Step into the Dark World

Chris Hemsworth as ThorThose Honors students ever so lucky enough to have enrolled in HNR 210 The Evolution of the Comic Book Movie journeyed into the Dark World….of Destiny USA to see the opening of Thor. Great fun was had by all. After a brief trip to the comic book store, we took our seats (with huge buckets of popcorn–see class photo) in a sparsely populated theater. Consensus was that this Thor was even better than the first. No plot spoilers here, but *my* favorite line from the movie: “why are there so many shoes here?” Watch for this and a cool Stan Lee cameo appearance.

 

students sitting in theater at Thor

HNR 210 class at the movies

Connect. Explore. Engage.

Hi there possible future Honors student! If you’ve come this far, then you must want some more information. So here you go.

What We’re Looking For

Honors is looking for students with strong academic, civic, and professional interests who are committed to developing themselves as scholars and members of the local and global community. In short, we look for students who have what it takes to not only earn a degree with Renée Crown Honors, but to get the most out of the experience.  Being in the Honors program has changed students’ lives for the better (for real).  The Honors staff and faculty have seen our students and alumni achieve, and exceed their goals.  Honors students are motivated, informed, interested, and all around amazing.  Will you be one of them?

What We Offer


Honors students gathered in libraryGreat Courses
:  Honors courses are small, interesting, and unlike most classes you’ve taken at SU.  Our instructors and faculty have a passion for their subject matter, and are comfortable leading small groups in learning. Whether it’s a Spanish class, a seminar on zoo management (we have one), or a class that will teach you EVERYTHING  there is to know about how New York City gets its drinking water, you will learn about complex subjects from angles you didn’t know existed.  And you will be able to do all of this in a small-group environment where your professor can focus on YOU. You can check out all our Spring 2014 course listings here.

 

Students serving at CNY Food BankExploration: We look for intellectually curious students because  the Honors Program is a great opportunity for students to explore their interests, and strengthen their vision of who they want to become after SU.   You will also complete an in-depth Capstone project in your major during your junior and senior years. You may have heard scary rumors that the Capstone project is the stuff of nightmares, but doing the Capstone has opened up opportunities for students in their careers that they never thought possible.  We are constantly learning of Honors alumni who are winning journalism and film awards for their Capstones years later, earning prestigious scholarships, landing great jobs, and even getting ahead in the work world based on knowledge they gained from their Capstone project.   For more information on that, please stop by our Capstone website and read more. 

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Visits Maxwell School & SU 2012

 

Engagement:  Honors students build community by performing service in the community, through our advisory board planned events, small-group social and cultural outings known as “Footnotes Events”, and just by building relationships with students in the program that are from other schools and colleges.  Honors students also have opportunities to connect with visiting scholars, lecturers, and leaders who come to campus.  Yes, that’s Maxwell Dean Steinberg’s Honors class visiting with then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

 

Here’s the fine print:  You can complete Honors no matter what college, school, or major you are enrolled in.  We are a campus-wide program!  You should be a first-year student.  If you are beyond your first year, you need to talk to an Honors advisor before you apply.   You need to have a GPA of 3.4 or above (3.2 or above in Architecture).  Also remember, admission is rolling and space is limited to 130, so we highly recommend you submit by December 15th.

 Still interested?

Good. Here is a link to the admissions page with the application form. Note that there are some essay questions.  This is the part of the application where we look way beyond your GPA, and into what motivates, interests, and inspires you to excel.  So don’t be intimidated! Be honest, and let us get to know you!

 

SU Pilots Course Sharing Program

Image of caribbean religious artifacts

New in Spring 2014, Syracuse University is piloting a program to share online undergraduate courses with a consortium of member universities including Brandeis University, George Washington University, University of Miami, and Northeastern.   The course sharing program will enable students from across member institutions to expand their courses of study with access to online courses not available at their home institution. Please see the Course Share website for more information:  http://courseshare.syr.edu

We thought you might be interested in some of these courses.  Please note, however, that they are not Honors courses and would not count toward your Honors breadth requirement.  That said, they may present a great opportunity for you.

Some of the courses are wide ranging and interdisciplinary in nature, perfect for the enterprising Honors student! Here are some titles:

  • Carribean Religion (REL 300) offered by the University of Miami
  • Perspectives on Healthcare and Information Systems offered by Brandeis University
  • Foundations of Virtual Management Across Cultures and Geographies offered by Brandeis University.

Head over to the SU courseshare website for more information on any of these classes.

Just a few AMAZING Footnotes pictures

On Saturday October 19th, Professor John Western led a small group of lucky Honors students on a nature walk along the Lake Ontario waterfront.  I know we’re always up for majestic pictures of sand dunes… so without further ado, here’s your daily dose of natural wonder (courtesy of Honors Footnotes events!)

students pose on beach with John Western

students pose on the beach with John Western students walk down the shoreline of lake ontario students on the shore of lake ontario

Honors Students Engage Community

Wondering why Honors courses are so different from others?
On Saturday, October 26 Honors students enrolled in Professor Faye McMahon’s, “Folk Arts, Festival and Public Display” engaged with community members from DR Congo at Refugee Resettlement Services in Syracuse. Makene, Kiza and Tamone introduced students through their storytelling to their unique traditional arts. After the two hour program, the students enjoyed a traditional Somali meal at the nearby African International Restaurant, a popular community gathering place frequented by new immigrants to Syracuse from East Africa.
Below are some wonderful photos of the class’s outing!

Refugee Resettlement Services

African International Restaurant