HONORS COLLEGE NEWS

The Honors College at Purdue University Northwest enhances the learning experiences of highly motivated and academically exceptional students.

Honors College students engage in advanced coursework, experiential learning, substantive research and collaboration with the University’s most outstanding faculty. These opportunities foster academic excellence, leadership skills, social and civic responsibility and other virtues required of outstanding citizens and innovators.

━ Dean's Greetings

━ Welcome Honors Class of 2026!

━ Honors Pro Tips

━ Get to Know Our Honors Dens

━ Honors Living Learning Community

━ Meet Our Honors Student Advisory Board

━ Meet Our Honors Peer Mentor Coordinators

━ Stacking 101

━ Stacked Course Student Spotlight

Dear Honors College Students and Friends,

It is a real pleasure to welcome you to a new academic year in the Honors College at PNW. I hope you had a safe and relaxing summer and are recharged and ready for an exciting year in Honors, jampacked with academic accomplishment, community service and fun events.

As we enter 2022-23 with the largest and most diverse Honors College student body in our history, it’s worth remembering that, no matter how much we may grow, personal relationships and a sense of community are what makes Honors such a special place. Whether you are new to the Honors College, or have been here for years, you know that we’re a special community—a wonderfully diverse, welcoming family—that supports one another in all we do.

Our staff and student leadership team have worked hard all summer in planning almost countless ways to get involved In Honors—take advantage of them and help us build an ever closer-knit, supportive community! I know I speak for them when I say that we can’t wait to see you in the Honors offices and in the dens.

I hope you have a wonderful, productive and enjoyable year!

Best regards,

🍁

Dr. Jonathan Swarts

Dean of Honors College

TIP #1: Check your Brightspace daily

You can see all upcoming Honors College events by signing in and going to the Honors College Brightspace Tile.

Use the link below to access Brightspace:

https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/home

The Course Home section houses all of the announcements that we put out for Honors events and opportunities.

Clicking "Content" will take you to all of the resources that we have available. At the bottom of the left hand side, you will see the "Fall 2022 Calendar of Participation and Volunteer Events." Selecting this and clicking the link will take you to a Google Sheet form showing all events (both participation and volunteer) coming up throughout the semester.

Please note that these dates are tentative and may change. The best way to stay up to date is by checking our announcements regularly.

TIP #2: Download the Pulse app

TIP #3: Check your email daily

Every student is provided with a Gmail account. Gmail is Google’s web-based email program, which provides users over 6 gigabytes of storage, fast Google search and powerful spam protection.

How do I sign in?

1. Type in your Career Account Username and BoilerKey.
2. Click Login.
   
   

Note: This is your personal e-mail box and should be treated as such. Do not share your login information or password with anyone. Always make sure that you are sending emails from your student email. Emails sent from your personal email are often flagged as spam and sent to the junk folder. Using your student email is the best way to ensure that professors and staff are seeing your emails.

** For any technology issues, including issues resetting your account password, please reach out to the Customer Service Center at 219-989-2888

TIP #4: Keep track of your volunteer hours and participation events

Attached above are the forms to track your participation events and community service hours.

As a reminder, to remain in good standing with the Honors College, you are expected to:

• Attend 2 participation events each semester
• Complete 20 volunteer hours an academic year
• Complete 1 philanthropy event in the spring. Last semester we did a 5K Community Walk to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. You can read more about it in last year's newsletter: https://www.smore.com/3chzs-honors-college-news

You will be asked to turn in your completed forms at the end of finals week each semester.

External volunteer opportunities can be counted towards your requirement if you get them approved in advance. To have a volunteer opportunity reviewed, please email our Administrator, Debbie Bachmann | bachmand@pnw.edu

TIP #5: Review the Honors College Student Handbook

Tip #6: Utilize your student resources

The PNW Writing Center - Need help with a paper? The writing center is open for tutoring this fall! You are welcome to start making appointments here. Sessions are available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, until 7 p.m. on Thursdays, and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. Sessions are offered in-person, online, and through eTutoring. You can always direct any questions you have to writingcenter@pnw.edu.

PNW Tutoring Services - As a Purdue Northwest student, you have access to academic support services that can aid you on your college journey. Please take advantage of the these services. Tutoring is FREE and provided by peers who have excelled in these courses and are familiar with the course requirements. To learn more, please visit the link. You can also use this to schedule an appointment: https://www.pnw.edu/student-academic-support/

Career Center - The PNW Career Center is constantly putting out events to assist students with their career goals, resume reviews, interviewing skills, and much more. They offer career advising that can assist with you professional development while you pursue your degree. Please visit the link for more information: https://www.pnw.edu/career-center/career-center-services/

Counseling Center - PNW’s Counseling Center provides free and confidential mental health services to currently enrolled students. Please visit the website for more information on the services that are available: https://www.pnw.edu/counseling-center/

Financial Aid - Any questions regarding your aid, scholarships, and awards can be answered by the Financial Aid Department. Visit the website to find useful information on completing and managing your Financial Aid: https://www.pnw.edu/financial-aid/

Advising - The best way to stay on track to graduate is by meeting regularly with both your primary and Honors advisor. Advising appointments can be scheduled through your myPNWplan. Check out the website for more information: https://www.pnw.edu/advising/

Your Honors College Staff - We are here to assist you at any time. You may always reach us at honors@pnw.edu with general questions, comments, or concerns. You are also welcome to stop by our main office at the Hammond Campus in the Student Union and Library Building Room 320 or by appointment in Westville. Your questions do not have to be Honors related!

Tip # 7: Have fun and get involved

Honors College is what you make it! Please be sure to participate in the events that sound the most exciting and complete volunteer hours in areas that you're most passionate about.

There are also plenty of ways that you can earn leadership experience by becoming a Peer Mentor, becoming a Teaching Assistant, or by applying to join the Honors Student Advisory Board. Keep an eye on Brightspace for these announcements.

As an Honors student, you have exclusive access to our Dens on both campuses!

Honors Den Hammond Campus; SULB 322

Honors Den Westville Campus; LSF 14)

These spaces are for Honors students only and serve as a great place to hang out, study, and meet other Honors students. Both dens have computers, comfortable seating, printers, a mini fridge, and sometimes free snacks! We also host many Honors events in both dens, such as Honors Study Nights, Popcorn Wednesday, and Zen in the Den.

This year we have welcomed our largest group of students to the Honors College community in housing.

Traditionally located on the third floor of Griffin Hall (and now part of Peregrine Hall), this exclusive housing option allows students to room with their Honors friends while taking advantage of special programming.

Honors Students,

On Saturday, September 10th at 6 PM, we will be hosting our first annual Honors Housewarming Party!

Honors Residents will be welcome in our Honors Student Advisory Board members' dorms (Griffin 304 and 307) for food, drinks, and ice cream. After, at 7 PM, students are invited to the backyard of Griffin Hall for music, a bonfire, and yard games.

Non-Honors residents are welcome to join for the outdoor portion of this event!

You can also register your room to hold some delicious food donated by the Honors College and guests.

To register to have your room entered or just simply to participate, please fill out this Qualtrics form:

https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dbWp6hjQ6Bmej0q

Thank you so much and we hope to see you all there

-- Honors College Events Committee

These student leaders make up the Honors Student Advisory Board for the 22-23 academic school year and work hard to make your Honors College experience the best it can be.

"I have been a member of the Honors College since my freshman year at Purdue Northwest and I am now in my junior year. I am a Human Development and Family Studies major with minors in Human Services, Youth Services, and Sociology.

You will pretty much always find me on campus because, aside from my role in the Honors College, I am a mentor in the TRIO program, and am the president of the Food Pantry Committee and Human Development and Family Studies Group. I have met so many of my closest friends and have had many of my favorite moments of college within the Honors College!"

"I am going into my junior year here at Purdue Northwest University and have been with the Honors College throughout the entirety of my experience here. I am currently going for a Biological Sciences major with a minor in Chemistry. This coming semester, I will be a mentor, teaching assistant, and the chair for the Ambassador Corps for the Honors College this semester as a way to get more involved with the community and the events handled on campus."

"I'm a Health Studies major with minors in both biology and psychology. I will also be serving on the Honors Student Advisory Board as Peer Mentor Chair! As a Peer Mentor Chair, my ultimate goal is to ensure that all incoming freshmen have a smooth transition from high school to college by creating events, introducing the resources PNW has to offer and establishing friendships with incoming students."

"I am going into my senior year here at Purdue Northwest. This year, I will be serving as the Peer Mentor Vice Chair in the HSAB. I am majoring in Biological Sciences with a minor in Chemistry and I plan to also stay an extra year for the 4+1 program. Last year I was a mentor, teaching assistant, and TA representative in the HSAB. Outside of the Honors College, I will be serving as the secretary for the Biology club. My name is spelled very confusingly but it is pronounced as Fee-vee and I also go by Phoebe."

"I graduated from Lake Central High School. Currently, I am a sophomore Social Work major with a minor in Psychology. This is my first year being a part of HSAB running as the Events Chair and I am very excited. I have been a part of the Honors College since my Freshman year and loved getting involved. Going into the Honors Den and meeting new people or seeing my friends in there was always exciting. You will be seeing me at a lot of events this coming year 22-23."

"I am a junior majoring in Primary Education with a concentration in Special Education, along with a Spanish minor. Along with my position on the Honors College Advisory Board, I am a Peer mentor. It will be my pleasure to work with our wonderful Honors College staff and students this upcoming 2022- 2023 school year!"

"I am serving as the Community Service Chair of HSAB, this school year. I am a sophomore here at Purdue University Northwest majoring in Nursing. I have been a part of the Honors College since starting my college journey Fall of 2021 on the Hammond campus. Throughout my short time here at PNW, I have formed connections that have helped me grow professionally and academically both on and off campus.

"I will be serving as the Community Service Vice Chair for HSAB 2022-2023. I am currently a junior at Purdue University Northwest. My major is Biological Sciences with a concentration in Health Studies and a minor in Chemistry. I’m looking forward to attending medical school after graduating to pursue my dreams of providing medical care for others as a physician! I am very involved around campus! In addition to being a member of HSAB and serving as a peer mentor this fall for incoming Honors College students, I serve on the leadership board for the Biology Club, a member of various clubs including Medical Careers Club, Sisters With a Purpose, Black Student Union, and a worker and advocate for TRIO Student Support Services."

** Bios have been shortened for formatting purposes. To learn more about the Honors Student Advisory Board, please visit our Honors College Website:

https://www.pnw.edu/honors-college/student-resources/honors-college-student-leadership/

"This will be my third year at Purdue Northwest. I am studying Finance and Accounting with a minor in Spanish. I am President of Women in Business and hold leadership positions in Finance & Accounting Club and Economics Club. I am also a College of Business Ambassador and enjoy participating in the Intramural Sports on campus."

Theodore Mantis has a dual role as Vice President of Honors and as a Peer Mentor Coordinator.

"I will be a junior this year. I’m a nursing major with a minor in psychology. I’m super excited to be one of the Peer Mentor Coordinators this semester and I can’t wait to see what this year has in store for the Freshman Mentor program!"

"I am a Junior here at PNW majoring in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Health Sciences with minors in Chemistry and Health Studies. Within the Honors College, I have had the privilege of being able to serve as a Teaching Assistant for the Fall 2021 semester and this upcoming Fall I have the privilege of being a Peer Mentor Coordinator. "

Karla is a Nursing student in her Junior year at Purdue University Northwest.

"I'm excited to work with my mentors during the Fall 2022 semester! I am a junior majoring in Elementary Education, concentrating on Special Needs. In Fall 2021, I was a peer mentor myself. I learned a lot about communication and the importance of a growth mindset as a result. As for my other experience in the Honors College, I completed a stacked course in Spring 2022. It was super fulfilling! "

** Bios have been shortened for formatting purposes. To learn more about the Peer Mentor Coordinators, please visit our Honors College Website:

https://www.pnw.edu/honors-college/student-resources/peer-mentors/

Honors Students,

Stacked courses (often referred to as "stacking" or "contract courses") are a great way to dive deeper into your major (or other) courses and earn Honors credit at the same time. To “stack” a course, you and your course instructor agree on a special assignment, project or other coursework that goes beyond the normal requirements of the class

As you begin your first few weeks of Fall 2022 classes, keep stacking in mind. If there's a class you find interesting, you may want to consider talking to your professor about completing a stacked course project to earn Honors credits!

If you have any questions about your credits or how stacking fits into your plan of study, please schedule an appointment with your Honors advisor, Allison Vickers, using the link below:

https://discover.pnw.edu/register/honorsappt22

Our guides below detail how to go about completing an Honors College stacked course including the process, expectations, and important deadlines.

Students -- feel free to forward the Brief Guide for Faculty to your professors as you discuss stacking your course.

If you are planning to complete a stacked course this fall, please keep track of these important deadlines:

BY THE END OF THE 4TH WEEK OF CLASS | SEPT 16TH

Submit contract (attached below) signed by both you and your instructor. You must also submit a written proposal describing your project to the Honors Brightspace page. After that, it is up to you to check-in with your professor to make sure you are meeting the expectations of the project.

BY THE END OF FINALS WEEK | DEC 16TH

You must submit a copy of the final project, paper, or other assignment to the Stacked Course section of the Honors Brightspace page.

TO FULFILL YOUR REQUIREMENT, YOU MUST ALSO PRESENT YOUR RESEARCH AT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

- PNW Days of Discovery 2023 | TO BE ANNOUNCED

- Honors College Research Day | TO BE ANNOUNCED

"During this past semester, I decided to stack the course FN303, which is Essentials of Nutrition. More specifically, I wrote a research paper discussing how different types of nutrients affect Type 1 diabetics in the short and long-term. Stacking this course was an incredible opportunity to delve deeper into a topic which greatly interests me, while also earning honors credits all the while.

Seeing as I plan on becoming an endocrinologist -- specifically doing work relating to diabetes -- writing this paper felt like a great introduction into the career path I've chosen. What made this experience all the more enjoyable is that both my professor and those of the Honors College were always readily available to help me if at any point I needed so.

All in all, stacking a course is, in my opinion, the best way to earn honors credits, being that stacked courses allow you to delve into topics which you enjoy, all without having to add an extra Honors course to your schedule. For each of these reasons, I'd strongly suggest anybody who is considering stacking a course to simply give it a try -- more likely than not, it will benefit you far more than you believe."

WEBSITE

pnw.edu/honors

EMAIL

honors@pnw.edu

PHONE

(219) 989-3160