The role of a National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) recommended site visitor is to provide, as much as possible, a comprehensive assessment of an honors program within the context of the institution and the range of honors educational programs represented by NCHC. To that end, the visitor observes, analyzes but also crystallizes the forces in the institution and nationally to provide support for honors education.
 A site visitor brings experiences and hopefully successes in honors education. A team of 2-3 visitors brings increased depth through variability in that experience. All members of the team draw upon the characteristics of a fully developed honors program (or college) and the vision for honors education of the NCHC. Because they are “outsiders” to the institution they provide a relatively objective view and through the deliberative process of a broad assessment they are able to provide a perspective both different from and broader than is possible from the position of the honors director alone. The director provides the first and usually most substantial overview of the current program, knows many of its strengths, weaknesses, issues, needs, and goals. The site visitor goes beyond the director in assessing institutional context (president & provost), the major constituencies (faculty & students), environmental support (budget & resources), and program effectiveness (curriculum & outcomes). Through the comprehensive nature of the assessment even the director may learn much about the program. Recommendations of the site visitors must be made within the context of the individual program and its supportive structures.

Individual site visitors may bring expertise in specific areas of honors education. My experience is in the initiation and growth of a departmental honors program. Through that experience I have established selection criteria and process, developed discipline-specific curricula, negotiated faculty and student relationships for mentorships and supervised proposal development, approval, and implementation of honors projects. I have participated in the University Honors Council, collaborated with the major scholarship advisor, and contributed to the university-wide honors coordinating committee. Because the honors project or thesis is a significant requirement for honors completion, I bring experience in establishing that component of the overall program. Through dissemination of their scholarly work, honors students from all disciplines grow in professional characteristics and contribute to the institutional experience and accomplishments. Since many University-wide honors programs must articulate with departmental programs for student completion, I am prepared to facilitate those opportunities and collaboration among varied levels of honors.

Finally the role of the site visitor is that of advocate. A good assessment is also an intervention. As an advocate for honors education the visitor speaks inevitably and deliberately, for the best practice of honors education. The visitor works to strengthen the program and work on its behalf. Very few problems or issues affecting honors education today cannot be identified through an honest and detailed assessment. Once recognized, problems can be approached with fresh insight. Conversely, one of the best reasons for a visit is to provide external, but honors-focused critical appraisal which can validate the accomplishments of the program. It provides the national context as the measurement matrix for the appraisal. Every conversation becomes one of listening and verifying, valuing and strategizing. Thus the role demands a full commitment to honors education, energy and balance for the task, and careful but effective application of developed characteristics and the national perspective. I look forward to participating in these processes.