met.”
Owen with astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli (Photo provided by Julianne Owen)
First Steps at UF with HONORS
F un & S upport
At an honors retreat, it’s like embarking on a journey of discovery - living off a vast site, having fun adventures with new honors peers, learning the ropes of being a Gator from experienced mentors, and bonding while roasting marshmallows under the stars. The UF Honors Program brims with unique opportunities to connect with the campus and get involved, but for new students, nothing compares to the unforgettable experience of the honors retreats.
Honors Camp and Honors Day serve as the perfect transition point for incoming freshmen to familiarize themselves with UF and begin paving their path to success. These retreats are overseen by a diverse group of SOFAs, or slightly older friendly advisors, who have previously attended a retreat and return to mentor and guide the new cohort. Having spent several semesters at UF, these SOFAs have learned the ropes of being a Gator and are eager to pass on their experiences and lessons.
One of the biggest things on the minds of incoming freshmen is: “How will I find my place and make friends?”Casi Ramirez, an honors retreat director who has attended across three different years, experienced similar uneasy feelings when she first came to UF. “Being away from home” and “not knowing anyone,” Casi anxiously signed up for Honors Camp after discovering it from the UF Honors Facebook page, hoping it would offer an easier transition to UF. However, the value she found in Honors Camp was unlike anything she expected. From getting practical advice on her premed journey to building relationships she still holds after three years, Casi found that Honors Camp largely shaped her experiences as a Gator.
Whether spending two immersive days at H-Camp or diving into the action-packed excitement of H-Day, campers get to not only bond over sports, games, and nature adventures but also gain crucial insights into university life and leadership. Before the fun can begin, the campers are all placed into small groups, each led by an older mentor. It can be a bit daunting to meet new people when you are thrust into a new environment, so these groups help the campers get close to a small group of people before branching out. While they may start as groups of strangers, throughout the experience they blossom into beautiful families. Throughout Honors Camp, these small groups participate in many icebreaking and bonding exercises to help the campers break out of their shell and gradually find comfort socially. These exercises not only help the campers bond with their peers but also gain insight into themselves and their values during their transition to college.
Honors retreats aren’t solely for campers’ benefit; it also offers invaluable opportunities for SOFAs to learn and develop. Having attended a retreat in a previous year and gone through the motions, from the nervousness to the joy, these counselors serve as pillars for the honors retreat participants. While it may seem that Honors Camp and Honors Day are meant for the SOFAs to instruct the campers, in a way, the campers help instruct SOFAs.
In an interview, Tej Patel, another one of the honors retreat directors who has attended the retreats across three different years, said that if he could go back, he would want to relive Honors Camp as a SOFA rather than a camper. This was a bizarre response to me, as the purpose of Honors Camp is to come in without experience or a clear sense of direction and gain that through the mentorship of the leading SOFAs, but as he pointed out, there is much more to being a SOFA than telling stories and giving advice. In this leadership position, you have the potential to completely shape a student’s first-year experience while reflecting on your own. Coming in with no knowledge or experience, campers are quite impressionable and take any information fed to them as true, so SOFAs need to take caution in every interaction they take. This takes delicacy and a high level of self-reflection to convey the good decisions while warding off the bad ones. As Tej said, “You have to be careful about what you say and how you present yourself in front of the campers [...] They are very impressionable and can take everything you say to heart.” But beyond delicacy and self-reflection, one learns how to interact and socialize with a diverse set of people. As a SOFA, one has only a few days to connect with these new students, break them out of their shells, and impart them with advice to guide their path. With such a short time to do so much, SOFAs need to develop those social skills to be able to make so much out of the smallest interactions. The way Tej sees it, “You quickly learn to lead with your own style, and become that catalyst for them [campers].”
The honors retreats serve as excellent launching pads for both incoming freshmen as they start their path at UF and aspiring young leaders in the form of the returning SOFAs. Stepping into a new role is often challenging, but with great opportunities like these, success becomes easier.
BY PHILLIP-DYLAN NDWIGA
AN EXPLOSION OF NEW UF HONORS
StudyOfferingsAbroad
Studying abroad is a highlight of many students’ time in college. The idea of experiencing a different culture and academic system for part of summer, a semester, or even an entire school year entices many undergraduates. According to the University of Florida International Center’s Global Engagement Report for 2024, UF sent 2,927 students to 56 countries in the 2023-2024 academic year alone. Undoubtedly, many of them were honors students.
Nikhil
Edouard explores the natural beauty of Tanzania’s vast wilderness
The UF Honors Program has always held studying abroad in high esteem. As discussed in this publication’s previous volume, in a piece titled “Exploring the World and Expanding the Mind,” studying abroad is an opportunity for students to expand their horizons and broaden their worldviews. To further incentivize the promise of a once in a lifetime experience, UF Honors both allows students to earn points toward their honors completion requirements for studying abroad and helps fund student travel with its Wentworth travel awards.
Now, UF Honors is helping students study abroad in a whole new way: By offering more of its own study abroad course options. This past year, when refining its strategic areas of focus, UF Honors made a point to increase opportunities for students to study abroad with the Honors Program. The result was an explosion of four new programs offered in the summer of 2024, joining the preexisting UF in Merida program offered by UF Honors.
One way the program has achieved this growth is by strategically partnering with colleges and departments to create honors course options in existing study abroad programs. That’s exactly what Dr. Melissa Johnson, Honors Interim Director, did when she joined up with the Engineering and Arts in France program to offer her course “Honors Summer in the City of Lille,” which was all about food and foodie culture.
Natalie Dunn, a 19 year old aerospace engineering student, took Dr. Johnson’s course and said it “seemed like an opportunity that [she] just couldn’t miss.” She said that the friends she made during her time in France, especially in Dr. Johnson’s honors course, were the most rewarding aspect of her experience abroad. As to why engineering students on an engineering study abroad trip would want to take an honors elective on food culture, Natalie encouraged openmindedness. She had this to say to other STEM students contemplating taking an “unrelated” course: “My experience taking Dr. Johnson’s course as well as being on this trip as a whole has taught me that you can learn equally as much, if not more, outside a traditional classroom compared to a stereotypical engineering course. Unrelated, or
‘uncommon,’ courses are designed for students to experience life through different lenses.”
Another way UF Honors was able to create four new honors study abroad opportunities in one year was by developing its own study abroad programs. Meredith Beaupre, Honors Pre-Health Coordinator, worked with Dr. Adrienne Strong of the anthropology department to create the UF in Tanzania program. There, Meredith taught the honors course “Critical Analysis of Culture and Healthcare.”
Nikhil Edouard, a 21 year old health science student, said the course was perfectly aligned with his interests in exploring professions in medicine. “This program allows me to do just that in a new and exciting environment. I also love traveling and exploring nature, and Tanzania has some of the best nature displays in the world,” he said. By shadowing clinicians on the ground in Iringa and Dar-es-Salaam, this honors course opened his eyes to how external factors affect country-wide healthcare systems: “A lot of the healthcare issues in Tanzania are due to the economic state of the nation, and it has been difficult to see so many patients who need help but are unable to receive it due to lack of resources.”
In addition to France and Tanzania, UF Honors added programs in Costa Rica and England to its course offerings last year. We remain committed to finding new ways to expand our study abroad offerings so that more honors students can take advantage of these interdisciplinary and paradigm-shifting learning opportunities.
BY TEHQUIN D. FORBES
Lombardi and Stamps Scholars exploring the Qhapac Ñan with a representative from the Peru Ministry of Culture
PHOTO GALLERY
MEMORIES AND MOMENTS OF HONOR ABLE MENTION
Natalie Dunn enjoying a midday treat during her honors study abroad in France
PRISM members and officers celebrate the release of their Spring 2024 magazine by hanging out at Depot Park
Jackson O’Neill’s small group meeting lakeside at H-Camp
Honors & Aprons members enjoy a pasta cook along in Honors Village, Fall 2023
Is “math” red or blue? A group of Honors
Tabletop members try to guess what color the others are thinking of in a game of Hues and Cues
pursue his interests in medicine
Honors students pose in front of the Disneyland Paris Castle
Nikhil Edouard travels to Tanzania to
Class of 2028 Lombardi Scholars and Stamps Scholars on the shore in Spruce Head Maine, basecamp of the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School, where they spent a week seakayaking as part of the leadership expedition with HIOBS
Students in Dr. Johnson’s study abroad honors course in France on a food tour of the Vieux Lille (Old Lille) neighborhood, Summer 2024
Newly inducted Luminaries, just before their Big/Little reveals at the Box Car in Depot Park, Spring 2024
H-Camp 2024 group photo in their newly designed camp t-shirts
Students share their pieces during Envision, an annual art competition for honors students.
Students in Meredith Beaupre’s study abroad honors course in Tanzania after enjoying a wonderful safari in Ruaha National Park, Summer 2024
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We appreciate all that you do!
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HONORS PROGRAM the
YOUR CONTRIBUTION MATTERS!
The Honors Program supports the full intellectual growth of preeminent undergraduates across disciplines on their journey to achievement. Bound together by curiosity and compassion, UF Honors creates lifelong connections among and for students from around the world, while encouraging each to maximize their potential, experiences, and horizons.
Your contribution to the Honors Program will support the exceptional academic environments, transformative advising, experiential learning, scholar development, and unique co-curricular and residential programs available to all honors students. From subsidizing early arrival programs for our newest honors students to sponsoring our Medallion Ceremonies for graduating seniors, this fund provides the greatest impact for our students.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Scholarships and grants help us fund:
• Honors Retreats
• Honors Study Abroads
• Honors Events & Traditions
• Honors Student Orgs
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We appreciate all forms of honors support, including:
• Sharing this newsletter with other alumni
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