ANNUAL REPORT
HONORS PROGRAM AND VISITING
SCHOLARS COMMITTEE
2000-1001
The Honors Program and Visiting Scholars Committee has continued
to enrich the campus community by offering a wide range of
stimulating Honors courses, promoting scholarship opportunities,
sponsoring undergraduate research projects, and providing financial
support for noted scholars to come to URI for special presentations
to students, faculty, and the public. A brief informational report
describing specific activities of the Committee for 2000-2001
follows.
A. Eligibility Standards for
2000-2001
The standards of eligibility for students to participate in
Honors Program course work continue to be the same: Freshmen must
have graduated in the top 10% of their high school class or present a
letter of recommendation from their principal or guidance counselor.
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors must have earned a 3.2 QPA. Under
special circumstances, these requirements may be modified with
permission of the Director.
B. Courses and Enrollment
During the Fall, 2000 semester, the Program offered twenty-three
Honors courses in addition to Senior Honors Projects and
Administrative Internships: eleven 100-level courses, the 200-level
Colloquium, nine 300-level tutorials, and two 400-level Senior
Seminar. In the Spring, 2001 semester we offered twenty-six Honors
courses in addition to Senior Honors Projects and Administrative
Internships: twelve 100-level courses, twelve 300-level tutorials,
and three 400-level Senior Seminars. Student enrollment in Honors
classes was 367 during the Fall, 2000 semester and 333 students
during the Spring, 2001 semester. For Fall, 2001, twenty-four Honors
courses in addition to Senior Projects and Administrative Internships
will be offered totaling 455 seats. 713 currently registered URI
undergraduates have now participated in Honors courses during their
undergraduate career, bringing the program near the national norm for
participation involving at least one-fourth of Honors-eligible
students in Honors course offerings.
C. Faculty
During the 2000-2001 academic year: College of Arts &
Sciences: Professor Cynthia Hamilton (African & Afro-American
Studies), Professor Emeritus Paul Abell (Chemistry), Professor
André Ariew (Philosophy), Professor Mark August (Communication
Studies), Professor Sharman Brown (Communication Studies), Professor
Mary Cappello (English), Professor Nancy Cook (English), Professor
Charles Collyer (Psychology), Professor Lynne Derbyshire
(Communication Studies), Professor Emeritus James Findlay (History),
Professor Cheryl Foster (Philosophy), Professor Marc Genest
(Political Science), Professor David Gitlitz (Modern and Classical
Languages and Literature), Professor Frank Heppner (Biological
Sciences), Professor Diane Hill (Communication Studies), Professor
Galen Johnson (Philosophy), Professor Sandra Ketrow (Communication
Studies), Professor Alfred Killilea (Political Science), Professor
James Kowalski (Computer Science & Statistics), Professor Edmund
Lamagna (Computer Science & Statistics), Professor John Leo
(English), Professor James Lewis (Mathematics), Professor Linda Levin
(Journalism), Professor Rick McIntyre (Economics), Professor Art Mead
(Economics), Professor Alinda Nelson (Communication Studies),
Professor Ron Onorato (Art), Professor Albert Silverstein
(Psychology), Professor Arthur Stein (Political Science), Professor
Judith Swift (Communication Studies), Professor Michael Tammaro
(Physics), Professor Walter Von Reinhart (Modern and Classical
Languages and Literature), Professor Robert Weisbord (History),
Professor Emeritus Stephen Wood (Political Science), Professor Tom
Zorabedian (Development). College of Human Science and Services:
Professor William Lynn McKinney (Education), Professor George Willis
(Education). College of Nursing: Professor Carolyn Hames (Nursing).
College of Business Administration: Professor Charles Hickox
(Management), Professor Edmund Boyle (Accounting), Dean Edward Mazze,
Judge Jacob Hagopian (Federal Magistrate). College of the Environment
and Life Sciences: Professor José Amador (Natural Resource
Science). Graduate School of Oceanography: Professor Kenneth Rahn.
The following faculty have been selected to teach Honors Program
courses during the 2001-2002 Academic year: Professor Mark August
(Communication Studies), Professor Sharman Brown (Communication
Studies), Professor Lisa Bowleg (Psychology), Professor Lynne
Derbyshire (Communication Studies), Professor Victor Fay-Wolfe
(Computer Science & Statistics), Professor Cheryl Foster
(Philosophy), Professor Gitahi Gititi (English), Professor David
Gitlitz (Modern and Classical Languages and Literature), Professor
Frank Heppner (Biological Sciences), Professor Galen Johnson
(Philosophy), Professor Leonard Kahn (Physics), Professor Sandra
Ketrow (Communication Studies), Professor Alfred Killilea (Political
Science), Professor James Lewis (Mathematics), Professor Rick
McIntyre (Economics), Professor Art Mead (Economics), Professor
Alinda Nelson (Communication Studies), Professor Ron Onorato (Art),
Professor Nedra Reynolds (English), Professor Arthur Stein (Political
Science), Professor Judith Swift (Communication Studies), Professor
Michael Tammaro (Physics), Professor Tom Zorabedian (Development).
College of Human Science and Services: Professor William Lynn
McKinney (Education). College of Nursing: Professor Carolyn Hames
(Nursing). College of Business Administration: Professor Laura
Beauvais (Management), Professor Edmund Boyle (Accounting), Professor
Charles Hickox (Management), Professor Andrew Laviano (Management),
Dean Edward Mazze. College of the Environment and Life Sciences:
Professor Conrad Recksiek (Fisheries & Animal Veterinary
Science), Professor Robert Thompson (Community Planning and landscape
Architecture). Graduate School of Oceanography: Professor Kenneth
Rahn.
With the support of the Office of the Provost, Deans, and Chairs,
eighteen members of the URI faculty currently hold limited joint
appointments between the Honors Program and their home departments.
These faculty members are providing a stable core for Honors course
offerings and planning. Those holding limited joint appointments with
Honors are: Professor Lynne Derbyshire (Communication Studies),
Professor Victor Fay-Wolfe (Computer Science & Statistics),
Professor Cheryl Foster (Philosophy), Professor David Gitlitz (Modern
and Classical Languages and Literature), Professor Carolyn Hames
(Nursing), Professor Frank Heppner (Biological Sciences), Professor
Charles Hickox (Management), Professor Leonard Kahn (Physics),
Professor Sandra Ketrow (Communication Studies), Professor Alfred
Killilea (Political Science), Professor James Lewis (Math), Professor
Richard McIntyre (Economics), Professor William Lynn McKinney
(Education), Professor Arthur Mead (Economics), Professor Ronald
Onorato (Art), Professor Jonathan Schroeder (Marketing), Professor
Arthur Stein (Political Science), and Professor Judith Swift
(Communication Studies). Additional Honors courses continue to be
solicited each year from the entire URI faculty, and nominations for
additional joint appointments will commence in Fall, 2001 to become
effective Fall, 2002.
D. Honors Colloquium
Professors Lynne Derbyshire (Communication Studies), Arthur Stein
(Political Science), Cynthia Hamilton (African and Afro-American
Studies), and Charles Collyer (Psychology) coordinated the Fall, 2000
Honors Colloquium, "Nonviolence: Legacies of the Past, Bridges to the
Future." The list of outstanding speakers began with the Fall
University Convocation address given by Coretta Scott King.
Additional speakers in the Tuesday evening Colloquium series were
Rajiv Vora, respected activist, educator, and author; Dr. Bernard
Lafayette, distinguished scholar-in-residence and director of URI's
new Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies; Richard Deats, editor
of Fellowship, published by Fellowship of Reconciliation, the
largest, oldest interfaith peace and justice organization in the
U.S.; Mairead Corrigan Maguire, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in
1976 for her work as co-founder of the Peace People; David
Halberstam, Pulitzer Prize winner; and Pete Seeger, legendary folk
artist.
In addition to financial support from the Honors Program, major
grants in support of the Fall, 2000 Honors Colloquium were made by
the Providence Journal, URI Foundation, Office of the President,
Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies, Women's Studies Program,
Institute for International Sport, Division of University
Advancement, Office of the Provost, and Office of the Dean of Arts
and Sciences. Additional sponsors at URI: Departments of English,
Political Science, Psychology, African and Afro-American Studies,
Communication Studies, and Music; Multicultural Center; John Hazen
White Center for Ethics and Public Service; Counseling Center; Dr.
Pauline B. Wood Health Services.
The Honors Program and Visiting Scholars Committee has selected
for the Fall, 2001 Honors Colloquium: "A Just and Environmentally
Sustainable Future: Overcoming Barriers to Action," sponsored by the
College of Environment and Life Sciences, Dean William Wright, and
coordinated by a team of faculty led by Professor Robert Thompson
(Community Planning and landscape Architecture).
E. URI Foundation Distinguished Visiting
Scholar
As recipient of the 2000-2001 URI Foundation Distinguished
Scholar Award, Wendy Ewald, Research Scholar, the Franklin Center and
the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, presented a
lecture in late March, "Secret Games: 30 Years of Collaboration with
Children Through Photography."
F. Endowment and Awards
An additional gift was made to the Honors Program Endowment by
Mr. & Mrs. Carroll Brown, in memory of Mrs. Brown's mother,
Professor Grace B. Sherrer who gave the first Honors lecture at the
University. Once again this year, cash awards will be made to
outstanding Honors Program students, each of whom has the highest GPA
for their class year, freshman, sophomore, junior and senior. These
awards will be made at the third annual Spring Honors Convocation on
May 2, 2001.
G. Visiting Scholars
The HPVS Committee received requests totaling $11,309 for
Visiting Scholars presentations for 2000-2001. Twenty-three awards
were made, totaling $7,125; these represented a gratifying range of
departments, colleges, and disciplines. Although most of the grants
are of necessity for small sums, their cultural and intellectual
enhancement of the community is considerable. The Committee has
provided co-sponsorship with several departments and programs. The
committee always encourages applicants to seek partial funding from
other sources.
H. Senior Honors Projects and
Administrative Internships
The Program has twenty students doing Senior Honors Projects
(HPR401/402). Some of the project titles are: "Characterization of
the Environmental Protection of Combat Uniform Materials and End
Items," "The Economics of Obesity in the United States," "The
Epistemological Etiology and Philosophy of Agnostic Existentialism,"
"Essential Skills for Public Relations Professionals," "The Effects
of Sand on the Capture and Handling of Prey in Bamboo Sharks," "Rhode
Islanders Talk About Health," "How Different is our Mental Software
from our Mental Hardware: A study of the Philosophy of Universal
Grammar," "Experiential Learning in Equine Behavior," and "The
Pennyworth Residence."
Senior Honors Projects will be presented at the first annual
Honors Undergraduate Research Day on May 9, 2001.
One Honors Program student served an administrative internship in
the Office of Student Life under the supervision of Lorrie Miller,
Assistant Director, Student Life.
I. Spring Honors Convocation
The second annual Spring Honors Convocation was held on May 4,
2000, with Prof. Cheryl Foster, Philosophy, as guest speaker and
included a luncheon organized by the Student Honors Advisory Board.
The third annual Spring Honors Convocation occurs on May 2, 2001.
Once again the Sherrer prizes are to be awarded, and Senior Honors
Projects presented by way of a booklet of abstracts.
J. Honors Program and Visiting Scholars
Committee
The members of the Honors Program and Visiting Scholars Committee
during the past year were: Professor Cheryl Foster (Philosophy),
Professor Rick McIntyre (Economics), Professor Don Kunz (English),
Professor Edmund Boyle (College of Business), Professor Michael
Vocino (URI Library), Professor Lynne Derbyshire, ex officio
(Communication Studies), Professor Arthur Stein, ex officio
(Political Science). The two Student Senate appointees were David
Leveillee (History), Nick Langlois (Political Science).
K. Honors Student Advisory Board
The Honors student board has now been in existence for three
years. 20 students were selected by application during the spring,
2000. David Leveillee (Junior, History) was elected President and
Paul Jarosz (Sophomore, Chemistry) was elected Secretary-Treasurer.
L. Major Scholarships
Under the leadership of Prof. Cheryl Foster (Philosophy), the
Scholarships Office continues to make its home in the Honors Center,
a base from which it serves an increasing number of students. Prof.
Foster reports the following activities for 2000-2001.
OVERVIEW
With the exception of the British Marshall Scholarship, awards
were won in every major competition where candidates were fielded
this year. The Marshall Scholarship continues to name URI students as
finalists. This exceptional rate of success reflects an even more
important development in the field of scholarship participation: URI
students are participating in campus nomination processes in record
numbers. Because many of these fellowships place a limit on the
number of candidates to be nominated by any institution (Truman and
Goldwater allow up to four, for example, while the Udall allows only
three), URI faculty/staff committees perform the valuable service of
recruiting, interviewing, selecting and mentoring nominees on a
seasonal basis.
Student participation in campus level processes and beyond has
marked pedagogical value. Students learn valuable skills in the
presentation of their credentials, in the articulation of their
values and goals, and in interviewing with selection committees.
These skills can then be brought to bear on a variety of other
contexts: for job applications, graduate school packages and other
awards. For those students who are nominated as URI candidates for
major awards, the intensive process of refining applications, seeking
letters of reference and preparing for formal interviews allows some
of our most talented students to discover largely untapped
intellectual and creative resources. At the moment, more than twenty
students are preparing their materials for consideration as Rhodes,
Marshall and Mitchell Scholarship candidates. Although these
competitions take place in the Fall, URI faculty/staff committees
begin the selection process now in order to commence their mentoring
roles with selected nominees over the summer months.
NOMINEES AND WINNERS
(Candidates from the state of Rhode Island are indicated).
Truman
Eight students applied on campus; six interviewed; two selected
as nominees from URI
Johnathan DiMuro '03 (winner) &endash; Rhode Island
Michaela Keegan '02 (finalist) &endash; Rhode Island
Udall
Four students applied on campus; three selected as nominees from
URI
Jayne Merner '02 (winner) &endash; Rhode Island
Johnathan DiMuro '03 (Honorable Mention) &endash; Rhode Island
Timothy Twohig &endash; Rhode Island
National Security Education Program Scholarship
Two students applied on campus; both selected as nominees from
URI
Chrystal Nelson '01 (winner) &endash; Rhode Island
Michael Abbey, MA Candidate, Marine Affairs (winner)
Goldwater
Ten students applied on campus; four selected as nominees from
URI
Nichole O'Connell '02 (winner) &endash; Rhode Island
Jennifer Lally '02 (winner)
Brian Campbell '02 &endash; Rhode Island
Rebecca Owen '01
Michael P. Metcalf Award
One URI student applied through this office and won one of four
statewide awards for an independent project:
Babatunde Ologun '02 (winner) &endash; Rhode Island
Fulbright Scholarships
One URI student won an award in August 2000:
Heidi Schuttenberg MA Candidate, Marine Affairs, winner
(Thailand)
British Marshall Scholarship
Ten students applied on campus; six interviewed; three selected
for nomination; one completed nomination from URI
Claire Reynolds '01 (finalist) &endash; Rhode Island
National Institutes of Health Internship
Babatunde Ologun '02 (finalist; pending) &endash; Rhode Island
FACULTY AND STAFF PARTICIPATION
Rhodes/Marshall/Mitchell Scholarships
Charles Hickox, Management, Chair
Nancy Cook, English
Mary Hollinshead, Art History
James Kowalski, Computer Science & Statistics
James Loy, Sociology/Anthropology
Rod Mather, History
Richard Rhodes, Associate Dean, College of Environment and Life
Sciences
Tom Rockett, Emeritus Dean, Graduate School
Gilbert Suzawa, Economics
Fulbright Scholarship
Nicolai Petro, Political Science, Chair
Robert Bullock, Biology
Nancy Potter, English Emerita
Donna Figueroa, Study Abroad
James Findlay, History Emeritus
Katherine Sama, Italian
Malcolm Spaulding, Ocean Engineering
Goldwater
David Heskett, Physics, Chair
Ramdas Kumarasen, Electrical Engineering
Joan Lausier, Pharmacy
Thomas Mather, Plant Science
Murn Nippo, Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Science
John Montgomery, Math
Truman Scholarship
Alfred Killilea, Political Science, Chair
Marc Genest, Political Science
Bruce Hamilton, Director, Memorial Union
Timothy Hennessey, Marine Affiars/Political Science
Albert Lott, Emeritus, Psychology
Karen Markin, Research Office
Lynn Pasquerella, Philosophy
Evelyn Sterne, History
Timothy Tyrell, Resource Economics
Michael Vocino, Library
Udall Scholarship
Alfred Killilea, Political Science, Chair
Deborah Grossman-Garber, Partnership for the Coastal Environment
Lynn Pasquerella, Philosophy
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Campus
* The URI Rhodes/Marshall Scholarship Committee held an
information session on Rhodes, Marshall and Mitchell Scholarships in
April 2001. More than twenty students are currently preparing for the
campus nomination process, which begins during the finals period.
* Cheryl Foster ran a workshop on national scholarship
opportunities for members of the Phi Eta Sigma Freshman Honor
Society. Over 50 students attended this event.
* With Health Professions Adviser Joanna Norris and Rhodes
Scholarship State Committee member and Chair of Computer Science
James Kowalski, Cheryl Foster is preparing a URI faculty/staff
workshop and a brochure on writing letters of reference for students.
This project is funded by the URI Foundation and by the John Hazen
White Center for Ethics and Public Service.
Outreach
* Cheryl Foster served on the selection committees for the
following awards:
Truman Scholarship: national finalist selection panel and Boston
scholar selection panel British Marshall Scholarship: finalist and
scholar selection panels, Northeast Region Gates Cambridge Trust
Scholarship: national scholar selection panel, inaugural year
* Cheryl Foster has been asked to write two pieces for
publication in the binder for the first conference (June 2001) of the
new National Association of Fellowship Advisers (NAFA), "The
Organizing Process: Enriching Our Students":
* With Louis Blair, Executive Secretary of the Truman Scholarship
Foundation, Cheryl Foster has been asked by the British Council to
co-author a guide to the British Marshall Scholarship Program.
* Cheryl Foster provided consulting on scholarship advising to
colleagues at the University of Virginia, the University of Portland
and West Point.
M. Honors Outreach and Advising
The Honors Program works in partnership with the Admissions
Office and with University College to attract and retain academically
talented students. The involvement of Honors in student recruitment
and retention takes place in three separate arenas.
(1) Personal invitation to participate in the Honors
program
The Admissions Staff identifies those incoming freshmen students
who meet Honors criteria by making note of rank in class and overall
GPA. This information is used to generate a list of Honors-eligible
students, who are then invited by a personal letter from the Director
to participate in the Honors Program. The existence of the URI Honors
Program serves as an important lure for academic high achievers who
are often contemplating offers of admission at many institutions.
(2) University Outreach Events
The Honors Director, Associate Director, Secretary and Student
Advisory Board members participate in URI outreach events such as
Meet the University, Centennial Scholar Day and Welcome Days. At
these events Honors representatives make personal contact with
potential Honors students and their families and use the events to
inform families and students about eligibility requirements and
program benefits.
(3) University College Advising
Beginning at Freshman Orientation, the Associate Director
conducts directed advising sessions for Honors-eligible students who
enter the University as undecided about their majors. Additionally,
the Associate Director gives a talk for all interested students
during Day One of each orientation session. Attendance at this
session is very high and on Day Two of the orientation program the
Associate Director meets not only with Honors undecided students but
also with all students wishing to register for an Honors course
(after they see their assigned major adviser).
During the academic year the Associate Director keeps weekly
hours at University College to meet with Honors freshmen, as well as
with undeclared Honors sophomores. Increasingly these sessions
involve not only advice about course selection but also about
academic and employment opportunities on and beyond campus. In recent
weeks the Associate Director has helped to secure internships and
summer positions for students with Fleet Investment, The Rhode Island
Film Commission, NOAA and the Partnership for the Coastal
Environment. Advising about courses and off-campus opportunities
continues throughout a student's stay in the Honors Program, often
culminating in assistance with graduate and professional school
applications, job searches and major fellowship competitions.
Advising for upperclassmen occurs in Lippitt Hall, which increasingly
serves as a magnet for motivated students in search of unusual,
challenging and creative experiences.
Respectfully submitted,
Galen A. Johnson
Director, URI Honors Center