Building Connections and Community

We are excited to welcome a great group of students to help build our Honors community connections! The Honors Ambassadors is a new initiative created by the Honors Student Leadership Council (HSLC) for the 2019-‘20 school year. These ambassadors are student volunteers, selected from current Honors courses for their academic excellence and passion for Honors. These student representatives help disseminate important Honors Program information to their classmates and advocate student interests to the Honors Student Leadership Council.

Moe Graviet, Vice President of HSLC, leads the project that began with a desire to elevate the Honors student experience. She remarks, “We wanted to tap into the potential of the Honors community. We all come from different majors, minors – even the professors are on loan from departments – no one is solely ‘Honors.’ We wanted to improve connection and communication by creating a leadership program whose goal is unity. The Honors Program is already so awesome, and we wanted to elevate the student experience to another level.”

Graviet further explains that the goal is for Honors Ambassadors to create solutions that will build unity in their classes and increase scholarly collaboration. “By activating people’s leadership ability and encouraging them to act as innovators, we expect to see student-led initiatives unique to each class’s needs.” Graviet shared the Honors Student Leadership Council’s macro-scale vision for Honors student involvement on campus: if this initiative is successful, the Council hopes to explore expanding Honors Ambassador positions into Departments/Colleges to promote collaboration and advocacy for the program.

Get to know these Fall 2019 Honors Ambassadors:

HONRS 120 – DR. MAGLEBY

Ciera Anderson | Food Science & Chemistry | Sophomore

Why do you love Honors? “I’ve wanted to take the Unexpected Connections courses since I was young, and once I started doing research, I wanted to write a thesis so I joined Honors. I look forward to broadening my education outside of a narrow scientific focus. I’m fairly new, but I’ve loved the events I’ve been to, and know I made the right decision by joining.”

Nick Buxton | Computer Science | Freshman

Why do you love Honors? “I love the community of passionate learners, and we've had some good discussions about thinking patterns. Everyone is serious about learning, which means everyone gets more out of the experience. I'm excited to keep working with people, and learn more from them.”

Morgan Chase | Neuroscience | Freshman

Why do you love Honors? “At the end of the summer, I had the opportunity to participate in Late Summer Honors. I participated in the Riding Provo/Writing Provo class where we explored the city and looked at civil planning throughout the city. I am now taking HNRS 120, where we are continuing to look at how different people are using interdisciplinary thinking. I look forward to continuing to expand my thinking processes and learning more about making unexpected connections to help improve the world around me.”

Mark Feistl | Neuroscience | Sophomore

Why do you love Honors? “I love Honors for the same reason that I love learning. Anything in life is far too comprehensive to be limited to only one discipline or only one major. I believe that by joining the Honors Program, I will have ample opportunities to associate with other ambitious students, who have unique interests themselves, from and with whom I will learn vital life lessons and make unexpected connections.”

Cole Grizzell | Finance | Freshman

Why do you love Honors? “I took part in the Late Summer Honors Program and I had an amazing experience. I met a ton of friends, developed my skills, and prepared for the rigor of college. I also have been attending Honors events, my favorite being the book kick-off for 1493 and the Phantom of the Opera themed Murder Mystery party. The Honors Program provides such an inclusive and enriching experience.”

Adam Johnson | Political Science | Freshman

Why do you love Honors? “I began the Honors Program this semester—I am currently taking Honors 120. In the short time I’ve been involved, my perspective on problem solving has changed. I’ve come to appreciate how valuable it is to secure both breadth and depth in my education, and to integrate knowledge across different disciplines. I am grateful to have found a community of scholars within the university who are committed to the liberal arts education. It’s truly been a mind-expanding opportunity and I am confident that it will enhance all of my experiences at BYU now, and my future beyond the university.”

Kennedy Madrid | NeuroScience | Junior

Why do you love Honors? “I feel that with the Honors Program, I'm getting a type of education outside of the norm. I have always wanted to be engaged in more than one type of discipline, and the Honors Program gives me that opportunity to see how disciplines coexist.”

Ashley Rands | Music Performance | Freshman

Why do you love Honors? “As a new student at BYU, the Honors Program has allowed me to meet a lot of new people and get involved. Being able to talk to the wonderful faculty and helpful staff has helped me figure out why I am here and inspires me push myself. I attended the Late Summer Honors Program which was a huge help in getting used to campus and having a great first experience at BYU.”

Joseph Richmond | Electrical Engineering | Junior

Why do you love Honors? “I love helping students and professors find ways to make the Honors Program more enjoyable for others. I want to get more out my stay at BYU than just finishing my degree, taking with me a memorable and learning experience.”

Bryson Schedlenberg | Global Supply Chain Management | Freshman

Why do you love Honors? “I love the Honors Program and the way it helps me think meta-cognitively and how it helps me work with others. I want to make a difference in the world and it's so easy for us to get caught up in ourselves, Honors is a great way to make that difference while working and helping others.”

Austin Simonson | Pre-Business | Freshman

Why do you love Honors? “I love learning and I find the Honors Program truly is a great way to make "unexpected connections!” It has helped me to learn more about various disciplines and more fully appreciate others' perspectives. One of my favorite parts of the program is the great environment that is available for us in which to learn and share our ideas with others.”

Hector Tucto Medina | Accounting | Junior

Why do you love Honors? “Although my time has been short in the Honors Program, I have retained a lot of helpful knowledge and information from the wonderful Honors staff.”

Ethan Woodruff | Psychology | Freshman

Why do you love Honors? “I want to dive into the Honors Program as deep as I possibly can so that I can get a wholesome experience out of it. I also love to help people connect with another, and that is what I love doing as an Ambassador.”

HONORS 220 – DRS. HALLEN & GROSE

Nathaniel Haruch | Finance | Sophomore

Why do you love Honors? “I truly believe in the Honors Program and hope to contribute my best efforts to work with others in helping the program fit the needs of students and faculty!”

Jaimi Mueller | Sociology & Art | Sophomore

Why do you love Honors? “I was so excited my freshman year when I realized there was an entire program at BYU that evolved around making unexpected connections and asking tough questions. The Honors Program is fantastic because it provides us with so many unique opportunities and experiences. The Honors Program also does an outstanding job supporting its students and creating a strong community that helps empower the students to achieve more than they thought they were able.”

HONORS 220 – DRS. GILL & CALL

Tayzlie Haack | Economics & Political Science | Sophomore

Why do you love Honors? “I love the Honors Program because of the new connections I can make with others, between interesting topics, and with professors and advisors. Also, the Honors Program creates amazing opportunities to network and enjoy the college experience through fun events each month!”

Zak Webber | Molecular Biology | Senior

Why do you love Honors? "I love the opportunity to learn in different ways. I have watched movies in native Swedish dialects, been taught by professors dressed up like hobbits, and read incredible books."

HONORS 225 – DRS. COLTON & WARD

Grant Hamilton | Mechanical Engineering | Senior

Why do you love Honors? “I love Honors because it helps me receive a more well-rounded education and pushes me to think about the world in ways that my regular major classes do not.”

Madeleine Meldrum | Sociology| Sophomore

Why do you love Honors? “I have enjoyed the flexible and creative way the Honors Program teaches, and appreciate how the professors want us to have an experience and really internalize and apply what we learn through participation and insight, not just memorize and recite rote information.”

HONORS 226 - DRS. OTTERSTROM & PURVES

Sierra Rose Milam | Geography: Environmental Science | Junior

Why do you love Honors? “I started the Honors Program this past year and I have enjoyed every minute of it! One of the first things that drew me to the program, was the style of thinking that is encouraged and enjoyed in every class. I felt before learning about the Honors Program that no one wanted to really dive into difficult topics or learn and make new connections. Once I found this program, it was as if it was made just for my brain! I honestly never have had so much fun or learned so much in such a short period.”

Claudia Sandoval | BioInformatics | Senior

Why do you love Honors? “The Honors Program has taught me to see things in different perspectives making it possible for me to understand better other people's point of view. It makes me more proactive in the application of the principles I learn in class here at BYU. It has been wonderful in every way, eye opening and character building.”

HONRS 226 – DRS. STEFFEN & BENNION

Leah Brown | History | Sophomore

Why do you love Honors? “So far, all of the classes have been incredibly enjoyable and have taught me perspectives that I never would have attained otherwise. I've attended many of the socials and enjoy the diverse topics that the Honors Program introduces its members to. Being in the Honors Program has elevated my college experience in how it introduces students to different ways of thinking and opportunities to discover along with like-minded students.”

Tim Erikson | Mechanical Engineering | Sophomore

Why do you love Honors? “Honors 120 last year, the Honors events, and my Honors 226 class this year.”

HONRS 290R – DRS. BEKKER & DUNCAN

Amberlee Woodhouse | Piano Performance | Junior

Why do you love Honors? “I love the people in the Honors Program. Each class I attend is full of people who want to learn and actively participate in learning, and it always leaves me feeling refreshed and inspired. I want to help the people in the Honors Program connect more in and out of the classroom.”

HONRS 320 - J. RADLE

Ethan McGinty | English & Portuguese | Junior

Why do you love Honors? “I love the Honors Program because it provides a challenging and multidisciplinary environment where I can develop my own interests and learn from the specialties of other students. I love that all of the classes are designed to provide open-ended discussions where learning is about exploration.”

HONRS 320 – K. JOHNSON

Elizabeth Wallace | Comparative Literature | Senior

Why do you love Honors? “I have always loved the Honors Program because individual disciplines can give a myopic view of the world, but Honors wants to understand from a more well-rounded point of view. The classes are engaging, the activities are fun, and the chocolate chats are always thought-provoking. I'm looking forward to writing my thesis and finishing strong.”

Honors Ambassadors make the following commitments, (1) Make weekly announcements in class on Honors Program events and deadlines, (2) Volunteer to help at Honors events, (3) Communicate student needs to assigned Honors Student Leadership Council member, and (4) Attend a semester Kick-Off training and a Closing Social that functions as a focus group.

Candidates apply for the Honors Ambassador position during the first week of school. The Honors Student Leadership Council looks for students with enthusiasm, commitment to the Honors Program ideals and a desire to contribute to the program. If you are interested in an Honors Ambassador position for Winter 2020, submit an early application here.