My Honors Journey
I decided to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas after I found out that I was accepted to the Honors College. From what I knew at the time, the Honors College had separate academic requirements that were more holistic than both the College of Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts alone. I had no idea how much of an impact being part of the Honors College would have on me. I genuinely believe that it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
My first year in college consisted of me attending classes and then going home. I did not immerse myself in all of the things that the Honors College had to offer. As such, I became depressed that I was not making any long-term friends and lost motivation to attend classes and study. Luckily, I met another honors student in my statistics class. I am normally not one to go out on a limb and socialize with strangers, but I decided to give it a shot since what I was doing clearly wasn’t working. To my surprise, we hit it off. Over the next semester we studied together all the time and hung out more in the Honors College, where I was introduced to a variety of people who had an unmatched desire to achieve great things.
I met some of my very best friends through the Honors College. Little by little I was introduced to everyone that hung out there at the time. We bonded because we were going through a lot of the same things. I had classes with the majority of these students, too. The Honors College introduced a new exercise class that focused on obstacle course training that my friends and I attended in order to train for the Tough Mudder, a military-style obstacle course, that we would eventually run together. During my time as a member of the Honors College, I have run the Tough Mudder with the Honors Rebellion three times. There is something to be said about going through a physically demanding obstacle course that bonds people unlike any other activity. We were all able to physically be there for one another and help each other over and through ridiculous obstacles, so why wouldn’t we be there emotionally for one another in other (less physically demanding) aspects of our lives? Running the Tough Mudder solidified that I can trust other honors students to help me get through anything that life throws at me.
When I was in my second semester of Sophomore year, something clicked for me and I started actively pursuing all the opportunities the Honors College provided. I wanted to be able to give back to the organization that had given me so much already, so I decided to join the Student Council. I ran for secretary of the Honors College and won. The following year it was my job to communicate all of the events we were having to the other members of the Honors College. I worked with ten other individuals as part of the Honors College Executive Board to organize fun events throughout the semester. Our goal was to provide students with ample opportunities to bond with one another and de-stress.
With my history on the Honors College Executive Board, I decided to apply to be an Honors-105 instructor! Most undergraduate students do not have the opportunity to be an instructor of their own class; however, the Honors College allows students to run their introductory courses during the first year. After being accepted, the 105 instructors were provided with books to read detailing how the best college professors handle themselves. As instructors, we attended an Honors 410 class that met once a week where we developed our teaching philosophy, discussed how our classes went, bounced lesson plan ideas off of each other, and got to discuss various issues that our students might be facing and how to deal with them. Our 410 class was taught by two faculty members in the Honors College who acted as our point-people for questions regarding our classes and/or our students. This experience was very transformative for me. I learned a lot about myself while interacting with my students and helping guide them through their first semester of school.
In addition to teaching opportunities, the Honors College has recently expanded their internship opportunities. Every week students in the Honors College get an email that lists important dates for scholarships, internships, and volunteering events. The Honors College really does aim to give its students everything they need to develop as well-rounded individuals. I read about an opportunity to intern at the Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services Hospital during the school year. This internship encompassed both facets of study that I am interested in: Psychology and Biology. Without hesitation, I decided to apply and hope for the best. A week later I was asked to interview. A week after that I was given the good news that I had been one of two honors students who were accepted for the positions.
I have been interning at SNAMHS for half a semester now, and I have nothing but great things to say about it. I have had the privilege to shadow both psychologists and psychiatrists, and interact with patients with various mental illnesses. I have witnessed very uncomfortable encounters with patients and seen how professionals handle them. Despite patients not being in the right frame of mind, the individuals that I shadow treat them with nothing but respect. I have witnessed various patients transition from unstable states of minds to ones that permit them to function as productive members of society. This internship has already been transformational. Prior to interning at this mental health hospital, I wanted to be a radiologist. Now, after seeing the impact that these providers have on their patients, I am seriously considering pursuing a career as a psychiatrist.
In addition, I am planning on applying to do an honors thesis through the Honors College. This opportunity is open for individuals that are not “honors students,” but still want to complete a thesis prior to attending graduate school. To apply, you need an overall GPA of at least 3.5 and you need to identify a faculty advisor in the field you are studying. Once accepted, you have two semesters to write your honors thesis and present it in front of your thesis committee. While it requires a lot of hard work, it definitely sets you apart from the competition when you go to apply to graduate school.
I am so thankful for all of the opportunities that I have pursued through the Honors College. I cannot recommend it highly enough. If possible, I suggest that incoming freshmen join as soon as they can and then completely immerse themselves into the honors culture. The only regret I have is that I did not immerse myself sooner.
Jennifer Frazee joined the Interactive Measurement Group in Summer 2017. She plans to graduate Spring 2019 with a B.A. in Psychology, B.S. in Pre-Professional Biology and a minor in Neuroscience. She hopes to go to medical school and pursue a career as a psychiatrist.