Spotlight on Current Students
Isaiah Nelson
Herndon, VA
Major: Political Science
Expected Graduation Date: 2012
"The Honors College at the College of Charleston has allowed me to mature as a student in so many ways. In the Honors College setting, you are able to quickly make lasting friends from the first day you move in through the honors dorms and the events outside of the classroom. The small class sizes allow students to connect with faculty, have more in depth conversations about the materials being discussed and learn from faculty both inside and outside of the classroom. Additionally, honors students are given personal guidance by the very supportive Honors College staff, allowing us to fully develop as a students and prepare for highly competitive jobs after graduation. These experiences in the Honors College led me to receive a White House Internship in the Office of Public Engagement during the summer of 2011. I worked with the White House Youth Liaison to coordinate youth outreach and work with outside youth advocacy groups so they could best voice their ideas and concerns to leaders in Washington. I also had the opportunity to work with the office's speechwriter and interact with senior staff on a regular basis. My Honors College experience is one of the reasons I was so well prepared for this incredibly daunting and yet rewarding experience!"
Shateara Hall
Savannah, GA
Major: Middle Grades Education
Expected Graduation Date: 2012
“The Honors College provides many unique learning opportunities via the classes offered. I really enjoyed being a part of the Honors Special Topics class on the Royal British monarchy, taught by Dr. McCandless, Dean of the Graduate School. In this class, we were responsible for our own learning with opportunities to teach our peers about certain monarchs and developing a research paper on a relevant topic of our choice. I especially enjoyed the study abroad component over spring break where we traveled to the United Kingdom together to really explore what we learned. As a Middle Grades Education major, I appreciated the hands-on approach used to teach this interdisciplinary class. The Honors College definitely offers great classroom experiences that have prepared me for my profession and graduate school. I love being a part of this supportive and challenging academic community.”
Christian Bailey
Charlotte, NC
Major: International Business and Spanish
Expected Graduation Date: 2012
"What first drew me to the Honors College was the wide range of opportunities that it offers its students. As an Honors College student you are able participate in many activities, such as scholarly research, that may only be open to graduate students at larger schools. For example, I am currently working on my Bachelor's Essay with Dr. Quesada in the School of Business. We are studying Green Supply Chain Management and its practices in the United States and Mexico; last semester I was able to study at the Universidad Panamericana in Guadalajara, Mexico to better understand the business environment in Mexico while collecting data for my research. The Honors College staff is incredibly supportive in helping Honors students both find and fund opportunities like study abroad programs. Particularly, Dr. Folds-Bennett, the Associate Dean of the Honors College, has served as my mentor in her role as the director of the William Aiken Fellows Society and as the course coordinator for the Beyond George Street First Year Experience class (for which I am a Peer Facilitator). The guidance from Dr. Folds-Bennett and other Honors College staff members has helped me to make the most out of my undergraduate career."
Levi Vonk
Kingsland, GA
Major: English
Expected Graduation Date: 2013
"I am grateful to the Honors College for giving me the skills, opportunities, and funds necessary to work as an intern for Student Action with Farmworkers in the summer of 2010. This is a nonprofit organization based in Raleigh, NC that promotes the fair treatment of farmworkers within the southeast. I was placed in Asheville, NC, where I partnered with the Migrant Education Program for the Buncombe County School System. I received the names and addresses of Hispanic migrant families that have moved into the area, and I would go to their houses to tutor their children over the summer, as well as help the parents learn basic English, or English phrases that they may need to know in their specific area of work. The Honors College encourages students to hold internships and I understand why - I learned so much this summer while discovering things about myself."
Clover, SC
Major: Political Science and Women & Gender Studies
Expected Graduation Date: 2013
"I cannot begin to explain how grateful I am for the opportunities that the Honors College has given me. I have been able to make connections with influential faculty and have had unique experiences that I wouldn’t have had elsewhere. As a Political Science major, I was thrilled to be able to learn from a previous Senior Counsel for Coca-Cola in an Honors class centered around the Supreme Court. Classes such as this one –small, discussion based, and thought provoking- are not hard to find as a member of the Honors College. The College's most notable faculty are also always willing to give attention to Honors students; as a sophomore I worked with the Associate Provost of The College of Charleston. We collaborated together to research exactly why South Carolina has the lowest percentage of women serving in their state legislature. Over the course of two independent studies and a paid summer research position awarded by the Summer Undergraduate Research Fund, I have organized a Legislative Day for college-aged women, conducted survey analysis, analyzed election results, interviewed current female legislators, and drafted a scholarly paper for publication. However, the Honors College has not only enriched my life academically. As president of the Honors Student Association, I have formed relationships that I’m confident will continue long after college. I’ve also been able to plan and participate in fantastic events specifically held for Honors students to foster relationships within our community. It will be difficult to eventually leave the family I have made here at the Honors College, but I know that my time here has prepared me well for all of my future endeavors."
