Literature & Evolution...2 Honors Project ..............3 Dr. Horan Interview........4 The Invisible Gorilla...... ...5 Amigos y Escolares.......6 -7 International Travel.........8 Student Research...........9 RHA.........................10 Non-trad Honors....... ..11 Some Girl(s)..................12 Alumni News.................13 Graduation.............14-15

A publication of the UNCW Honors College

PeriPlus

VOL. 9 ISSUE 1Spring 2014

(Photo by Elizabeth Bernardo) (left to right) Naomi Barbee, Ashley Stowe, Nick Reed, Mickey Johnson, and Kristina Auten perform in Some Girl(s)

When the word “research” is mentioned, the first image that comes to mind is probably a lab or a library. But what about a theater stage? As I’ve learned

from UNCW’s theatre department, over half of theatre is research – the role, the social context, the language, the setting, behaviors, everything. When I was granted the Terry Rogers Scholarship to produce Neil LaBute’s Some Girl(s) as the UNCW Theatre Department’s Student Lab Series, I knew that I was going to have a lot of research to do as the director. (To read more, continue to page 12.)

Some GirlS...love DramaHonors student Elizabeth Bernardo directs UNCW productionElizabeth BernardoClass of 2015

Dr. Dianne Dodd and Ms. Michelle Britt break tradition with honors seminar course

Ashley DeleonClass of 2017

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Genetically-moDifieD literature?

In “Genetically-Modified Literature,” an Honors Interdisciplinary Seminar, Ms. Michelle Britt

and Dr. Diane Dodd helped bridge the gap between literature and science at UNCW. Our class structure ranged from lectures on basic genetic concepts to in-depth class-led discussions based on chapters read before class. The books on the course list included Crichton’s Jurassic Park, and Cook’s Chromosome 6 among others.

The Socratic discussions that were plentiful in this course allowed for the dialogue to be free-flowing and uninterrupted. Listening to the perspectives of my peers about the texts enlightened me to re-think what I had read. As a class, we incorporated each other’s opinions, perspectives, and beliefs into our own. We developed our arguments through understanding those of our peers, and in the end there was no distinction between “science and non-science majors”; we were simply a class of UNCW students. Dr. Dodd expressed her appreciation for student participation by saying, “Their contributions are so creative and insightful. They’ve expanded my perspective and opened up new ways for me to think.”

One of the most imperative goals of this class was to apply learned thought processes to our future endeavors. Learning something in a course is great, but being able to apply it outside of an academic

(Photo by Ashley Deleon) Students browse Robin Cook’s Chromosome 6

(Photo by Ashley Deleon) Dr. Diane Dodd (left) and Ms. Michelle Britt (right) formed an academic power-duo to create a course joining science and literature.

setting is where its true significance lies. To become the ideal job candidate, a science major should be able to examine subjects from a literary perspective and vice versa. Ms. Britt reiterated this by saying “In [the students’] future careers, it will be important to think outside the box and to examine and understand the connectivity that exists not only in our lives but within the world.”

With the aid of Ms. Britt and Dr. Dodd, I have rediscovered the importance of incorporating both aspects of academia to catalyze my arguments, papers, and discussions. I’m sure that my fellow HON210 peers would agree with me in saying that the combination of professors in this course provided the ideal platform to present such an enlightening seminar. I would undoubtedly and irrevocably recommend this course to anyone who is looking to challenge themselves, their way of thinking, and their perceptions of both science and literature.

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completinG the honorS project

Essentially a 75-page detailed outline of a full children’s novel, my honors project centers on

the stock market crash of 1929 and is told through the eyes of an 11-year-old named Richard Grace. As part of my project, I wrote full scenes and charted the story, researched the economic similarities between 1929 and the 2008 recession, and made a physical copy of the children’s book (in Creative Writing 323: Book Building).

As an economics and creative writing major, I wanted to combine disciplines in an unexpected way. I didn’t want to write a textbook or bury myself under charts and economic research. I chose 1929 because of how similar the downturn was to the recent 2008 Great Recession. My project advisor was Nina DeGramont and my board was made up of a creative writing professor, English professor, and economics professor: Mel Boyijian, Katie Peel, and Chris Dumas, respectively.

For the thesis defense, I expected to present information regarding my topic that was not in the paper but had considered and framed the work. To prepare, I created a Powerpoint presentation of information that led up to the completed project the board had read. I did not want to repeat to them, what they had already read, so I branched out and talked a lot about my process, especially as a CRW major and because the idea of an outline seemed unique when I looked at past CRW honors projects.

The defense experience was exactly as I expected. I had tried my best to keep in contact with my board throughout the semester, so most of the discussion did not come as a surprise. I was nervous, of course, but I received feedback on my presentation skills. Overall,

A student majoring in economics and creative writing shares her Honors Project experience

Qualia HendricksonClass of 2014

the questions section of the defense became much more of a discussion with my committee members answering questions between themselves and helping me express the ideas I wanted to get across.

As far as the advice I would give to students defending their honors theses, organize your research ahead of time. I think this project is especially difficult for fine arts majors since there is no specified expectation of what an creative honors project is. It

is a lot of about what the advisor thinks and how the student personally feels about their work. A lot of times, I was told to do “whatever you think is necessary,” which never helped and was frustrating.

Essentially. I would advise anyone “creating” an honors project to solidify in their minds what they want their limit (page limit/section break) to be before they even really start writing. It might change, but it will at least help be a guide. With a creative piece you could keep going forever, but then, you’d never finish the project. If it’s a story, do you want a full-length novel or a solid

lengthy excerpt? Same for a play, film project, or anything similar.

For more information on departmental honors projects, the 499 handbook is available at uncw.edu/honors/academics/departmental.

(Photo by Carole Reynolds) Qualia Hendrickson graduated in spring 2014 with university honors in economics and creative writing.

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meet the new aSSociate DirectorDr. Jennifer Horan: political science professor, beekeeper, and new Honors associate director

Cody BeckClass of 2016

because it gives her the chance to “work with students, work with faculty, and bring the two together through research and teaching environments.” This proves to be a field in which she has an impressive amount of experience, as an Honors academic advisor, Honors seminar teacher, Honors project supervisor, Honors student documentary subject, and published researcher.

She later showed me a framed art piece, a gift a former student had crafted after working alongside her. Dr. Horan is the kind of faculty member who leaves a lasting influence on students, an impact that transcends the classroom experience.

Honors student Zoe VanDerPloeg is a prime example of this influence. Zoe boasts an extensive history working with Dr. Horan. She has collaborated with Dr. Horan on a documentary film project and has twice served as the Honors mentor for her Honors seminar class. She remarked that “[Dr. Horan] is such an engaging speaker; not only is she knowledgeable, but she is also very good at explaining what she knows … Plus she has this great subtle wit that makes her personable. Now that our projects are done, it’s great to see her again around Honors.”

As evidenced by her students and her experience with the Honors program, I believe we can all agree that it will indeed be great to see Dr. Horan around Honors as our new associate director.

Dr. Jennifer Horan, the incoming associate director for the Honors College currently serves as an

associate professor of public & international affairs here at UNCW. She will officially begin her associate director role in July.

Early on in her academic career, Dr. Horan spent a year abroad in Ecuador. She credits this time as the catalyst for her interest in political science, as she was able to witness a coup in the country firsthand. Dr. Horan went on to double major in political science and Spanish during her undergraduate years at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She earned her master’s degree from the University of New Orleans and her doctorate from Tulane University. Her specialty is comparative government, especially in Latin America.

The first thing I noticed in Dr. Horan’s office was the abundance of photos of her three daughters, as well as the many bee-decorated items throughout the room. When asked about her hobby of beekeeping, she cited conservation as her primary motivation, since honey bees no longer exist in the wild. She explained to me how bees are viewed with an unfair bias by the majority of people; according to her, they are really quite gentle and industrious creatures.

Dr. Horan commented that she is looking forward to the opportunity of serving as associate director

(Photo by Carole Reynolds) Dr. Horan (left) announces readers at the spring 2014 release party for Second Story Journal, edited by Naomi Spicer (right)

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DiD you See the Gorilla?changes. However, this experiment shows that we notice far less than we think.

The Invisible Gorilla experiment became so popular that Dr. Simons and his colleague Christopher Chabris wrote a book of the same name. The Invisible Gorilla: How Our Intuitions Deceive Us explores several different cognitive illusions and gives multiple examples of each one in action. These illusions include the illusion of confidence, the illusion of memory, and the illusion of knowledge. The book is informative, enjoyable, and offers a few tips on how to live with awareness of these limitations.

Dr. Simons visited UNCW on Feb. 18, 2014, and discussed his research on cognitive illusions. He presented new information beyond what was included

in The Invisible Gorilla and discussed some of the results and ramifications of his findings.

One key point of Simons’ lecture was the effects of priming. He asked half the audience to close their eyes, while the other half was shown a question concerning the number of countries in Africa. “Does Africa have more than 50 countries?” “Does Africa have more than 180 countries?” After several seconds, the audience roles reversed. Audience members, primed with a question with a lower suggested number, were more likely to make lower guesses than audience members shown the question

with a high suggested number. The result of the mini experiment showed another kind of cognitive illusion. Questions that seemed unbiased actually inclined guessers towards certain guesses. Dr. Simons’ research has influenced the legal and medical professions—it has affected the way eyewitness testimony is weighed in court, and has shown that certain medical precautions are insufficient in error prevention. With this new knowledge of human perceptive limitations, we can more effectively understand that we and our world are not the way that they seem.

When watching a group of people passing a bas-ketball, one probably would not expect to see

a gorilla march onto the screen. In Dr. Dan Simons’ cognitive psychology experiment, this is exactly what happened. Dr. Simons, a cognitive psychologist at the University of Illinois, studies human perception and cognitive illusions. Simons’ “Invisible Gorilla” is one of the most well known experiments in psychology and has sparked numerous other studies. Replicated in many labs around the world, the results of the experi-ment demonstrate that the human mind does not work as previously thought.

In “The Invisible Gorilla” experiment, subjects watch a short video of several people passing a basketball. Viewers are asked to count the number of passes made by a team in black shirts while ignoring the passes made by the team in white shirts. Halfway through the video, a person in a gorilla suit enters the frame, pounds its chest, and walks off screen. Most people do not even notice the gorilla! This phenomenon is known as the illusion of attention. We believe that when we are paying attention, we will always notice when something in our environment

Honors Spring SpeakerDr. Daniel Simons visits UNCW to discuss The Invisible Gorilla

Katie Albritton and Morgan ThompsonClass of 2016

(Photo by Carole Reynolds) Students from the Invisible Gorilla reading group gather to meet Dr. Daniel Simons

¡Vamos! Let’s go!

If you were permitted just one word to express your beliefs, your philosophy of education; basically, if you had to choose a single word to explain yourself, that would be a pretty tough assignment, wouldn’t it? There is no shortage of noble candidates out there, such as “inclusion,” “tolerance,” “patience”; the list goes on. Since I truly believe that, in Honors and in the greater university community, we should actively strive to develop understanding and connections among all the people with whom we share the planet, ¡Vamos! is the word for me.

Whether I´m telling a class “let´s go! Let´s get going with what we´re doing today!” or encouraging students to get on a plane and put what they´ve learned

at UNCW to use in a study abroad experience –“let´s go!”—or, in the case of the Honors seminar Amigos y escolares, where students tutor and mentor elementary school children –“let´s go! says it all for us. “Let´s do everything we can to help create cross-cultural experiences in our community!”. ¡Vamos! conveys the positive energy and yes: the inclusion, tolerance, and patience we all hope to create.

The Hispanic population in Wilmington, New Hanover County, and North Carolina has grown at a tremendous rate over the last three decades. Our state has seen the Hispanic population increase from one-half percent 20 years ago to its current rate, roughly 8.5 percent. With this increase has come a need to provide services which will assist Hispanics in their efforts to assimilate into the wider community.

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croSS-cultural community Ms. Valerie Rider illustrates her Amigos y Escolares Honors course

Ms. Valerie RiderDepartment of Foreign Languages and Literatures

(Photo by Ms. Valerie Rider) Students from Rider’s class pose with their tutees.

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croSS-cultural community While there are many wonderful local

organizations working hard to bridge the many gaps that exist between Hispanics and non-Hispanics, these groups often experience separate but parallel realities within our community.

At the 2011 National Collegiate Honors Council conference in Phoenix, Arizona, it was my privilege to speak about Amigos y escolares. During our panel’s presentation, I used the metaphor of railroad tracks to describe the Hispanic and non-Hispanic communities of New Hanover County. While perhaps not the most perfect metaphor ever, it does call to mind the image of two lines running right next to each other, lines which could “see” one another (if tracks could see!), but which never touch nor intersect. This has, until very recently, been the case locally and state-wide (as well as in other areas of the country).

Amigos is now in its ninth year. Its purpose is to facilitate contact, friendship, and core subject instruction between our Honors students and elementary school children at College Park Elementary School. While a majority of the school children are Hispanic, Honors students are also paired with children from other areas of the world. It is gratifying to think that in one small way, we are contributing to our community by making connections and creating friendships in an environment of trust, learning, respect, and even fun!

Many of the children our Honors students mentor have basic proficiency in English. Others do not. Whatever the level of the child’s English, though, more often than not his/her parents do not yet communicate effectively in English. This puts the children we work with at a disadvantage, as the help most of us could count on from our parents when we came home from school every day (homework, practice with spelling, writing, letters from teachers and the principal, etc.) does not exist for them.

The parents to whom I refer are hard-working people and are doing the very best they can in their new country. Learning English is definitely on their radar, but cannot happen overnight. Our Honors students perform a wonderful service by helping when, where, and how they can. They work one-on-one or sometimes with more than one child, focusing on subjects for which the teachers request help. During their sessions the “big” kids and the “little” kids come to know each other. It means the world for

each child to have his/her “own” college student show up for their session!

Amigos y escolares (which means Friends and students) is a seminar course. In class each week, students and I must “bring something to the table”. This means that we research topics of personal interest and others that I assign. All pertain to the Spanish-speaking world. Each class, three or four students present a charla (a talk) on their topic. I speak on each as well. Some of our themes this semester are Hispanics in the U.S., cuisine in the Spanish-speaking world, history and geography of the Spanish-speaking world, music/art/literature in the Spanish-speaking world. Here are two examples of topics selected by students this semester: the Bri Bri indigenous community of Costa Rica, and the North American Free Trade Agreement.

In addition to the charlas and the question-and-answer sessions that follow, we use our time in class to pulir el español; to polish our Spanish. I call this segment of each class el taller, the workshop. Students are free to ask any questions pertaining to the language (grammar, vocabulary, usage) they wish. Everyone uses Spanish at the level appropriate to their experience; we have advanced, intermediate, and beginning level Spanish students in Amigos. Students know that they may present in either English or Spanish, although they are always encouraged to use their Spanish, and will not be penalized for attempting their charlas in the target language.

Whether in our classroom or in College Park, the philosophy behind Amigos y escolares is to create the most welcoming environment possible for all, and to finish our semester having done as much good as we possibly could.

¡Vamos!

Katherine Culley, an Honors anthropology major, travels to study abroad in Spain

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international travel in Spain

Naomi SpicerClass of 2016

Studying abroad is a common practice among Honors College students. Many students have gone

on trips sponsored by the Honors College to Swansea or on trips through UNCW to other countries. Not as many, however, take the initiative to find study abroad opportunities that fit their needs by other means, outside of the university, even though they certainly are not few and far between.

Enter Katherine Culley (’16), a second-year Honors student studying anthropology, with just such initiative. Even though it required some digging, she took the time to find the perfect trip using the Office of International Programs’ vast resources—the CIEE’s (Council on International Educational Exchange) trip to Sevilla, the fourth largest city in Spain and the capital city of the southern province, Andalucía. With Katherine’s determination to get to Spain, nothing could stop her, even if there were a few

hiccups in the process of going through CIEE. “My classes here unfortunately aren’t related to

Honors,” Katherine writes from the university she is studying at, the Universidad de Sevilla. “But I am taking classes in my major, anthropology. I’m taking a mix of Spanish and anthropology classes, all of which are in Spanish!”

Katherine’s obvious enthusiasm was evident even before she left at the beginning of the semester. She also eagerly wrote on the differences between Andalusían and American culture. “One of the most prevalent [differences] is the schedule of their day,” she says. “In Spain, I have lunch between two and three o’clock and dinner anywhere between eight and ten o’clock. From two o’clock to five o’clock, all the stores are closed, and many people go home to eat lunch or take a nap.

Honors College students wanting to study abroad should follow in Katherine’s footsteps and not take no for an answer. Despite the fact that Katherine couldn’t find a university program that fit her needs, she went out of her way to afford herself the best opportunity available, just what every Honors student should do.

(Photo courtesy of Katherine Culley) The architectural beauty of Spain’s buildings is just one benefit of studying abroad

(Photo courtesy of Katherine Culley) Culley (far right) poses with friends while abroad

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DivinG into unDerGraDuate reSearchUndergraduate marine biology major Andrea Yammine discusses her Honors research

Elizabeth BernardoClass of 2015

UNCW’s location attracts many beach lovers, and

many beach lovers become marine biology students. But that’s not what drew junior Andrea Yammine to UNCW and the marine biology program – for her, it was the fish.

At the Center for Marine Science labs, or CMS, Yammine and other student researchers help Dr. Lankford compare sediment grain size to fish abundance using four different species of surf zone fish. This way, the team can see if beach erosion and the changing sediment sizes are affecting the fish population.

Dr. Lankford’s lab has data on this topic dating back to 2006, and these students are adding even more to the pool. Students in the lab help with taking samples and documenting them, and according to Yammine this includes a lot of statistical analysis, really putting their “skills to the test.” “The best part is finding out the answer,” Yammine admits, and shares that so far the research shows that sediment size has not adversely affected the fish populations.

“We’re hoping to get the research published,” Yammine said, explaining that this would be the first time that this specific type of research would be presented. This research would show if beach re-nourishment is helpful or a detriment to the environment and local fish populations. Even if it proves to have a negative affect, Yammine understands that beach renourishment is required to keep beaches such as Wrightsville and Carolina Beach running for the economy, but there may be ways to lessen the impact. “They could move up the date,” she suggests, “And

do it while the fish are further South.” But it is not all work. Yammine perks up and

visibly brightens when talking about learning to use all of the equipment and talking about loving field research. She admits that going to the beach every day is a great part of the research. “When it’s cold, Dr. Lankford will get us hot cocoa,” she also confesses with a smile

Yammine started working in Dr. Lankford’s lab last semester, so that by the time she graduates next spring, she will have had two years of undergraduate research experience. She hopes to get into graduate school to further research and map the influence of humans and fisheries.

Dr. Lankford and Yammine met in an honors class about research – HON120. “He talked to our class, and then I asked him about working in the lab,”

Yammine shares. She recommends that other honors students interested in research take the class to help them make connections and get started as soon as they can!

(Photo courtesy of Andrea Yammine) Yammine enjoys snorkeling as part of her course of study

(Photo courtesy of Andrea Yammine) Yammine particularly appreciates the hands-on learning in the marine biology major

promotinG leaDerShip in rha2013-14 RHA Executive Board. Dallas was VP of community service, planning and facilitating programs on campus and in the Wilmington community that

focused on community service. Jacubczak served as the VP of leadership development to develop the leadership skills of on-campus students through workshops, retreats, and a conference. Together they collaborated with their fellow executive board members and other UNCW leaders to better the university for students of the present and future.

When asked how being an Honors scholar affected her leadership experiences Dallas remarked, “Generally, Honors students aren’t just smart; they are open minded, hardworking, and dedicated. Those qualities are leadership qualities, so I think it’s just natural for Honors students to become leaders here on campus and in the world.” While both students recognized the large time commitment taking on leadership positions can be, they agreed that with good time management skills (and a planner!) they

were able to help change others’ lives as well as their own.

At UNC Wilmington, there are a multitude of student-lead organizations. Under the Office of

Housing and Residence Life in the Division of Student Affairs resides the Residence Hall Association (RHA), a group comprised solely of students that acts as the overall governing body for individuals residing on-campus. RHA works not only to govern on-campus life through legislation, but they also focus heavily on developing and promoting on-campus programs. On the larger scale of the entire university, they serve as a representative for the on-campus student population. With more than 4,000 students residing on campus that means RHA represents the interests of nearly 40 percent of the undergraduate student body at UNCW.

Leading this organization is an executive board comprised of a president, five vice presidents of different departments, and two national communication coordinators. During the 2013-14 school year two of the student leaders that were elected to positions on the RHA Executive Board were also members of the Honors College. Sterling Dallas (Class of ’15) and Kayla Jacubczak (Class of ’16) are both Honors students who held vice president positions on the

Ashley HannClass of 2017

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(Photo courtesy of Kayla Jacubczak) Kayla Jacubczak presents an award as vice president of Leadership Development in the Residence Hall Association

(Photo courtesy of Sterling Dallas) Sterling Dallas (left) and Kayla Kajubczak (right)

Honors students share experiences with UNCW’s Residence Hall Association

non-traDitional honorS StuDentS

Before the current semester, I received my admittance letter to the UNCW Honors College. I was to start

this journey in the middle of the road compared to the majority of my peers who had been admitted before the fall of their freshman years. Coming late to the party labeled me as a “Non-Traditional Honors Student.” With a fellow non-trad, Matthew Rodriguez, I was able to nail down the highs and lows of “middle-road” status. Generally, if you were to ask any Honors student what they love most about the Honors College, firstly, they would say, “Early Registration.” The next benefit they would dwell on would be the challenging academic atmosphere. For people who love learning (affectionately known as “nerds” to the world outside this tight-knit group of intellectuals), Honors is an oasis for academic enthusiasm. Honors also provides passionate professors and caring, involved advisors for students.

“My advisor has been extremely helpful,” said Rodriguez. “She seems to care more about me and my desired career than just getting me that diploma.” Joining halfway through your freshman year has its pitfalls, though. A big drawback to not being in Honors the fall of freshman year is missing out on an entire class (HON 110) dedicated to ensuring your comprehensive future in the Honors College. This class, plus rooming in Honors House helps freshmen find a true niche in Honors. While HON 110 acclimates freshmen to college life, it also introduces them to the inner workings of the UNCW Honors College. This combination of resources provides freshmen with more friendships and knowledge than the hour-long orientation that non-traditional Honors students receive ever could. Nonetheless, the sense of accomplishment and intellectual vigor that comes with your acceptance letter to the UNCW Honors College is unparalleled.

Honors student discusses the benefits and drawbacks of entering during her sophomore year

Bethany ShowersClass of 2015

(Photos by Naomi Spicer) Bethany Showers (left) and Matthew Rodriguez (right) consider themselves non-traditional honors students because they entered the Honors Program as sophomores

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Much research went into a two-hour long performance that ran for just one weekend. As a director, I started out by reading as much of LaBute’s anthology as I could, a collection of over 20 plays alone, not counting his screenwriting credits. In addition, I watched the movie version of the play to see how it translated into film and to inspire myself not to copy the film while directing.

This was the simple preliminary research. The difficulty came when I had to plan blocking and staging. I was given the SRO Theatre in the Cultural Arts Building as my performance space, and I finally settled on a thrust stage, with the playing area surrounded on three sides by audience members. This was completely new to me, so I had to do a lot of research on how to direct for a thrust stage, which led me to study how film directors direct and block scenes. With audience surrounding the actors on three sides, I had to have the actors act naturally while still being on the stage, leading me to research and take a more cinematic approach to blocking.

Even harder was the research that I had my actors do, and that I myself did, in preparation for the show. Since the play’s main character, Guy, is a writer and an English professor, I had actor Nick Reed, talk to English professors and read all of the works referenced in the piece, spanning from Don Quixote to Candide to the story of Bluebeard. I had each girl in the play also do research for their character, for example, Kristina Auten, who played Sam, was asked to interview stay-at-home moms and business majors, Naomi Barbee was asked to sit in on nursing classes, and Ashley Stowe was asked to shadow English professors, particularly ones with specialties in gender studies.

Freshman Mickey Johnson, who made her department debut with this show, played free-spirited artist Tyler. Johnson researched for the role by listening to music in order to get in the emotional state of the character. In addition, she “looked up jewelry manufacturing [and] jewelry designing” since her character designs for a living. She also researched different eras of Chicago in order to learn about the times in which Tyler might have lived.

Something the actors had to struggle with was the language. LaBute’s writing style is very unique, ranging from sentence fragments to onomatopoetic sounds to long, rambling run-ons. I also had to research the use of ellipses (also known as …) because LaBute puts them everywhere. From reading his other works and doing research, I realized that oftentimes these meant that LaBute wanted the character to be interrupted, for the next line to start coming in so that the characters were talking over each other. Other times, these meant that LaBute wanted the actor to continue speaking what they thought the line was in order to give it the hyper-realistic feel that he is known for writing in. My advisor, Professor Christopher Marino, suggested that these ellipses could mean that the energy of a conversation and connection needed to be projected forward, even though no words were being said.

I got to sit in on the show every night to watch. I could clearly see where all of the actors put their research, obviously, but something magical happened. All of that disappeared as it became apparent. While all of the research fell into place, the characters came to life as real people, people who really knew what they were talking about and had internalized all of this knowledge. That is the magic of theatre and performance, and none of it could be done half as well without the amount of research that went into the production.

Some GirlS...love Drama (continueD)12

(Photo by Caleb Stewart) Nick Reed and Mickey Johnson

honorS colleGe alumni newS

Julia Daugherty (B.S. psychology, B.A. international studies, ’13) moved to Andalucia last September to conduct research on cross-cultural psychology and work as a conversation assistant in a small pueblo of Almeria. Her time working at the University of Granada, where the research is carried out, has been enriching as she learned much about the culture of southern Spain, the educational system, and the glitches in neuropsychological tests due to cultural biases. Megan Hunter Anderson (B.S. nursing, ’09) will graduate with a master’s degree in nursing with a family nurse practitioner concentration in May 2014. Anderson was also married in May 2013.

Lauren Grimes (B.A. French, ’09) will start pharmacy school in fall 2014.

Michelle Saraceni Sheffer (B.A. creative writing, B.A. English, ’06) is the senior writer and editor at the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises money for the public library system in Philadelphia. She writes everything from magazine feature stories to op-eds for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Sheffer received a master’s in education from the University of Pennsylvania and spent a year teaching 8th grade English and cultural studies. She also married Ian Sheffer (UNCW Honors ’07) in 2008. Ian is in his third year of residency as an internal medicine physician at Temple University Hospital and will be starting an infectious disease fellowship (also at Temple) later this year. In addition to his M.D.,

he received a master’s degree in bioethics from the University of Pennsylvania, and he has been an integral part in starting the Center for Urban Bioethics and Humanities

at Temple University.

Jovian Sackett (B.A. environmental studies, B.A. geology, ’04) has been GIS analyst for the Southern Environmental Law Center since August 2007 and was recently promoted to senior geospatial analyst. In 2012, he received his GISP certification. He was married in 2011 to Margaret Davis and became a father in 2012 to Grayson Davis Sackett.

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(Photo courtesy of alum) (left to right) Jovian Sackett, Grayson Sackett, and Margaret Davis

(Photo courtesy of alums) (left to right) Michelle Saraceni Sheffer and Ian Sheffer

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honorS in cuba: a letter to the Staff

Hello all,

I am writing to share my experiences while traveling to Cuba with my HON 120 class led by Dr. Alina Szmant and Dr. Amanda Dickens. I can honestly say that this trip was an amazing, life-changing experience. We had tremendous cultural experiences and learned much about Cuba’s ecosystem in a hands-on manner. All of the staff we interacted with were incredibly helpful. They were so excited to work with us and show us their research and even hinted at excitement for potential work together in the future. We even were given the opportunity to see a coral that is extinct in the Florida Keys during one of our amazing snorkels. A trip like this confirmed my love for marine biology, and it has assured me I am in the right field of study.

When I first heard about this trip, I was immediately interested just because it was a trip to Cuba. Travel to Cuba is limited, and many will never have the fortune of traveling there. That in itself excited me. I believe that experiencing other cultures is very important and beneficial, and since not much is known about the culture of Cuba, I was very interested in immersing myself in it. We got to interact with many native people, and I got to use the Spanish I learned last semester with Ms. Valerie Rider. It felt amazing to be able to take different aspects of my education and apply them all at once.

This trip was an amazing opportunity for me, and I am so glad I did it. I hope that this trip continues in the future because it can only get better. If any ambassadors are needed to further promote this trip, I would love to take part in that!

Thank you, and have a great summer!Christina Salerno

Student conveys her enthusiasm for the HON 120 Cuba: Coastal Ecology and History

Christina Salerno and Jamie Watson (editor)Class of 2017 and 2015

15

conGratulationS, SprinG GraDuateS!

University Honors with honors in...biology: Laurel Hardy, Christine Laite, Christine Lopez, Laura McSweeney, Jessica Ochab, Kaylin Prestage, Andrew Schofield, Lauren Sotet, Elizabeth Stone, Megan Taig-Johnston, Kaela Vogel, Lauren Waters chemistry: Sarah Bentil-Oqusu, Caroline Franks, Mary Steagall, Heather Stevenson communication studies: Maggie Hankins creative writing: Victoria Flanagan, Qualia Hendrickson, Andrew Robie economics Nathaniel Booe, Laverry Kumar, Richard Ogden, Michael Reading, Kenneth Rich, Ben Shoesmith English: Lauren Clairmont, Gabrielle Pantalena entrepreneurship & business development:Gabrielle Revette exercise science: Molly Baker, Tate Devlin geology: Kelly Hattori international business: Robert Hamilton marine biology Chelsea Adams, Emma Bogdan, Chelcie Ferguson, Kristin Heidenreich, Sarah Mandirola, Eric McCarthy, Alison Monroe, Emily Schwartz, Ethan Simpson, Rachel Southern marketing: Kyle Blackburn, Kate Hagenburg, Matthew Martino, Kasey Mead, Katrina O’Hanlon, Alexis Strobin, Whitney Vass mathematics: Richard Graham, Kristen Moody oceanography: Joseph Sisti psychology: Kayla Chatterton, Amanda Criscito, Megan Halloran, Andrew Kaniuka, Hana Kuwabara, Nina Thigpen special education: Samantha Goodwin

Honors in...biology: Joel Cook, Peter Lawson, Allyssa Lee, Emily Marx, Seth Thomas, Haley Woodward chemistry: Hannah Lineberry, Pouguiniseli Tankoano community health education: Marlissa Ivers criminology: Katherine Couch, Tyler McCarty elementary education: Kristin Morocco English: Asia Brown, Dana Calhoun, Tabitha Shiflett film studies: Richard Vasquez finance: Hector Martin-Bernabeu, Fabian Rodriguez, Santos, Esther Shinn French: Wren Burney geography: Shaina Poore geosciences: Lauren Glass, Haley Kachmarik history: David Evans, David Silvia international studies: Gongtao Sun marine biology: Tammy Bleier, Colleen Bove, Jenae Progar marketing: Marina Martin de la Fuente nursing: Clarissa Morrissey physics: Derek Grimes, Benjamin St. Laurent political science: Caroline Logan psychology: Courtney Anderson, Devin Barlaan, Olga Blank, Ryan Brabrand, Lindsay Buchler, Marlee Cadwell, John Capps, Michael Loeffler, Michael Matthews, Emily Olds, Angela Sekely, Sarah Stoloff recreation therapy: Jordan Perry recreation, sport leadership, & tourism management Erik Bigsby, Patrick Fecher, Savannah Mays social work: Jennifer Roofner special education: Alexandria Ivey

Give the Gift of Honors to Future Honors Students!Name__________________________________________________________________________________Home Address___________________________________________________________________________ City__________________________________________ State____________ Zip______________________Home Phone: (______)______________________ Work Phone: (_______)_________________________ Email_________________________________________________________________________________ _______ I would like my gift to go to the Levy-Bruce Honors Scholars Endowed Scholarship (scholarship for new Honors students) _______ I would like my gift to go to the Honors Scholars Trust Fund (programming)_______ I would like my gift to go to support UNCW Undergraduate Research_______ I would like my gift to go to _______________________________________________________

Please make checks payable to UNCW and mail to: Advancement Services, UNC Wilmington, 601 S. College Road, Wilmington, NC 28403-5905

I would like to pledge $_________ to be paid in installments of $__________ to be billed: _____ Annually _____ Semi-Annually _____ Quarterly _____ Monthly _____ My first payment is enclosed. _____ Visa _____MC _____AmEx Card # ___________________________ 3 Dig.Sec. Code________ Exp. Date ___________ Signature: _______________________________________________

If you or your spouse work for a matching gift company, you could double or triple your gift. Please obtain a matching gift form from your employer and mail with this form to UNCW.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Advancement Services: (910) 962-3593 or toll free (866) 468-6291

MAKE YOUR GIFT ONLINE: www.uncw.edu/giveonline

UNCW Honors College601 South College RoadWilmington, NC 28403 www.uncw.edu/honors

910.962.4181

From the Editors: The editors of Periplus are

especially excited to have the newsletter reach 16 pages for the first time in two years. Although we value quality over quantity, our staff and staff writers have risen to the challenge of covering a variety of interesting topics regarding UNCW’s Honors College. Our staff is composed of volunteers devoting much time and energy to this publication, and we could not be more thankful.

Jamie Watson, Class of ’15Naomi Spicer, Class of ’16

Cody Beck, Class of ’16Ashley Hann, Class of ’17

In Your Corner:UNCW is a midst of transitions,

and the Honors College is no exception. We are sad to see Bill Atwill leave as associate director, but are thrilled that Dr. Jennifer Horan will be joining us starting this summer. She will bring a fresh perspective built on the foundation of her varied honors teaching and advising experiences. I know that faculty and students will really enjoy working with her- her energy is infectious! So please join me in welcoming Jennifer Horan to the Honors College!

Dr. Katherine Bruce, DirectorUNCW Honors College

Periplus Staff Jamie Watson - Editor-in-Chief

Naomi Spicer - EditorCody Beck - Assistant Editor

Ashley Hann - Assistant EditorDr. Bill Atwill - Advisor

Staff Writers:Ashley Deleon

Qualia HendricksonKatie Albritton

Morgan ThompsonProfessor Valerie Rider

Elizabeth BernardoBethany Showers