Using the Guide
Your Honors in Action project will provide avenues for honors students to enrich their scholarly endeavors with the interdisciplinary exploration of a timely topic and then apply their knowledge as servant leaders in the college and the community.
Study Questions initiate interdisciplinary, scholarly inquiry and research into the The Democratization of Information.
Honors in Action project descriptions illustrate the learning and growth opportunities in all four of the Society’s Hallmarks. These examples may be used “as is” OR can be the springboard for other Honors in Action project ideas.
Bibliography is a sampling of books and articles to promote further research of the issue. More resources are available online.
Timeline is the description of select historical events.
Using this Honors Program Guide to Launch Honors in Action
Your Honors in Action project will provide avenues for enriching your academic and extracurricular endeavors by:
- Sharing your knowledge and learning more about real-world, timely issues with others from diverse backgrounds and academic experiences
- Creating leadership opportunities and growing your leadership skills
- Engaging in meaningful service to others and learning valuable lessons that connect your classroom knowledge to real challenges
- Building a team of collaborators who share a common desire to make an impact
Using the Guide Step By Step
- Read the essay introduction to the Honors Study Topic.
- Review the issue related to the Honors Study Topic.
- Engage in a dialogue about the issues that connect and resonate with the members of your chapter, campus, or community.
- Select an issue for your focus and explore the Study Questions more deeply.
- Research the issue with academic, scholarly rigor using additional bibliographies provided for each issue.
- Share the research with others who may be motivated to collaborate with you to address challenges or concerns that you uncover through your research.
- Consider the Honors in Action project ideas related to the issue you selected for focus: Is there an issue that addresses the challenge or concern on your campus and/or in your community that you identified, or one that can serve as a model for how to proceed with another Honors in Action project?
Beyond the Guide
- What are your specific and measurable goals for the Honors in Action project?
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- Whom will you serve? How will they benefit?
- How will you grow and benefit?
- How will you review your goals during the year?
- How will you know when you have achieved these goals?
- Describe and plan the strategies you will use to achieve the goals.
- How will you ensure impact on your campus and/or in your community?
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- Who else needs to be involved?
- What leadership roles need to be filled?
- What new leadership skills can you develop?
- What else do you need to know that calls for further
investigation?
- Record and reflect throughout the process of using the Guide and planning and implementing your Honors in Action project. Successful scholar-servant-leaders understand the value and importance of thorough recording and reflection. It is indispensable for:
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- Capturing the information you need for tracking progress related to the Five Star Chapter Development Plan and to prepare your Hallmark Awards entries
- Recalling action-oriented details that are significant additions to scholarship applications, résumés, and cover letters
- Providing valuable information for successors to sustain or grow the project
