2013 Honors Road Trip, Destination: OKC

On Friday, September 27th, Drs. Benton, Latimore, Hada and 42 Honors students joined Dr. Edwards and 3 students from his classes in the Communication and Performance Studies program. Our destination: the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, the OKC National Memorial and Museum, La Luna Mexican Cafe, and the Myriad Gardens, where we watched the Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park performance of King Lear.

Coming Soon: ECU Honors Homecoming

Please make plans to attend the Honors Homecoming at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 5^th in the Academic Engagement Center (Faust 159).  This year’s featured alumnus is 2008 Honors Program graduate Audrey Myers.

Audrey Myers

Audrey successfully defended her Honors undergraduate thesis ‘Thermodynamics of the Zinc-Oxygen-Hydrogen System” in the fall of 2007 and went on to graduate from East Central University with a Bachelors in Science in Chemistry in May of 2008. After graduating from East Central University, Audrey went on to enter in the Ph.D. program in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Oklahoma in the fall of 2008. She was awarded a Masters of Sciences in Chemistry in May 2011 after completing her coursework and passing her General Exam in May 2010. Her first advisor left the University of Oklahoma in May of 2012, but she was still able to wrap up her project from his lab and co-author a paper which she hopes will soon be published. In November of 2012 she gave a guest lecture over that project for the Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program at ECU titled “Colorful Chemistry: Iron Coordination Complexes.” In the summer of 2012, Audrey started work in a new lab with a new advisor which she hopes to finish in the spring or summer when she will defend her dissertation. While at OU, Audrey was a teaching assistant in several undergraduate chemistry labs, including General Chemistry, Quantitative Analysis, and Instrumental Methods of Chemical Analysis. In the spring of 2011, Audrey received Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award from the University of Oklahoma Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

2013 Constitution Day Lecture and Honors Reception

On Tuesday, September 17th Honors students gathered to attend the annual Constitution Day Rothbaum Lecture at 7 p.m. in the Ataloa Theatre. This year's lecture over "The Future of the Second Amendent" was given by University of North Texas' associate professor of political science Dr. Paul Collins. Following the lecture, Honors students were invited to attend a private reception with Dr. Collins to mingle and discuss the lecture and the Second Amendment in the Pogue Art Gallery .

We've Visited the Burkean Parlor

We have picnicked!

We've Exercised Our Creative Intelligence

We have lunched!

And we'll do it again tomorrow.  Thanks to all who turned out and turned in first-round ballots for House names.  If we haven't seen you yet, we hope to see you Tuesday in the cafeteria!

We have been convoked!

Dr. Mark Hollingsworth plays "Auld Lang Syne"

The 8th Annual Honors Convocation was held on

Thursday, August 22nd at 4 p.m.

Ataloa Theatre, Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center.

Here's what the program looked like:

Welcome
Dr. Steve Benton, Director, Scholastic Honors Program
Dr. John Hargrave, President, East Central University

The Honors Experience
I. 2012-2013 Honors Teacher of the Year:
Dr. Jennifer McMahon, Professor, English and Languages

II. Undergraduate Research and Engagement
Ashley Huhman, Mathematics
Macy McDonald, English

Convocation Address:
Dr. Mark Hollingsworth, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Presidential Charge:
John Dale, President, Honors Student Association

If you were there, we're eager to hear what you found inspiring!

We Have Been Oriented!

2013 Honors Orientation

Who can put names with the faces in the order that the appear in this video?

The 2013 SummerRead Questions Have Been Posted!

Will you be a first- or second-year Honors students at ECU in the fall of 2013? Have you been waiting for news about when the questions would be posted online about the SummerRead assignment? If so, the moment you've been waiting has come. If you're a first-year student click here for your official welcome to our brand new website: "ecu eq" (www.ecueq.blogspot.com). If you're a second-year student, click here for a refresher on the SummerRead "rules of enagement."  Let the commentary begin!

Why apply?

Environmentally Protected

Joshua Smith, Cody Soden, Laura Blanco-Berdugo, and Dr. Dane Scott Posing in all their glory.

Congratulations to Honors students Josh Smith and Cody Soden who will be headed to Washington D.C. later this month to make a presentation on a grant they received from the Environmental Protection Agency. This was the only grant of its kind awarded in the state!

Their particular study focused on solar cells. These cell devices convert solar energy into electricity. But they aren't being used used in our everyday lives due to their high cost, availabilty of material, stability, and their overall efficiency.

Way to go guys!

2012-2013 ECU Honors Year in Review: The Slide Show

2012-2013 Honors Highlights

At the Crystal Bridges Art Museum

On July 21st, 2012 the Honors program held its 1st Honors SummerScreen and Ice Cream Social. After a screening of the feature film Catfish (2010), students and faculty gathered in the Center for Academic Engagement to discuss the film and enjoy ice cream.

The Honors Program began the 2012 academic year with the 6th annual two-day orientation and retreat for first-year Honors students, held this year at Wintersmith Lodge.

At the Honors Convocation on August 23rd, Dr. Brenda Walling, Dean of the College of Education and Psychology, delivered the convocation address, communications studies major Allie Barton read the poem "Ithaka" by C. P. Cavafy, and mathematics major Laura Asaro and chemistry major Justin Erwin made presentations about their undergraduate research experiences.

Honors Students taking a tour
of ECU's most notable art work
during the Campus Art Walk

On September 6, 2012, the Honors Student Association sponsored a welcome picnic at Wintersmith Park geared toward bringing Honors students together and promoting a sense of community while allowing for a break from school filled with cook outs, volleyball, and board games.

On September 10th, Dr. Brad Jessop, Director of the School of Fine Arts, took Honors students on a Campus Art Walk. During this tour Honors learned the history of some of the most recognizable pieces of art on ECU's campus.

On Friday, September 21st, Drs. Benton and Latimore, and 25 Honors students went to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, the OKC National Memorial, La Luna Mexican Cafe, and the Myriad Botanical Gardens, where we watched the Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park performance of Othello.

On Sunday, October 21st, 26 ECU Honors students, joined Drs. Benton, Hannah and Latimore visited the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville; the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock; and the University of Arkansas Medical Center to attend a talk and Q&A session with Rebecca Skloot, author of this past summer's ECU Honors SummerRead: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

The Honors Student Association where represented in the 2012 Homecoming Court and Parade by Honors students Trevor Sutton and Emily Davis.

On Halloween Honors students volunteered to get together and go "trick-or-treating" for canned goods around the city of Ada to donate to a local Ada food shelter.

Mind Games Simulation

On October 21, 2012 ECU Honors students Josh Smith, Cody Soden, and Trevor Sutton competed on East Central University's Mind Games team in Oklahoma City against Rose State in a battle of the brains. These Mind Games bring together teams of students from Oklahoma colleges and universities in a televised weekly battle of knowledge.

In November, Honors students attended a screening of the film The Reconstruction of Asa Carter and later went to dinner with the film's director, producer, and executive producer.

In December, Honors students provided care packages to students from all across campus, and on December 6th, the Honors Showcase featured presentations from Ashley Cardwell (mathematics), Stephanie Duncan (mathematics), Blake Scott (molecular biology), Katlyn Shepherd (nursing), Ali Siweckyj (pre-medicine), Morgan Dickerson (chemistry/biology), Matthew Roland (business administration/marketing), Lindsey Dugan (English), Kyla Painter (biology) and Claire Marquardt (piano). That night, graduating seniors Alyssa Eickenhorst, Cassie Fabry,Mary Newport, Kristin Stecklein were honored at the annual Laude dinner along with upper division students with a 4.0 GPA:  Ashley Cardwell, Lindsey Dugan, Trevor Sutton. Dr. Christine Pappas Political Science and Legal Studies, delivered the laude address.

At a January 28^th Honors Student Association meeting, audience members were given the opportunity to test their knowledge on a variety of subjects ranging from art and literature to science and geography. High scorers were invited to the stage to compete against ECU's Mind Games team.  Several participants and later, possibly, to join them on and expenses-paid trip to a regional Mind Games tournament in College Station, Texas on February 8-9th.

HSA Historian Heather Smith participating
in a team building activity at the ropes course

In February, Honors students attended ECU's third annual French Film Festival.

In March, the HSA elected a new slate of officers and in April they joined outgoing officers to
complete a  an "Old Meets New" ropes-course.

On April 23rd, the Spring Honors Showcase featured presentations from Joshua Crittenden (mathematics), Morgan Dickerson (chemistry and biology), Lindsey Dugan (English), Josh Smith (chemistry), Justin Erwin (chemistry), Janne Klassen (English and mathematics), Blake Scott (molecular biology), Alayna Cornelius (psychology), Karen Myers (pre-veterinary) and Trevor Sutton (accounting).  At the Honors banquet, also on April 23rd, Dr. McMahon was named the 2013 Honors Teacher of the Year. Honors classroom leadership awards were also given to:  Kendall Dobbs and Cerina Stiles (second-year) and Emily Davis, Marissa Hinton, and Rachel Nicholas.

On Wednesday, April 24th, Dr. Steve Benton, Dr. Jennifer McMahon, Dr. Ken Hada and 17 honors students banded together for an epic journey to Dallas to tour the The Trammell & Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art Museum and enjoy a tea and lecture with the Monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery.

The Honors Program recognized graduating seniors at the Honors Graduate Ceremonies on December 15th and May 11th with honor stoles and bachelor's hood to complete their graduation regalia. The Honors Program graduated ten students with university scholastic honors including Ashley Cardwell, Morgan Dickerson, Lindsey Dugan, Alyssa Eickenhorst, Justin Erwin, Mary Newport, Blake Scott, Kristin Stecklein. The Honors Program also graduated two students with Departmental Honors including Cassie Fabry and Katlyn Shepherd.

Baccalaurete hoods were awarded to Ashley Cardwell, Morgan Dickerson, Lindsey Dugan, Cassie Fabry, and Joshua Smith upon successful defense of their theses.

From left to right:  Nikki Dickerson, Justin Erwin, Joshua Smith, Dr. Steve Benton, Katlyn Shepherd, Ashley Cardwell, Lindsey Dugan and Blake Scott.

2012-2013 Student Accomplishments

Morgan Dickerson giving a presentation over her thesis 'The Effects of Carbohydrate Concentrations on Heat Shock Protein Expresssion in Daphnia Magna"

• Senior biology major Blake Scott was accepted into the PhD program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
• Senior chemistry major Justin Erwin was accepted in to the PhD. program in Synthetic Organic Chemistry at Rice University.
• Senior mathematics major Ashley Cardwell was accepted into the PhD program in mathematics at the University of Oklahoma.
• Senior biology/Chemistry double major Morgan Dickerson was accepted into the Tulsa School of Community Medicine Track  in the University of Oklahoma’s College of Medicine.
• Senior chemistry major Joshua Smith was accepted into the PhD program in Chemistry at the University of Oklahoma.
• Senior English major Lindsey Dugan was accepted in to the Master of Arts in Professional Writing program at Oklahoma State University.
• Senior music major Claire Marquardt's performance of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue won first prize in ECU’s second annual Concerto Competition. Claire’s performance of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue was presented at the ECU Band’s Spring Concert, conducted by Dr. Allen Correll.
• Senior mass communications major Mary Newport won first place in the news writing category at the Oklahoma College Media Association annual conference.
• Senior mathematics major Joshua Crittenden was selected for the Research Experience for Undergraduates at the National Weather Center in Norman.

Joshua Crittenden gives a presentation over random number generation and the linear congruential method

• Senior biology major Blake Scott was selected to participate in an 8-week summer internship the Native American Research Centers for Health at The University of Oklahoma’s Health Science Center.
• Senior psychology major Cody Soden and senior chemistry major Josh Smith presented research on Organic Solar Cells at the EPA P3 Conference (People Prosperity and the Planet ) in Washington, D.C.. ECU’s team of student researchers, under the leadership of Dr. Dane Scott, was the only team from Oklahoma to receive the grant that produced this research.
• Sophomore nursing major Marissa Hinton and Senior Chemistry major Josh Smith finished 13th and 16th individually out the field of 40 in a Sectional Qualifier for the National Academic Quiz Bowl Tournament. Marissa, Josh, and other members of ECU’s Mind Games team competed against teams from Rice, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State University.
• Sophomore biology major Catherine Phipps won the Brad Henry International Scholarship offered by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) and the University of Wales, Swansea (Swansea University) to undergraduate students from Oklahoma regional universities for a student exchange program in Wales in the United Kingdom.



Joshua Smith presenting 'A study of Varied Dopant Levels in BIMEVOX Compounds by Microwave Synthesis"







• Sophomore business administration major Rachel Nicholas was elected president of ECU’s Student Senate; sophomore elementary education major Morgan Johnson was elected secretary of this university-wide organization.  Senior legal studies major Meagon Eagon was elected chief justice of ECU’s Honor Court, the judicial body of the student government association.

• Sophomore mathematics major Laura Asaro was accepted into a Research Experience for Undergraduates (or REU) at The Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute at Arizona State University.
• First-year accounting major, Ashley Huhman was one of twenty students from across the nation chosen for a summer Research Experience for Undergraduates with mathematics faculty at Michigan State funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Security Agency.
• Nine Honors Program students participated in the Oklahoma Scholar-Leadership Enrichment Program, an intensive, three-hour seminar taught by nationally recognized scholars.

 

2013 Honors Graduation Ceremony

Morgan Dickerson, Justin Erwin, Joshua Smith, Honors Director Dr. Steve Benton, Katlyn Shepherd, Ashley Cardwell, Lindsey Dugan, and Blake Scott.

 The Honors Program recognized graduating seniors at the Honors Graduation  Ceremonies on May 11th with honor stoles and bachelor's hood to complete their graduation regalia. Five students graduated with university scholastic honors:  Ashley Cardwell, Morgan Dickerson, Lindsey Dugan,  Justin Erwin,  Blake Scott, and Joshua Smith. Katlyn Shepherd graduated with departmental honors. White baccalaurete hoods were awarded to Spring Honors graduates Ashley Cardwell, Morgan Dickerson, Lindsey Dugan, and Joshua Smith upon successful defense of their theses.

Joshua Smith: A Study of Varied Dopant Levels in BIMEVOX Compounds by Microwave Synthesis

Honors Chemistry major Joshua Smith successfully defended his thesis “ A Study of Varied Dopant Levels in BIMEVOX Compounds by Microwave Synthesis.” Joshua presented his thesis before a panel of professors including Dr. Dwight Myers, Dr. Dane Scott, and Dr. Carl Rutledge. Joshua now looks forward to graduating with full university honors in May 2013.

Dr. Carl Rutledge, Dr. Dwight Myers, Joshua Smith, and Dr. Dane Scott

Joshua Crittenden: The Linear Congruential Method

Honors Math major Joshua Crittenden successfully defended his thesis "The Linear Congruential Method." Joshua presented his thesis before a panel of professors including Dr. Anita Walker, Dr. Bill Walker, and Dr. Robert Ferdinand. Joshua now looks forward to graduating with departmental honors.

Dr. Robert Ferdinand, Dr. Anita Walker, Joshua Crittenden, and Dr. Bill Walker