In Good Hands
Article by Aspen Wooley | Photos by Grace Heaton
The Honors Program kicked off the new school year in a big way last week! Students and faculty from around BYU gathered for the annual Opening Social on Thursday evening. “Honors students are amazing! There is so much love about them, and they have this confidence and ease. They definitely stick out on another level,” noted Hannah Childs, Communications Manager for Undergraduate Education. Being part of this community makes a difference far and wide. Students, staff, and faculty feel the positive impact of those who choose to be part of the Honors Program.
Value in Connection
Students from diverse backgrounds and majors merge within Honors to create a better BYU. Jocelyn, Natalie, and Liz, friends from the Honors Program, detailed their love for Honors in the connections they’ve built. All three are juniors at BYU studying psychology. Each is from a different state, and each has different goals and aspirations. The Honors Program is where they come together. Natalie shared her love for the Unexpected Connections courses, explaining that they are “so thought provoking…and made me really engage and think really hard!” Many students express this same love and desire to learn. Liz explained she finds the value of education as she and her fellow students explore the implications of what they are taught instead of simply retaining information.
Jocelyn, from Maryland, shared how her experience has given her the tools to grow as a leader and student. In Honors classes she has been able to write more, bolstering her academic pursuits in psychology. Papers are now much more manageable for her. She expressed her love for the people she has met, sharing that they are not only incredibly smart, but fun too! Professors and students alike keep her coming back. Getting close to others and learning from them has created relationships that continue further than just class. Jocelyn is on the leadership team for the BYU OCD club, utilizing what she has learned in the Honors Program to be a better leader. She feels the impact of the Honors Program along with her peers, but it doesn’t stop there.
Not Just Students!
Faculty at BYU feel an influence for the better through their participation in Honors. Dr. Steven Johnson from the Microbiology and Molecular Biology Department teaches a HNRS 221 class called “Agency & Biological Determinism.” He teaches alongside Comparative Arts and Letters professor Michael Call. Dr. Johnson has been part of the Honors Program for a few years and shared, “I have met students and faculty that have helped me to develop relationships beyond microbiology. It is exposing me to a lot of different people and ideas, and that’s why it’s fun to be at BYU, to interact with the students.” He has captured the joy of BYU and the core of the Honors Program; the students! Professor Doug Cook, the new Honors Coordinator for Mechanical Engineering, shared a similar insight about the importance of students. He is looking forward to being with them while mixing disciplines. Everyone benefits from the interdisciplinary approach that inspires fresh insights and lasting connections.
New students planning to take part in Honors shared their perspective on what has drawn them in. Gideon from Texas is excited to gain “not just knowledge, but wisdom.” José from Peru said, “I love the idea of belonging to a smaller group of scholars trying to broaden their horizons.” Kate from Oklahoma expressed her interest in the Honors Program because it seems to bring “more of a purpose to learning.” Others shared their excitement about interactions with professors and students from all over campus. One student, Jacob, shared that he has not always been a fan of school. He hopes that this opportunity will be a way to renew a love for learning and look past his own biases. Mia, a freshman at BYU, wants to bring about positive change. She sees the interdisciplinary approach of the Honors Program as a way to “make a difference in the world.”
Every student is tied together by a shared desire to impact the planet for good and to learn. Conversations challenge in the classroom and new insights apply beyond those walls. The Honors community provides a remarkable opportunity for students and faculty alike to expand worldviews, cultivate relationships, and to grow as disciples, scholars, and leaders. Thanks to everyone who brought all of that together last Thursday evening!