Why YOU Should Attend the International Honors Institute
Preston Schmidt is the 2006-07 International Vice President for Division III, which includes the Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minn-Wi-Kota, Missouri and Oklahoma/Arkansas Regions of Phi Theta Kappa. An electrical engineering major, he attends Bismarck State College in North Dakota.
During the Candidate Caucus at the 2006 International Convention, the Society's Executive Director Rod Risley posed to me a very challenging question: "Which three adjectives do you believe best describe the word power?" No matter how hard I tried, I could not choose just three words to describe power.
The answer came to me a few months later while attending what I believe is one of the best educational opportunities offered by Phi Theta Kappa. That educational opportunity is the International Honors Institute - a weeklong conference that brings together members, advisors, and alumni to closely examine the Honors Study Topic.
Since becoming a member, I have attended both the 2005 Honors Institute, examining our previous two-year Honors Study Topic, Popular Culture: Shaping and Reflecting Who We Are, and the 2006 Honors Institute, which was our first chance to explore the current Honors Study Topic, Gold, Gods, and Glory: The Global Dynamics of Power.
When I arrived in Newark, Delaware last summer for the 2006 Honors Institute, it was as if I could feel the power in the air. Close to the United States National Government and the birthplace of the United States Constitution, the University of Delaware was the perfect place to examine the topic of power.
Throughout the week I listened to lectures from devoted individuals who had studied and written about issues relevant to the Honors Study Topic. These presentations opened my mind to ideas and beliefs I had not paid much attention to, or even thought about.
However, it was in the seminar group I attended after each presentation that I truly learned about myself and what I believed. Being able to discuss and look at these topics from someone else's point of view also gave me a greater appreciation for others' beliefs, and a deeper understanding as to why certain issues in our world are not easily resolved.
As the Honors Institute progressed throughout the week, I thought about my experiences from the previous Honors Institute I attended. I thought about the places we visited, the lectures I listened to, what I had learned, and the people I learned so much from in my seminar group. As these memories rushed by, I asked myself, "How can this Honors Institute top what I experienced last year?"
Well, it turns out that when I left the 2006 Honors Institute, I took with me new ideas, new projects, and a better understanding of the 2006- 08 Honors Study Topic, Gold, Gods, and Glory: The Global Dynamics of Power. I also brought home memories of Washington D.C., Philadelphia, the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and many more memories of the fun times I had with the new friends I met. The International Honors Institute exceeded my expectations once again.
I feel that every person has something to gain from Honors Institute. For me, it was learning about the Honors Study Topic, gaining knowledge to help understand the world around me, and finally being able to identify the three adjectives I believe best describe power: All-Encompassing, Integrative, and Versatile. So, bring a notebook, a good pen and an open mind, and get ready for an educational experience like no other.
