FSU Honors Program Newsletter, Issue #24- April 2020

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

HONORS

ISSUE #24 April 2020

contents 3 Monthly Welcome 5 Faculty Spotlight 6 HSA at Home 8 Honors Word Search 9 Free Online Services 10 Student Submissions 11 Quarantine Reads 12 Spring Tips for Saving Local Wildlife

MONTHLY WELCOME Dear Honors Students, Where do you begin when a month ago, the spring semester at Florida State University turned on its head? Should I provide advice for online learning, maximizing Zoom, preparing for Finals? Would an“everything will be okay” type message resonate, feel heartfelt, or even matter with a global pandemic going on? I miss HSF, where I could come to work each day and enjoy every moment of watching Honors students grow and develop into amazing humans. A place where students could laugh or cry in the Honors office with the advisors and faculty members as we build a special little place inside our amazing university.

All of the above leads me back to the beginning of when I first met every student in honors. You may not remember it now, but on our application for admission there is a question of resilience. I am particularly fond of this question because it gives great insight into the character of our applicants. The ability to withstand or recover from difficult situations is a skill that goes with you everywhere in life. Being resilient is not a one-time act.

It is a skill that is repeatable; a skill that everyone in our program has even if they do not realize it yet. I see it in the Zoom or phone advising sessions, the emails, the feedback from other honors advisors and faculty who all indicate that our student population is managing this sudden shift in an absolutely positive way. I hear it from campus partners about how the honors students are facing adversity and overcoming it. While you may not feel it now, everyone will be stronger when this pandemic is over. Your ability to adjust so far will serve as that foundation for future growth.

Thinking about the beginning also leads me to think about the end and the students who will not be back in the fall. For our graduating seniors, this message is for you. The Honors Program and I are incredibly proud of how far you have come. In your first three years at FSU, a hurricane shut down campus for a week each Fall semester. In your fourth year, a global pandemic decided to one-up mother nature. Through it all, you have shown the Seminole Spirit in overcoming all obstacles by earning your degree and finishing our requirements. You have served as role models for our honors population and I urge you to stay in touch. Honors has new alumni programming and ways for you to stay involved. I strongly hope you take us up on the offer. If not, at the very least, I hope you swing by the next time you are in Tallahassee and say hello.

Finally, to end this welcome on a lighter note, I want to encourage everyone to come by the Honors Office when the pandemic is over. I especially ask that you come by and say hi to me. This allows you to have a guarantee square the next time HSA has a bingo contest, and remember, it’s just Jeff.

Stay safe and healthy this spring and summer!

Jeff

JEFFREY BADGER ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR HONORS PROGRAM FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2020 Check out the Honors Senior Highlights to celebrate our graduates and see where they're heading to postgraduation!

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT:

ROSS MORET Dr. Ross Moret received his PhD from FSU's Department of Religion. His teaching interests include Christian and Muslim political ethics, and he focuses on understanding the ways that social science can contribute to our understanding of how norms are developed, maintained, and challenged in group life. He is currently teaching courses for FSU's Honers Experience Program that focus on race, religion, justice, and society.

What made you interested in joining HEP as a professor?

What would you want students to take away from your classes and implement into their own lives?

There are a number of things, the most

My overarching goal in all my classes is to help students develop

important is the students. It is a great

their critical thinking skills, particularly in the broad realm of ethics.

pleasure to work with Honors students. It’s

We’re all bombarded with a host of implicit and explicit

one of the main things that attracted me to

messages, some of which are deeply unhealthy. My classes are

the position, and it’s what continue to love

meant to provide students with tools to question those messages

most about the job.

and to develop their own ways of thinking through life’s problems.

In doing so, I hope my classes play a small role in empowering

What has been your favorite experience at FSU?

students to lead more authentic and constructive lives.

Graduation. I earned my Ph.D. in FSU’s

Why do you think new students should join the HEP?

Department of Religion in 2018. It was a

Perhaps the most important reason to join is the community.

difficult and very long journey to earn my

Because students take a series of three classes with a relatively

degree, and it was deeply rewarding to

small group of fellow students, they get to know each other and

celebrate with my family, friends, and

their Honors professors over the course of their first three or four

mentors.

What has been your favorite experience with FSU's HEP? Getting to know the students. The

semesters. Our peer and faculty mentoring programs help to further a sense of community, Then there are the courses themselves. The curriculum we’ve created is very exciting, and all of the courses help students to develop critical skills that will be beneficial to them throughout their university and post-university experience. All of the courses are designed to help students meet their Liberal Studies requirements in as efficient a manner as

relationships I’ve been able to develop are

possible, and students in HEP generally make considerably more

by far the most rewarding aspect of the

progress toward completing University Honors than do non-HEP

program.

Honors students.

HSA AT HOME: HOW HSA STUDENTS HAVE BEEN KEEPING BUSY DURING QUARANTINE

1 2 3

4

5

7

6

1. Chaston Pfingston, an HSA Junior, won our statue challenge by being the mirror image of President Albert A. Murphree!

2. Meredith Freeman, an HSA Junior, dressed up for her Zoom call presentation! "If it were socially acceptable, I'd do all business casual presentations with no shoes from now on," said Freeman.

3. Karyna Bugos, HSA Newsletter Chair, made bunny ear cupcakes for her at-home Easter celebrations!

4. Abby Ellis, HSA Community Service Director, made pumpkin muffins to spice up her quarantine!

5. Meredith Freeman also takes advantage of her at-home time by baking healthy Morning Glory muffins!

6. Beth Skinner, HSA Student Success Director, makes a healthy, Instagram-worthy brunch instead of going out to eat!

7. Jordan Singer, HSA Freshman, spends her quarantine working on her art skills!

HONORS WORDSEARCH

FREE ONLINE EVERYTHING With most in-person events cancelled or postponed, the arts, humanities, and other fields have turned to online streaming, classes, and services to entertain and educate people while at home. Here's some of our favorites!

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MET OPERA NIGHTLY STREAMS

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The Metropolitan Opera has begun streaming a new opera each night to bring the show to you. Visit MetOpera.org for a weekly schedule and operatic classics.

NATIONAL PARK TOURS 2

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Enjoy the outdoors from indoors. Google Arts and Culture has teamed up with 12 national parks to provide guided video tours. Visit artsandculture.withgoogle.com/enus/national-parks-service/parks to see Hawaiian volcanoes, Alaskan fjords, or underwater coral reefs.

LEARN TO CODE

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London's famous Borough Market may be temporarily closed, but the restaurant owners, chefs, and food experts are giving cooking classes and revealing beloved recipes on Facebook and Instagram. To cook with the Brits, visit 'Borough Market Community' on Facebook.

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ONLINE LIBRARY APP Now's a great time to crack open a book you've been waiting to read. Libby is an app that allows people to read ebooks and audio books from their local library. Visit libbyapp.com/welcome to read from your web device or download the app.

Whether you're an artist or simply an art lover, it's never a bad time to learn more and release your creativity. These classes range from fashion design to photography to abstract art. Explore the visual arts more at www.coursera.org/moma.

DESTRESS WITH YOGA Without access to a gym, it's hard to stay motivated. If you're craving a light workout, Alo Yoga is offering classes for all skill levels and ages. Check it out at aloyoga.com

MUSEUM TOURS 8

If you've always wanted to program, code, and become computer savvy on your own time, you'er in luck. HowToCode offers lessons and certifications in JavaScript, web design, and more. More information at www.freecodecamp.org/

COOKING CLASSES

ART CLASSES AT MOMA

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Google Arts & Culture also has online guided tours through some of the most famous museums in the world. Try reading the Rosetta Stone at London's British Museum or exploring Mexico's pre-Hispanic history at the National Museum of Anthropology. More information at artsandculture.google.com/partner?hl=en

NATURE LIVESTREAMS Decompress by watching some exotic baby animals play or just relax with livestreams of beautiful nature scenes from the beaches to the mountains. To watch, visit explore.org/livecams

SHAKESPEARE'S GLOBE If you're missing theatre, the iconic Globe Theatre has you covered. Performances of Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and more are available at their YouTube page, Shakespeare's Globe.

FSU LIBRARIES Even though most of us aren't on campus anymore, FSU students still have access to our online resources. Some of these include the full BroadwayHD catalog, Met Opera on Demand, EBSCOhost, and many many more websites. Visit lib.fsu.edu to see the full catalog.

by day & night A

by

Student Daniel

Submission

Moure

It’s barely past noon, and the day already has me exhausted. After splitting off from walking with my brother, I turn on some calming music and walk towards my dorm. With all the constant movement this morning, getting from point A to Z over the course of the morning hours, I slow down and just breathe.

Taking my time isn’t something I do often enough, so it’s a welcome change of pace. At one point I think I see a friend further down the sidewalk, and I really argue with myself whether or not I’m gonna speed up and say hi. I decide to try and catch up through some detour I make up on the spot, going through some staircases to make it to the downhill sidewalk she seems to be heading towards. By the time I’m down there, I’ve lost her. I’m a little disappointed, but I’ll see her again some other time. At least I can keep on listening to music. I’m nearer to my dorm now, already planning out some of the things to do in there in my short break before my next class. Again, I choose to break off from my usual hectic nature, and instead take a seat on the campus’ quad, just in front of the entrance to my dorm.The bench I sit on is isolated, under the shade of the tree that looms over it. It’s not a spot I notice when I walk around here, and it’s almost like it was thrown into existence just for this moment. Sitting there on my own, I turn up “Lay, Lady, Lay” to full volume, and just watch the busy midday crowds all moving from classes, meals, or whatever else people are doing right now. Even with the volume turned up, Bob Dylan’s voice is particularly calming, and it’s the right change of pace that I need right now. With the virus going around, today’s the last full day I’m on campus, and I think of how this place has treated me. It hasn’t been half bad, I conclude to myself, thinking of the kid I was just a year ago. Back then I was more stubborn, naive, and ignorant. Now I’m just trying my best to make the most out of everything. I’ve been shaped into a different kind of man. I’ll remember moments like these, though. These are the simple, in between moments where you get to reflect. Looking down to the end of the quad, the vibrant green of the trees and grass lifts me up. The bright blue of the sky fills my tired soul with peace. I’m a kid who’s always searching for happiness, only to realize happiness isn’t something to be searched for. It’s always in us, but we have to have the strength to see it in every moment. Moments like these, where I get to look at the busy center of my campus, and reflect on all I’ve done. It’s been a good year.It’s past midnight, and I’m finally heading back to bed to end the day. The fog blurs my surroundings, but it also makes the beams of light more noticeable. It puts an emphasis on all the lights once I reach the quad, and instead of going back to my room, I’m once again convinced to take a detour. A quick walk around the quad, and I’ll head back inside. After all, this’ll be my last night on campus for at least a month. Queen’s “Too Much Love Will Kill” You plays on my phone, and I take in the completely different mood that the quad gives at this time. It’s quiet and empty in the area, but still well-lit enough that you can’t see the stars.

The silent peacefulness brings me into a nostalgic state of mind, and I begin to relive many memories as I walk by various spots of the quad. A conversation with a friend at that corner, walking with my brother around the southern half. I remember running towards the fountain at the heart of campus to meet some friends. But like always, the time comes to keep moving, to say goodbye, and to leave the past in its place. It’s already tomorrow, so it’s time to go home. I’ll be back, I promise myself as I enter my hall.

QUARANTINE READS WHAT HONORS STUDENTS ARE READING THIS MONTH

LEARNED OPTIMISM BY MARTIN SELIGMAN WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING BY DELIA OWENS BRAIDING SWEETGRASS

BY ROBIN WALL KIMMER SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE

BY KURT VONNEGUT FRANKLY IN LOVE BY DAVID YOON INVISIBLE MAN BY RALPH ELLISON LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE

BY CELESTE NG THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS BY THOMAS HARRIS THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES BY ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

Spring Tips for Rescuing Local Wildlife

GENERAL

RESCUE

TIPS

- Leave a wild animal alone if the baby is quiet and uninjured, monitor them from afar to see if their parent returns. If they do not return, contact a wildlife rehabilitator.

- If the baby is being noisy, approaching people for help, or is obviously injured or unwell (wrinkly skin signifying dehydration or visible wounds, contact a wildlife rehabilitator immediately to determine your next stepsÂ

BABY

RABBITS

IN

A

- Monitor and check for nest disturbance to ensure that the mother is caring for themÂ

A

SQUIRRELS

REHABILITATORS

- Before intervening with any baby animals you find, call a wildlife rehabilitation expert in your area to figure out what to do - Check the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission list of wildlife rehabilitators to find the phone numbers of those available in your area

NEST

- Uninjured baby rabbits should be left alone, mother rabbits leave them alone for large amounts of time throughout the day before checking on them

BABY

WILDLIFE

FALLEN

FROM

BABY

BIRDS

THEIR

NEST

FALLEN

FROM

- Place featherless/nearly featherless birds back into their nests - If you can't find their nest, hang a woven basket from a tree branch and watch from a distance to make sure the parents return - If the baby bird has feathers and is hopping around on the ground, just watch to ensure its parents come back

TREE

- Leave them where they are to give the Mother time to reclaim her babies -Keep people and pets away from them while you monitor - If they are not retrieved by sunset, place them in a shoe box with something warm and contact a wildlife rehabilitator

SUPPORT

YOUR

POLLINATORS

- Join the movement to save the bees in your area by buying local honey!

- Plant native flowers in your backyard or in a window box to attract bees - Create a bee bath with a shallow bowl and rocks stacked up over the water's surface for bees to land on and drink from

HONORS STUDENTS:

Want to be featured?

Submit your original research,

photography, poetry, short stories, or visual art to be featured in the HSA Newsletter! Examples of acceptable genres are

poetry,

short stories,

research, visual art, or photography, but any student work is welcome. Current Honors students should send creative writing, research, photography, or art submissions to HSAeboard19@gmail.comÂ

CALLING ALL HONORS STUDENTS:

FOLLOW HSA ON SOCIAL MEDIA! FACEBOOK: "FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY HONORS PROGRAM" INSTAGRAM: @FSUHONORS TWITTER: @HSA_FSU

Editor-in-Chief: Lillie Brody Content: Karyna Bugos Jennifer Lamont Photos: Alexa Scalchunes