The Honors College: An Introduction
I think I will share about the Honors College, now in its second year and gaining momentum, to the many high school juniors and seniors who are looking for a unique college experience.
I am an Honors student in my second year of study. The Honors College has been without a doubt the center of my college education. We have had so much fun both in class and out of class, beginning our first day at the University and in the Honors College.
For those new to the University, everyone who attends the University is required to take 54 hours of Smith College basic courses, which include College Math, Biology, etc.
The Honors College almost completely exempts students from these classes and supplements them with a unique set of courses designed to synthesize great ideas. In a sense, building bridges between different ideas, thinkers and systems of knowledge.
This is done through the study of great books. I do not have the complete list with me, but some of the authors include Thales, Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Boethius, Dante, Aquinas, Erasmus and Luther.
The courses follow a particular order, depending on the professor, but all incorporate reading and writing, along with discussion based class time. For myself, entering the Honors College involved playing to my strengths.
First year Honors students begin at the awakening of Western Thought -- the philosophers. By the end of their four years at the University, they will have traced this vein of thinking all the way to the modern era and beyond.
As second year Honors students, we have studied faith, philosophy, history, language, culture, warfare, politics and now art.
Our art course, "Cezanne's Doubt," is taught by the brilliant Yousef Balat, assistant professor in art. He is leading us through the history of art, focusing primarily on those artists who have wrestled with self doubt, such as Paul Cezanne and Alberto Giocametti. In addition to the study of art, we are learning to apply what we are seeing to the canvas. Weekly we spend an entire class period in a workshop-type state, drawing or painting whatever we are inspired to. Mr. Balat is teaching us to expand our creative horizons.
In our other Honors College course, the faithful Dr. Evan Getz, assistant professor of literature, is walking us through the Renaissance. He has already acted as our Virgil, guiding us through the pits of Dante's Inferno, but now he continues to lead us through the history of Western Thought.
Dr. Robert Stacey, dean of the Honors College, recently lectured us for three class periods on Niccolo Machiavelli and his most important work of political science, "The Prince." For any political science major, including myself, it was a brilliant series of classes that provided something of an escape from Plato's idealism.
Through monthly meetings known as Honors College Roundtables, we have had the opportunity to meet local and national leaders in academics, journalism, politics. Many other opportunities arise through the Honors College, including trips to museums, plays and recitals.
I would encourage all high school seniors and juniors to look at the Honors College Web page. The admission requirements are posted, along with contact information for those of you who would like to learn more about the Honors College.
