By Marith Anderson
With the availability of Honors seminars at Houghton University, faculty and students alike are provided with the opportunity to dive deep into various topics of interest, such as neuroscience and human autonomy, slavery and freedom, leadership, the history of animation, and more.
Houghton currently offers two First Year Honors Programs (FYHP). Whether a part of Science Honors or London Honors, students can engage with an academically rigorous learning experience and form close bonds with their peers. Professor of Philosophy and Honors Director Benjamin Lipscomb shared that this is a different approach to honors studies at other universities, which more often have their program spanning over all four years.
After becoming Honors Director about a decade ago, Lipscomb wanted to add some continuity to the experience that students in an FYHP would have, without sacrificing the program’s unique first-year aspect. He could see that students loved the intense, transformative experience and missed that feeling as they continued their academic pursuits.
In an effort to maintain this type of learning environment, and to incorporate honors level studies across more than just one year, Houghton initiated honors seminars. A concern that arose in this initiation was the likelihood that honors level students would have a burdensome course load, as Lipscomb noted that it didn’t seem fair for students in some majors to be able to continue their honors journey while others wouldn’t due to a larger course load for their chosen discipline. This concern was resolved when honor courses were limited to 1 credit-hour and required students to meet only once a week.
He also emphasized the benefits of these courses by sharing that the treat for teachers is “working with highly motivated, very talented students and getting to dig into a topic that you really love that you otherwise would not have had people to talk about with. And for the students is a chance to mix and mingle across years and Honors cohorts… you get a tossed salad of participants every time.”
Senior Skye Chaapel, who was involved in the Science Honors program in her freshman year, shared a bit about her experience with these seminars. In past semesters, she has taken a course on neuroscience and human autonomy with Assistant Professor of Psychology Dr. Alison Young Reusser, and another on bad leadership with Vice President for Student Life Marc Smithers. Currently, she is enrolled in an honors seminar taught by Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Ransom Poythress on science and the evidence for God.
“They have all been discussion-based,” Chaapel notes. “As someone who prefers listening to talking, it has been a really unique experience.” She values the chance to learn and develop her thoughts not only from the professors, but also from the students, noting that she “[gets] to listen to what other people think about certain topics, and a lot of students on campus have very eye-opening opinions and really sound reasoning and thoughts.” As a science major, Chaapel feels that the seminars exposed her to topics and professors from other disciplines that she may otherwise have not been introduced to, and have helped her to become a more well-rounded individual.
Senior Jax Johnson shared sentiments similar to Chaapel. They have taken an honors seminar on P.G. Wodehouse with Professor of Theology Dr. Jonathan Case, as well as honors seminars about St. Augustine’s Confessions and Gurus, both with Lipscomb.
Similar to Chaapel, Johnson noted the value of the conversations that can take place in the honors seminars, which they describe as “thought-provoking and interesting”. They also remarked that the honors seminars “often delve in to fascinating topics”, and that the honors seminars “can be a nice way to expand from the courses within your major.”
Another student who has appreciated their experience with honors seminars is Zebulon (Zeb) Thompson. He has also taken the bad leadership seminar with Smithers, and he is currently enrolled in the seminar with Poythress about science and the evidence for God.
Thompson referred to the honors seminars as “terrific”. He also commented on the fact that they are “a small, focused class which often allows you to explore a niche topic well.” Similar to Chaapel and Johnson, he finds that the people who take honors seminars are “interesting and insightful people, who have a variety of majors and who come from varying backgrounds.” Thompson highly recommends that students take honors seminars whenever they can.
In recent years, honor seminars have been opened up to students who have a GPA of a 3.8 or above, regardless of whether or not they were involved with a FYHP. Lipscomb explained that over the years there have been students who, for whatever reason, were not able to be involved with a full-year program but absolutely would be able handle a seminar, and he wanted to provide them the opportunity to do so if they should choose. He also acknowledged the distinct possibility that someone who had no interest in an honors program might simply be interested in a topic that’s being talked about.“I think there is something really enlivening about being in a conversation that you chose to be in,” he said, “that you don’t have to be in . . . these are some of the most uniformly motivated classrooms, and that is hugely exciting. Like the best book clubs or discussion groups, everybody is excited about what they’re learning and it creates such a nice atmosphere.” He feels that students who take these seminars have found great joy in now being able to carry out intelligent conversations with professors about the topics they have studied.
With the availability of Honors seminars at Houghton University, faculty and students alike are provided with the opportunity to dive deep into various topics of interest, such as neuroscience and human autonomy, slavery and freedom, leadership, the history of animation, and more.
Houghton currently offers two First Year Honors Programs (FYHP). Whether a part of Science Honors or London Honors, students can engage with an academically rigorous learning experience and form close bonds with their peers. Professor of Philosophy and Honors Director Benjamin Lipscomb shared that this is a different approach to honors studies at other universities, which more often have their program spanning over all four years.
After becoming Honors Director about a decade ago, Lipscomb wanted to add some continuity to the experience that students in an FYHP would have, without sacrificing the program’s unique first-year aspect. He could see that students loved the intense, transformative experience and missed that feeling as they continued their academic pursuits.
In an effort to maintain this type of learning environment, and to incorporate honors level studies across more than just one year, Houghton initiated honors seminars. A concern that arose in this initiation was the likelihood that honors level students would have a burdensome course load, as Lipscomb noted that it didn’t seem fair for students in some majors to be able to continue their honors journey while others wouldn’t due to a larger course load for their chosen discipline. This concern was resolved when honor courses were limited to 1 credit-hour and required students to meet only once a week.
He also emphasized the benefits of these courses by sharing that the treat for teachers is “working with highly motivated, very talented students and getting to dig into a topic that you really love that you otherwise would not have had people to talk about with. And for the students is a chance to mix and mingle across years and Honors cohorts… you get a tossed salad of participants every time.”
Senior Skye Chaapel, who was involved in the Science Honors program in her freshman year, shared a bit about her experience with these seminars. In past semesters, she has taken a course on neuroscience and human autonomy with Assistant Professor of Psychology Dr. Alison Young Reusser, and another on bad leadership with Vice President for Student Life Marc Smithers. Currently, she is enrolled in an honors seminar taught by Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Ransom Poythress on science and the evidence for God.
“They have all been discussion-based,” Chaapel notes. “As someone who prefers listening to talking, it has been a really unique experience.” She values the chance to learn and develop her thoughts not only from the professors, but also from the students, noting that she “[gets] to listen to what other people think about certain topics, and a lot of students on campus have very eye-opening opinions and really sound reasoning and thoughts.” As a science major, Chaapel feels that the seminars exposed her to topics and professors from other disciplines that she may otherwise have not been introduced to, and have helped her to become a more well-rounded individual.
Senior Jax Johnson shared sentiments similar to Chaapel. They have taken an honors seminar on P.G. Wodehouse with Professor of Theology Dr. Jonathan Case, as well as honors seminars about St. Augustine’s Confessions and Gurus, both with Lipscomb.
Similar to Chaapel, Johnson noted the value of the conversations that can take place in the honors seminars, which they describe as “thought-provoking and interesting”. They also remarked that the honors seminars “often delve in to fascinating topics”, and that the honors seminars “can be a nice way to expand from the courses within your major.”
Another student who has appreciated their experience with honors seminars is Zebulon (Zeb) Thompson. He has also taken the bad leadership seminar with Smithers, and he is currently enrolled in the seminar with Poythress about science and the evidence for God.
Thompson referred to the honors seminars as “terrific”. He also commented on the fact that they are “a small, focused class which often allows you to explore a niche topic well.” Similar to Chaapel and Johnson, he finds that the people who take honors seminars are “interesting and insightful people, who have a variety of majors and who come from varying backgrounds.” Thompson highly recommends that students take honors seminars whenever they can.
In recent years, honor seminars have been opened up to students who have a GPA of a 3.8 or above, regardless of whether or not they were involved with a FYHP. Lipscomb explained that over the years there have been students who, for whatever reason, were not able to be involved with a full-year program but absolutely would be able handle a seminar, and he wanted to provide them the opportunity to do so if they should choose. He also acknowledged the distinct possibility that someone who had no interest in an honors program might simply be interested in a topic that’s being talked about.“I think there is something really enlivening about being in a conversation that you chose to be in,” he said, “that you don’t have to be in . . . these are some of the most uniformly motivated classrooms, and that is hugely exciting. Like the best book clubs or discussion groups, everybody is excited about what they’re learning and it creates such a nice atmosphere.” He feels that students who take these seminars have found great joy in now being able to carry out intelligent conversations with professors about the topics they have studied.
With the availability of Honors seminars at Houghton University, faculty and students alike are provided with the opportunity to dive deep into various topics of interest, such as neuroscience and human autonomy, slavery and freedom, leadership, the history of animation, and more.
Houghton currently offers two First Year Honors Programs (FYHP). Whether a part of Science Honors or London Honors, students can engage with an academically rigorous learning experience and form close bonds with their peers. Professor of Philosophy and Honors Director Benjamin Lipscomb shared that this is a different approach to honors studies at other universities, which more often have their program spanning over all four years.
After becoming Honors Director about a decade ago, Lipscomb wanted to add some continuity to the experience that students in an FYHP would have, without sacrificing the program’s unique first-year aspect. He could see that students loved the intense, transformative experience and missed that feeling as they continued their academic pursuits.
In an effort to maintain this type of learning environment, and to incorporate honors level studies across more than just one year, Houghton initiated honors seminars. A concern that arose in this initiation was the likelihood that honors level students would have a burdensome course load, as Lipscomb noted that it didn’t seem fair for students in some majors to be able to continue their honors journey while others wouldn’t due to a larger course load for their chosen discipline. This concern was resolved when honor courses were limited to 1 credit-hour and required students to meet only once a week.
He also emphasized the benefits of these courses by sharing that the treat for teachers is “working with highly motivated, very talented students and getting to dig into a topic that you really love that you otherwise would not have had people to talk about with. And for the students is a chance to mix and mingle across years and Honors cohorts… you get a tossed salad of participants every time.”
Senior Skye Chaapel, who was involved in the Science Honors program in her freshman year, shared a bit about her experience with these seminars. In past semesters, she has taken a course on neuroscience and human autonomy with Assistant Professor of Psychology Dr. Alison Young Reusser, and another on bad leadership with Vice President for Student Life Marc Smithers. Currently, she is enrolled in an honors seminar taught by Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Ransom Poythress on science and the evidence for God.
“They have all been discussion-based,” Chaapel notes. “As someone who prefers listening to talking, it has been a really unique experience.” She values the chance to learn and develop her thoughts not only from the professors, but also from the students, noting that she “[gets] to listen to what other people think about certain topics, and a lot of students on campus have very eye-opening opinions and really sound reasoning and thoughts.” As a science major, Chaapel feels that the seminars exposed her to topics and professors from other disciplines that she may otherwise have not been introduced to, and have helped her to become a more well-rounded individual.
Senior Jax Johnson shared sentiments similar to Chaapel. They have taken an honors seminar on P.G. Wodehouse with Professor of Theology Dr. Jonathan Case, as well as honors seminars about St. Augustine’s Confessions and Gurus, both with Lipscomb.
Similar to Chaapel, Johnson noted the value of the conversations that can take place in the honors seminars, which they describe as “thought-provoking and interesting”. They also remarked that the honors seminars “often delve in to fascinating topics”, and that the honors seminars “can be a nice way to expand from the courses within your major.”
Another student who has appreciated their experience with honors seminars is Zebulon (Zeb) Thompson. He has also taken the bad leadership seminar with Smithers, and he is currently enrolled in the seminar with Poythress about science and the evidence for God.
Thompson referred to the honors seminars as “terrific”. He also commented on the fact that they are “a small, focused class which often allows you to explore a niche topic well.” Similar to Chaapel and Johnson, he finds that the people who take honors seminars are “interesting and insightful people, who have a variety of majors and who come from varying backgrounds.” Thompson highly recommends that students take honors seminars whenever they can.
In recent years, honor seminars have been opened up to students who have a GPA of a 3.8 or above, regardless of whether or not they were involved with a FYHP. Lipscomb explained that over the years there have been students who, for whatever reason, were not able to be involved with a full-year program but absolutely would be able handle a seminar, and he wanted to provide them the opportunity to do so if they should choose. He also acknowledged the distinct possibility that someone who had no interest in an honors program might simply be interested in a topic that’s being talked about.“I think there is something really enlivening about being in a conversation that you chose to be in,” he said, “that you don’t have to be in . . . these are some of the most uniformly motivated classrooms, and that is hugely exciting. Like the best book clubs or discussion groups, everybody is excited about what they’re learning and it creates such a nice atmosphere.” He feels that students who take these seminars have found great joy in now being able to carry out intelligent conversations with professors about the topics they have studied. ★
