All posts by Dr. Dave Davies

We’ve expanded our use of Twitter in the Honors College over the last few weeks. I’ve learned from visiting with students that many of them closely follow Twitter, so the service seems to be a good way to get the word out about HoCo events and activities.

Our twitter handle is @HonorsAtUSM. So far we’ve tweeted about our students’ research presentations, student awards, and College activities. Student reaction seems good. I’ll keep you posted. On Twitter, of course! (But also here.)

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia spoke to Honors College students today as part of University Forum, the Honors College’s universitywide speaker series.

The justice had dinner with students before the speech, and he took 40 minutes or more of questions afterward. We held a reception for him in the Lucas Administration Building. Many of us were impressed that he stayed to greet every student who wanted to say hello or ask a question.

That’s Justice Scalia on the left above with Stacey Calloway Ready (Honors College staff), HoCo students Patrick Hollingsworth and Ryan Parker, and HoCo graduate assistant Johnell Anderson-Goins.

Jazmyne Butler and Allie Solomon

Great news! Two Honors College students have snagged the top two positions in the Southern Miss Student Government Association.

Jazmyne Butler, a junior broadcast journalism major from Vicksburg, is the newly elected president of SGA. And Allie Solomon, a junior Spanish major from Pittsburgh, Pa., is the vice-president. We’re proud of both of them and look for them to do great things in their respective posts.

Both are very excited. I’ll let them express their excitement and enthusiasm in their own words:

• Jazmyne:  “As the newly-elected SGA President, I am so excited to serve the university and the student body at this capacity.  I have a wonderful team beside me, whose goal is to truly represent the student body and allow them to be more involved in what SGA is doing.  The students are the purpose of SGA, and I will hold those words dear to me throughout my year of service.  I am proud to continue the legacy of those who came before me.    I plan to attend graduate school for mass communications/journalism. “

• Allie:  “Hello to everyone! My name is Allie Solomon and I have been newly elected as the 2012-2013 Vice President for the Student Government Association at USM. I ran alongside fellow Honors College student Jazmyne Butler as the 2012-2013 SGA President under our campaign creed ‘Bridging the Gap: Service, Accountability, Progress.’ This motto is what we would like to be held accountable in upholding for the next term as representatives for all Golden Eagles. Though the campaign was grueling, it was nothing short of an equally demanding and rewarding experience. The student body elected exceptional representatives for all the remaining respective executive offices. …  I feel incredibly privileged to have the opportunity to serve as the new Vice President for SGA, and I am anxious to work with all the new Senators!”

Congratulations, Jazmyne and Allie!

With the semester several weeks in progress, we’re in the middle of a flurry of activity in the Honors College.

Most importantly, our deadline for fall admissions was on Feb. 1, and we’re gearing up to review applications for the freshman class of Fall 2012. All indications are that we’ll have a bumper crop of applications, and we couldn’t be more pleased. The number of applications has been trending upward in recent years, so it’s no surprise to us that this will be a strong year. Still, it’s a good sign that word is continuing to spread among area and regional high school students about the quality of our programs.

Students who’ve applied to the Honors College should expect to get word back from us regarding admissions in about a month.

The British Studies Program, one of the premier study-abroad programs at Southern Miss, has begun recruiting for the Summer 2012 program. We did our part today by hosting a special recruiting presentation just for Honors College students led by Dr. Doug Mackaman, the BSP director.

British Studies offers a wide range of courses in numerous disciplines, meeting from June 28 to July 29 in London. Students take just one course for six hours of credit. The program has been up and running for decades, but this summer will be one of the most exciting programs ever thanks to the Summer Olympics, which will be beginning in London in the final days of our program. Students will get a chance to attend at least one Summer Olympics event. Our program is headquartered at King’s College in central London, just south of the Waterloo Bridge (A view from the bridge is pictured above).

I’ve been teaching in London almost every year since 1999 in journalism, so I’m familiar with the program firsthand. Typically one- to two-dozen Honors students take part in British Studies, as we strongly encourage our students to consider study abroad because of its many educational benefits.