{An Enhanced Experience}
The Honors College plays a special role at Missouri State University. It is your private entry into the rich environment Missouri State offers its students. By being part of the select community of the Honors College, you’ll have help in finding your own way through all the opportunities of a large-school environment—the many academic programs as well as the myriad extracurricular, social and sporting events. Through the personalized guidance of faculty and staff, and the support and friendship of your colleagues in the Honors College, you will find your path to your goals. By enrolling in the Honors College, you will enjoy all the opportunities of a large-school environment, such as: • a solid academic reputation built upon a mission in public affairs; • more than 150 different undergraduate and 48 graduate degree programs from which to choose; • world-renowned faculty; • state-of-the-art laboratories and facilities; • a nationally recognized system of residence halls; • a lively student body, including the athletic student spirit group Maroon Madness; • a healthy extracurricular program, including NCAA Division I athletics and intramurals; and • nearly 300 active student organizations.
As a member of the select community of the Honors College, you also will be enrolled in an enriched program with like-minded, highly motivated students like yourself. Class sizes are smaller in this program and students receive more personal attention from some of the best faculty on campus. In addition, Honors College students register early, have access to Honors College residences such as Scholars House and get specialized advisement. For those students with the capability and drive, the Honors College offers an enhanced university experience. Are you in?
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Majors by academic college 17% 23%
18%
Percent of students in each college
20% 3%
7% 5%
7%
• College of Arts and Letters • College of Business Administration • College of Education • College of Health and Human Services • College of Humanities and Public Affairs • College of Natural and Applied Sciences • Undeclared Other
Geographic Origin 14% 24%
18%
Where are students from?
6%
33% 5%
• St. Louis region • Kansas City region • Southwest region • Southeast region • Central region; other areas of Missouri • Out of state
Honors College Students
Admission into the Honors College
So, what is a typical Honors College student like? The short answer: There is no typical Honors student! There are approximately 1,150 full-time Honors students in an undergraduate population of over 14,500. Honors students represent an amazing cross-section of the best and the brightest students around, and they all share a background of scholastic excellence and a love of learning.
To be a member of Honors College, you will need to have a solid academic background and a demonstrated ability to succeed among your peers. For first-time freshmen, admission is by invitation only. To be invited, you must meet the following requirements:
Average ACT score: 30 Average high school class rank: 94th percentile Average Missouri State general ed. GPA: 3.77 Average Missouri State honors GPA: 3.82 Majors: all (see chart above) Geographic origin: throughout Missouri and across the nation (see chart above) Retention: 84 percent will have graduated or transferred to another university for specialized programs (e.g., engineering, pharmacy) after 10 semesters.
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• Be admitted to Missouri State • Score 27 or higher on the ACT (or 1220 or higher on the SAT) • Rank in the top 10 percent of your high school class OR have a 3.90 or higher cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale If you do not meet the initial eligibility requirements or are interested in joining the Honors College later in your college career, you are encouraged to contact the Honors College office, preferably no later than the first semester of your sophomore year. Each applicant will be considered on an individual basis. Applications are available from the Honors College office, located in University Hall, room 212.
Honors College members often study in other countries. Josh Snowden (left) and Drew Keaster (right) were looking for an experience off the beaten path. The two settled on South Africa as their destination. Fellow Honors student Melissa Fagan (center), who knew she wanted to study in South Africa since before she came to college, joined the expedition.
Josh Snowden
Major: Pre-Law, Political Science | High school: Lee’s Summit North High School | Hometown: Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Melissa Fagan
Major: Theatre | High school: Hickman High School | Hometown: Columbia, Mo.
Drew Keaster
Major: Pre-Med, Cell and Molecular Biology | High school: Mountain Home High School | Hometown: Mountain Home, Ark.
In South Africa, Josh, Melissa and Drew took classes at prestigious Stellenbosch University, where each took advantage of amazing learning opportunities. Josh, a pre-law/political science major, studied the effects of apartheid and its relationship to South African government, law and culture. Melissa, a theatre major, pursued acting classes — and her interest in using theater for social change — while working with high school students to write and perform an original play. Drew, a pre-med major studying cell and molecular biology, worked in an ARV clinic. He learned first-hand about the health-care challenges facing South Africa and the AIDS
threat growing throughout the continent. They were immersed in the culture of South Africa: They regularly encountered up to eight different languages in a given day; they volunteered their time with a peer-to-peer AIDS education program; and they joined in the country’s celebration of the 90th birthday of Nelson Mandela. They also had time for some activities purely for fun, like going into an underwater cage and getting up-close-and-personal with great white sharks, white-water rafting just below Victoria Falls and doing a 33-day backpacking trek across subSaharan Africa that covered more than 6,000 miles.
Since returning to Missouri State, Drew, Josh and Melissa have been busy with their studies and extracurricular involvement. They help organize one of their favorite activities: Dance Bearathon, an all-night dance party that raises money for the Children’s Miracle Network. But once you have been bitten by the international travel bug, it’s hard to stay put. The three will be packing their bags in spring 2010 and heading for a semester of study in China. “It will be something brand-new, something completely different,” said Drew. “It will be more of an immersion experience.” The students are continuing their roles as
unofficial cultural ambassadors: Each has encouraged one or more friends to join them on the trip. They are helping to ensure that the spirit of adventure and cultural exploration remains a strong tradition in the Honors College at Missouri State.
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“Small class sizes enhance students’ opportunities to expand their creative potential — it’s this atmosphere that greatly promotes interaction.”
The Honors College program consists of two components: General Honors and Departmental Honors. As an Honors College student, you must complete General Honors before you can participate in Departmental Honors. You can opt not to do Departmental Honors. General Honors (required of all members) • Seven courses, including: u UHC 110 Freshman Honors seminar u Five general honors courses in the first five semesters. • Four of five must be general education. • There must be four different prefixes. • Must be enrolled in at least one honors course each semester until the above requirement is complete. • All courses satisfy general education or major requirement.
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Professor of Music Specializes in Enhancing Students’ Views of the Arts Springfield Regional Opera Conductor Springfield Symphony Principal Violist Missouri State Chamber Orchestra Conductor Missouri State Excellence in Community Service Award Recipient 2002 London Study Away Programs Faculty
Scholars House is open only to Honors College members. It provides space for 115 students in four-person suites with private bathrooms, offering a living environment in which residents share the same academic goals. The eighth floor of Hutchens House is reserved for Honors College students. Hutchens House Scholars Floor has space for 71 students with two- and four-person suites.
The Academic Program of Choice
Dr. Amy Muchnick
• One course which addresses one of the three public affairs themes: u Cultural competence u Community engagement u Ethical leadership • Must maintain 3.25 cumulative GPA. Departmental Honors (optional; available to members who have completed general honors) • Twelve semester hours of honors courses in your major. • Senior project in your major. May be part of the 12 semester hours, but must be at least three semester hours and no more than nine. Diplomas and transcripts of those students who complete both general honors and departmental honors will include both citations.
No two days are ever alike in Muchnick’s Honors Music Appreciation class. Known for her out-ofthe-box teaching styles, such as finger-puppet opera and Beethoven rap, Muchnick draws not only from her own creative energy, but also from that of her students while teaching music to nonmusic majors. “In the age of technology, I believe the arts are more important than ever because the arts promote emotion and humanity. Technology does not. I make sure that my classes experience the arts in a very creative atmosphere. There is so much to understand about the great geniuses of music. So not only do we study about these great musicians and composers, we also go to the symphony and the opera as a group, as well as have live performances in the classroom.”
Dr. Muchnick is a professional musician as well as a professor at Missouri State. Her range of experiences gives her students a window into different perspectives on all types of music. Missouri MissouriState StateUniversity University
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David Vinyard
{Honors College Membership Benefits}
Bachelor’s: 2007 B.S. in Chemistry and Agriculture Master’s: 2008 M.S. in Chemistry Hometown: Stockton, Mo.
A Message from the Director of the Honors College “I want to encourage you to be a part of a special community of scholars at Missouri State University — the Honors College. You will have the opportunity to take small classes led by some of the finest faculty at the University and enjoy the camaraderie of other students just like you. This personal approach to learning creates a small college feeling within the larger University environment. You’ll feel like part of a close-knit community from your first day on campus. In sum, I can promise you that membership in the Honors College will enrich your University experience, academically, civically and socially, as well as provide you with the support you need to reach your personal goals.” — Art Spisak Director, Honors College
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Special Benefits We expect a lot from our Honors College members. We expect them to study hard, get good grades, contribute to their disciplines and be movers and shakers on campus. In order to reward them for their hard work, Honors College members enjoy a number of special benefits. Working Closely with Faculty One-on-one attention guarantees that students will gain a better appreciation for the subject matter. Honors Classes Taught seminar-style, Honors classes are always smaller than regular sections, and the coursework is more engaging. Priority registration Honors students get to register for their courses before other students in their class. Library Privileges Honors students receive the same library privileges that the University offers to graduate students, including longer checkout terms and free interlibrary loans. Special Services Undecided Honors students receive advisement from the Honors College. Special Assistance The Fellowships Office at Missouri State was created to make students aware of and submit applications for national and international fellowships, scholarships and grants available to them for graduate studies. Scholars House This house is open only to Honors College members. It provides space for 115 students in four-person suites with private bathrooms, offering a living environment where residents share the same academic goals.
Named Missouri State University Citizen Scholar
Hutchens Scholars Floor Like Scholars House, the eighth floor of Hutchens House is reserved for Honors College students. Hutchens House Scholars Floor has space for 71 students with two- and four-person suites. Honors Council The Honors Council is the student organization for Honors College students. Through its regularly scheduled meetings it provides these students a voice. The council also organizes and sponsors social and community service events. Membership is automatic for Honors College students. Awards Honors College students are often the recipients of various awards, scholarships and academic honors, both on the undergraduate and graduate levels. Study Away Honors students make excellent candidates for our study-away programs. Study theatre in London’s West End, intern in the Australian Parliament or work on your language skills in Marburg, Germany.
“The five-year accelerated master’s program made me especially well prepared for graduate school. I received a strong foundation from Missouri State.”
David Vinyard’s very first Honors College class was responsible for influencing his entire career. The class was Honors Chemistry 1 and the professor was Dr. Mark Richter, who is profiled on page 9. “I enjoyed the class so much that I ended up working with Dr. Richter on my undergraduate research and my master’s research — and now here I am, a chemist,” said David, who is currently a graduate student at Princeton University. David contributed to Richter’s work in analytical chemistry. Before he graduated from Missouri State, David got credit as a co-author on five articles published in professional academic journals, including The Journal of Physical Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry. David cemented his status as a Missouri State academic all-star when he competed in the Rhodes Scholar competition and earned finalist status, the first person to do so in the University’s history. “It was nice for me to learn that students at Missouri State could compete with the best of the best at universities across the country.” David attributed some of his success in the competition to experiences he got as a member of the Honors College. His application included diverse elements such as his interest in both chemistry and agriculture, his piano skills and letters of recommendation from professors in fields from the humanities to the sciences. David is pursuing a Ph.D. in biophysical chemistry at Princeton. He is studying how alternative energy can be derived from biological sources. “Intellectually, it’s very challenging, but a lot of fun.” Although he’s interested in his current research, he doesn’t discount the possibility that he may choose to pursue other areas in the future. “I’m still trying to answer the question of what I want to do when I grow up,” he said with a laugh.
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“I think even subjects that are considered hard, like chemistry, can be accessible to everyone, which is the challenge in teaching.”
Pauline Nugent, professor of modern and classical languages, is not only bilingual in French and English but also is well-versed in Latin, Greek, Biblical Hebrew, German, Gaelic, Italian, Spanish and Modern Israeli Hebrew. Nugent has been highly recognized for her abilities. She has been included in the Who’s Who Among American Teachers and won numerous teaching awards, including the Missouri Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Outstanding Faculty Missouri State goes to great lengths to ensure that the professors who teach in the Honors College are exceptional scholars in their own right, with a love of their disciplines and a flair for teaching gifted minds. To be considered a member of the Honors College faculty, a professor must have a record of research, scholarship and publication within his or her academic area. Honors College faculty members must be able to guide students through complex course material while inspiring them to greater and deeper levels of understanding. University academic departments nominate professors to teach particular courses for the Honors College. Faculty who are nominated submit applications to the Honors College for consideration and are interviewed as part of the application process. In order to maintain high standards, faculty who teach for the Honors College are regularly evaluated by the students in their Honors College sections. These evaluations play a big part in the annual review of Honors College professors. The Rich and Doris Young Honors College Professors are a great asset to the Honors College. These individuals are responsible for
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developing and engaging in special activities critical to the Honors College curriculum and students, such as being mentors to students applying for national/international fellowships. For a list of other outstanding faculty members, go to http://www.missouristate.edu/ honors/40874.htm.
Dr. Mark Richter, an expert in the field of analytical chemistry, has been teaching in the Honors College for several years. He uses short writing assignments to connect with the students in his classes. Working with Honors students is easy because of their drive to excel, he says, but to be successful, they have to maintain motivation. “They have to want to learn.”
Dr. Mark Richter Professor of Chemistry Specializes in Analytical Chemistry
Young Honors College Professor Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar American Chemical Society Society for Electroanalytical Chemistry University Award for Teaching 2006 Faculty Research/University Grants 2006 Faculty Senate Chair 2006-07
If you ask Dr. Richter what he likes most about his job, he’ll always give you the same answer: “I get paid to blow things up.” For Richter, a veteran teacher in the Honors College, making bottle rockets and molten lava is all in a day’s work. “When I blow stuff up is what students like best.” And when his students are happy and engaged, he feels like he’s contributing to the University. “Because students in the Honors College are motivated by grades, they’re typically higher performers. I can challenge them more, extend the material a bit more and present the material in different ways.” This year, Richter was named one of Missouri State’s Young Honors College Professors, based on recommendations from the University’s Honors Committee. “I’m very honored and grateful to receive the professorship. I’ll be developing a new honors course in chemistry, be engaging more students in the research process and am looking into designing a study-away course.” In addition to teaching and scholarship, he has authored 48 peer-reviewed publications and three book chapters and has received two patents. When he’s not teaching, Richter can be found assisting students with research projects. He has teamed with one Honors student to file a provisional patent on work that they’re trying to sell to a biotech company. “It’s teacher and student working on the same side of the experiment. I don’t have all the answers, but we try to find them together.”
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Catherine Shoults
{Becoming Part of the Honors College} Advantages to Applying Early It’s always a good idea to apply for admission to Missouri State as early as possible. High school students who apply early in their senior year, or the summer before, are more likely to enjoy significant advantages in terms of scholarships, housing options and registration opportunities. An early application also ensures that students won’t miss out on an early invitation to attend Honors College. The best and fastest way to apply for admission to Missouri State is online at www.missouristate.edu/. However, printed applications also are available by request from the Office of Admissions. A $35 application fee is required at the time of application. Students also need to have a high school transcript sent to Missouri State, along with a score from a national college admission test like the ACT or the SAT. We also need transcripts from any college where students have already
received or are receiving academic credit through dual-enrollment or other programs. Once we have received all of these documents, we’ll start the admissions process. In most cases, it takes us about a week to process an application and then another week to inform a student of his or her acceptance. Once students have been accepted to Missouri State, they are eligible to be considered for admission to the Honors College. Beginning in October and continuing through March, letters of invitation are sent to qualified students. Included with the invitation is a form that prospective students are asked to return if they are interested in the Honors College. Students who apply later in the spring or summer should contact the Honors College office in order to be considered for admission. Students who have accepted membership in the Honors College are asked to commit to a summer SOAR session. SOAR stands
Recognition Honors College members work hard and Missouri State University believes they should enjoy some recognition for their efforts. All students completing General Honors receive a special notation on their diploma and transcript and are allowed to wear blue stoles during commencement ceremonies. All students completing Departmental Honors receive further notation on their diploma and transcript.
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Major: Biology Minor: Chemistry Hometown: Mountain View, Ark. High school: Mountain View High School
Named Missouri State University Citizen Scholar Awarded Phi Kappa Phi national fellowship
for Student Orientation, Advisement and Registration. At the two-day SOAR session, students meet with faculty members and staff representatives who help them schedule their fall classes and prepare for the start of their first semester at Missouri State. Honors students get invited to the earliest SOAR session of the summer, which takes place in early June. SOAR confirmation material is mailed in April.
Rewards Students in the Honors College are typically high-achievers with a strong educational background and plenty of motivation. We have high expectations for them and take pains to keep them engaged and challenged so that they are always growing. We want them to realize their intellectual, social and civic potential. Many Honors College graduates have a history of moving on to excellent graduate and professional programs all over the country. These students find that their participation in Honors College increases their chances of being accepted at their top choices of graduate schools. In addition, students can work with the Fellowships Office to apply for lucrative scholarships, assistantships and fellowships at noted institutions. Honors College graduates find that the rigorous nature of the Honors program has better prepared them for the challenging work of graduate school. Their successes have helped Missouri State University establish a strong reputation for excellence in the academic community. Of course, many graduates choose to move directly into the work force following commencement. Again, participation in the Honors College proves to be a major benefit to students starting out in their careers. An Honors College background looks terrific on a résumé and employers are sure to be impressed by the natural talent and strong work ethic required to succeed in the Honors College. That’s a leg-up on the competition, a valuable commodity in a competitive workforce, and it might just make the difference when applying for that once-in-a(continues on page 12)
Other Outstanding Honors College Graduates Caleb Lines - fellowship, Harvard Divinity School Kristina Merrick - staff assistant for Congressman Roy Blunt, Washington, D.C. Jeremy Robinett - assciate director of development, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Elizabeth Taglauer - Fulbright Scholar at the Marie Curie Institute in Paris, France Craig Teague - Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; assistant chemistry professor, Cornell College Mark Thorne - Ph.D., University of Iowa, assistant professor classics, Wheaton College Joshua Trampier - associate director, Center for Ancient Middle Eastern Landscapes (CAMEL), Oriental Institute, University of Chicago Wesley Wilson - master’s in public affairs from LBJ School, Austin, Texas; e-communication Coordinator for the United States Agency for International Development Maria Witt - chemistry teacher, Kenya, Peace Corps
For former Presidential Scholar and Honors College graduate Cat Shoults, pursuing her master’s degree at the Yale School of Public Health was an opportunity to focus on a subject area intensely interesting to her — infectious disease. “I’ve always been fascinated with disease,” Cat said. “It’s wild that something so small can wreak such havoc.” Cat came to Missouri State from Mountain View, Ark., and graduated in 2009 after majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry. Her current field of study will allow her to combine her passion for science with her desire to help make the world a better and healthier place. The Honors College provided Cat with opportunities that profoundly influenced her life and scholarship opportunities. Associate Dean of Graduate Studies Thomas Tomasi taught her freshman honors seminar class and was so impressed with her work that he offered her the opportunity to assist with his research. This laid the groundwork for her participation in the Trans Cultural Health Experience, a study-away program in Ecuador. She was later selected to attend the prestigious National Institute of Health Research Experience for Undergraduates, where she spent a summer doing first-hand stem cell research. “The thing that was so special about Missouri State was that I got to do so much research. In the science world, research is everything,” Cat said. “The Honors College can really shape your entire college experience.”
“My dream job would be at the intersection of policy and government, working on a program that would be going on all around people and they wouldn’t even notice that it is keeping them safe.” Missouri MissouriState StateUniversity University
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lifetime dream job. Furthermore, the enhanced curriculum that graduates experience better prepares them for their work, which leads to promotions, better pay and career successes. Honors College grads have an impressive history of going on to fascinating and rewarding jobs. Employers already know that Missouri State graduates are terrific employees, and the work of Honors College alumni only serves to reinforce that reputation. Finally, Honors College graduates can enjoy the satisfaction that they were able to succeed in a challenging and competitive program. They emerge from Missouri State University with a more thorough knowledge of an academic discipline and pride in their intellectual accomplishments. No matter what your plans are for after graduation — law school, medical school, government service or employment in a Fortune 500 company — the Honors College has much to boost your future success.
Scholarships While there is no freshman scholarship specifically tied to the Honors College, most members receive one or more at Missouri State. In fact, if you qualify for the Honors College and you apply to the University by March 1 of your senior year, you’re guaranteed to receive at least the Academic Scholarship. The Academic Scholarship is worth $2,250 per year and can be renewed for three more years for a total value of $9,000. Recipients who are residents of states other than Missouri qualify for a full waiver of nonresident fees. The Academic Scholarship requires a score of 26 or higher on the ACT (or SAT equivalent) and a rank in the top 20 percent of one’s class (or a 3.70 or higher cumulative GPA on a 4.00 scale). Since Honors College membership requires a 27 or better on the ACT and either a rank in the top 10 percent or a 3.90 or higher GPA, all members are automatically eligible. The Board of Governors Scholarship is the most valuable of the automatic scholarships that Missouri State University offers. It requires a score of 28 or higher on the ACT (or SAT equivalent) and rank in the top 10 percent of one’s class (or a 3.90 or higher cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale). This scholarship covers basic fees for 32 credit hours per year and is renewable for an additional three years. Recipients who are residents of states other than Missouri qualify for a full waiver of nonresident fees. The Presidential Scholarship is the most prestigious freshman award available at Missouri State University. It covers full academic fees for up to 18 hours per semester and on-campus
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room and board for fall and spring semesters. The Presidential Scholarship requires a score of 30 or higher on the ACT (or SAT equivalent) and a rank in the top 10 percent of one’s class or a 3.90 or higher cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale. It is a competitive scholarship and requires an application with essay and an interview. Forty Presidential Scholarships are awarded each year. The application deadline is Jan. 15 and students may apply online at www.missouristate.edu/ presidentialapp/. For the most updated information about these and many other scholarships and financial aid opportunities, please visit the Missouri State financial aid Web site at www.missouristate.edu/ financialaid/.
“There’s not one thing I can pick that I liked best about being in Honors College, but it’s nice to be surrounded by students who are just as motivated and capable as you are.”
Arrange a Campus Visit Now that you’ve heard all about Missouri State and the Honors College, why don’t you check it out for yourself? Just call our Campus Visit Desk toll-free at 800-492-7900, and we’ll arrange a personalized visit for you and your family. In the meantime, if you want more information about Missouri State University, check out our Web site at www.missouristate.edu. For more information about the Honors College, go to www.missouristate.edu/honors/.
Mana Boushehri Office of Admissions 417-836-5517 800-492-7900 Fax: 417-836-6334 TTY: 417-836-4770 Info@missouristate.edu Office of Financial Aid 417-836-5262 800-283-4243 Fax: 417-836-8392 TTY: 417-836-4770 FinancialAid@ missouristate.edu Missouri State Switchboard 417-836-5000
Honors College 417-836-6370 Fax: 417-836-6372 HonorsCollege@ missouristate.edu Department of Residence Life and Services 417-836-5536 800-284-7535 Fax: 417- 837-2327 TTY: 417-836-5503 ResidenceLife@ missouristate.edu
Enrolled at the Southern College of Optometry, Memphis, Tenn. Pre-Optometry Club Scholars House Resident Campus Leaders at Work (CLAW) Peer Leader 2006 Public Affairs Week 2007 Overall Chair Emerging Leaders 2007 Honors Council President 2006-07 2009 Cum Laude Honors College Graduate