Honors Student Leadership Council

The Honors Student Leadership Council (HSLC) is a team of students from disciplines across campus who advance the Honors Program mission through activities, events, and other program initiatives to cultivate an Honors community of student-scholars. They work closely with the Honors Program administration to provide student input to the program and facilitate outreach.

The Council is divided up into three different teams with various assignments:

Marketing – The goal of the marketing team is to increase awareness of Honors Program across the University and to help Honors students be aware of the resources available to them. They accomplish this goal by orchestrating advertising to current Honors Program students and promoting the Honors Program at the University level.

Events – The goal of the events team is to engage Honors students in our community of scholars, as well as enhance Honors students’ undergraduate experiences. They design and coordinate events to increase the familiarity of Honors students with various resources, notable scholars on campus, and each other.

Community – The goal of the community team is to enrich and unify the Honors community of scholars by connecting students, professors, and administration with one another. They do this by providing a link between the Council and the students through the Honors Ambassador program and advocating for Honors students on an administrative level.

Get to know the members of this year’s Honors Student Leadership Council!

Trevor Matthews| President | Marketing
I am from sunny St. George, Utah and I’m double majoring in Classical Studies and Spanish. In my spare time you can find me riding my bike, hiking, camping, or reading. My favorite part of the Honors Program is the collaborative environment that the classes and students in them create.

Moe Graviet | Vice President | Community
I am a senior from Emmett, Idaho studying both English and Philosophy with an emphasis in vulnerability, spirituality, and Victorian literature. I enjoy traveling, parasailing and love the way the Honors Program captures the essence of the liberal arts approach--the arts that set you free.

Emilee Carr | Secretary | Marketing
I am a sophomore majoring in Molecular Biology and minoring in Chemistry. As a resident of Anaheim, CA, I am a Disney enthusiast as well as an avid history nerd, hiker, and aspiring chef. My favorite part of the Honors Program is the focus on interdisciplinary learning, specifically the synthesis of my passion for history, the sciences, and sociology in the Honors Unexpected Connections classes.

Joe Evans| Treasurer | Events
I am part of the Accounting Major in the Marriott Business School and I'm originally from a small town in Northern Utah called Tremonton. I love doing voice impressions, watching sports, and spending time with my wife, Ashley, and our puppy, Karen. I love the interdisciplinary cooperation that the Honors Program offers--there's truly nothing else like it on campus.

Rebekah Pimentel| Marketing
I am majoring in the Classics with an emphasis in Latin, and I'm from Lunenburg, MA. I read voraciously, often go stargazing, love Hanoi towers, and once shook Tim Ballard's hand. The Honors program has helped me become a better person as I've learned to look at difficult issues from the other's perspective, enlarge my love of learning, and become a part of this amazing community of scholars.

Joseph Leung| Marketing
I am a double major in ACME and Economics with a minor in Business Management. I've lived all over the place, ranging from Hong Kong to Connecticut, but my family is currently in Arizona. Moving around so much didn't allow too much time for hobbies, but a few that I managed to keep over the years were the violin and chess. As for Honors, I've loved the community. I have sustained the friendships I have made here and it's a much more close-knit experience then a large school normally offers.

Lindsey Walker | Events
I am a junior from West Jordan, Utah who is majoring in Political Science and minoring in International Development. I am a huge sports enthusiast! I love playing volleyball, basketball, golf, spikeball, and cheering on the Utah Jazz. One of the reasons I love the Honors Program is that it has taught me that I don’t have to choose between my passions; I have seen how the world and all disciplines are interconnected through the interdisciplinary classes. I also love that it gives me a chance to get involved in my own research in preparation for graduate school.

Samira Herber |Events
I am a senior from Germany majoring in Studio Art. I just recently discovered my love for bookbinding and have been experimenting with different techniques. I am particularly enthusiastic about the level of interdisciplinary learning students engage with in the Honors Program.

Gabe Richardson | Community
I am a Physics Major/Math Minor, and I grew up partially in San Diego, California, and partially right up the street from BYU near the “Old” Provo Temple. Some of my big life goals are 1) complete a sailing voyage from Southern California to Hawaii, 2) perform research in Antarctica, 3) drink water in space. One thing that I love about the Honors Program is the unique style of learning, whether that is researching an idea using interdisciplinary thinking or learning through experiences.

Lillian Barrus | Community
I am majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Music with hopes of attending medical school after graduation. Although I was born in Hiroshima and spent some of my early childhood in Yokohama, Japan, I grew up mostly in Heber City, Utah. I love traveling and trying every weird food at least once. In the last few years, I have had the opportunity to travel to New Zealand, Israel, New York, and Canada for piano performance, and Nepal and Mexico for humanitarian service. I love the holistic nature of the Honors program, and that the focus of professors is to not only teach us material, but to teach us how to be thinkers.

Evelyn Maeser | Community
I am from Salt Lake City, UT and I am majoring in Psychology and Economics. Something that people may not know about me is that I am a direct descendant of Karl G. Maeser, the man who founded BYU! I love that Honors centers on the unexpected connections we can make, and that's exciting to me. The Honors Program has enabled me to feel a strong sense of discovery in my learning.

Vika Filimoeatu | Advisor
Perhaps the most crucial position on the Honors Student Leadership Council is the staff advisor, Vika Filimoeatu. Vika has provided invaluable guidance to HSLC over the past four years and has instilled a legacy of excellence within the Council.

In addition to their individual responsibilities, council members meet twice a week in class for instruction and training on teaching leadership through principles and building skills. Members of HSLC commit to serve a full year, both Fall and Winter semesters. They are passionate about the Honors Program and sharing their experience with others. If this is an opportunity that sounds interesting to you, watch for the application deadline in March and reach out to a member of HSLC for the inside scoop!