2023 Election

Complete Application

The success of the National Collegiate Honors Council requires the full participation and engagement of everyone; NCHC is something less than the leading organization for honors education when institutions and groups are not represented, underrepresented or ignored from within.

Throughout my more than ten years of service in honors education, I have been fortunate to have served at a Historically Black University (HBCU) and been able to work in roles that have supported the strengthening of honors education at fellow HBCUs. I have also served in leadership capacities, including the presidency, for two terms, of the regional Virginias Collegiate Honors Council (Virginia + West Virginia). My participation in the Honors International Faculty Institute in collaboration with the European Honors Council (ECH) in the Netherlands and subsequent membership have allowed me to experience how honors can appear and function differently in multiple countries around the world.

Because of these different experiences and perspectives on honors education, I am acutely aware that regardless of how honors is organized, honors is at its very core inclusive of all. I believe this strongly and am very comfortable serving as an advocate as well as a leader for inclusive excellence in honors education. I would like to use my position as Vice President to assist in strengthening, where possible, the relationships between NCHC and the regional councils, the National Association of African American Honors Programs (NAAAHP), state-level councils, and other emerging US and international honors groupings. I believe there are multiple areas in which direct cooperation would bolster collaborating organizations, all while strengthening honors education.

I would welcome with enthusiasm the opportunity to bring my voice and passion for honors education to the position of NCHC Vice President!

Complete Application

My passion for the arts is the center of my life. Honors is my fulltime collegiate home. It is where I create arts and arts-integrated courses for honors curriculums, involve students in experiential learning, and where I develop partnerships across campus and beyond to advocate for arts and honors education. It is where I offer opportunities to expand a student's research and discovery options through annual award-winning activities, and scholarly lectures that engage students no matter their field of study. It is where I formed a student arts organization that showcases the artistic talents of predominately non-arts majors from various backgrounds and ethnicities in a week of creative performances.
These pathways for student success are at the core of a meaningful honors experience.

These activities benefited from internal and external funding opportunities. I bring my student-centered experience in implementing and resourcing these activities to the Board. My commitment to student success in the arts has led me to endow a yearly scholarship for honors students at my institution.

Expanding growth for creative expression through arts-integrated experiences has defined my campus and conference participation and has helped me form friendships across interdisciplinary lines. As a Board member, I will support articles about the arts in NCHC's Newsletters and the formation of a Committee for the Arts in Honors.

I am committed to NCHC's good management practices and the inclusive standards toward strengthening enrollment and student success challenges. These have informed my approach to honors education since I began-fulltime-in honors over a decade ago.

Coming to grips with artificial intelligence is one of the most important challenges ahead. What will honors education look like with AI in our future? The future is now and so is NCHC! I would like to offer my thoughts and service to NCHC as your Board member.

Complete Application

With a proven track record of leadership, dedication, and a deep commitment to honors education, I believe I possess the qualifications necessary to make a significant impact on the strategic directions and effectiveness of the organization. As the Director of the Redwine Honors Program at Midwestern State University, a public regional university that primarily serves a first generation and low socioeconomic status student population, I have successfully led a thriving honors program since 2018. Under my leadership, the program has experienced growth and development, including reforming the program to accommodate transfer students to expand its membership as well as strengthening the program's community by expanding program participation by 40%. Complementing my leadership experience is my ongoing dedication to honors education. I have published in Honors in Practice and regularly present at the NCHC Annual Conference, covering topics such as developing community in honors through a community garden, reimagining research programs, and pandemic-driven innovations in honors education. I have also been deeply committed to honors service. I serve as a co-chair of the Developing in Honors section of NCHC, regularly volunteer as a poster judge at NCHC and GPHC and serve as the webmaster for the GPHC website. This experience, combined with my contributions as the President elect of GPHC and Program Chair for the 21 & 23 conferences further demonstrate my commitment to fostering collaboration and professional development within the honors community. I have also participated in several NCHC institutes ranging from the New Directors to Place as Text institutes. I believe that my leadership qualifications, experiences, and strengths make me an ideal candidate for a board position within NCHC. I am eager to bring my skills, knowledge, and passion to this board position and help shape the future of honors education.

Complete Application

Over the past 12 years, honors education has become both a part of my professional and academic identities. My honors journey started in my undergraduate education and has made positive influences on my work as an administrator, mentor, teacher, and advocate. I have been fortunate to have had a career that spans the spectrum of issues, challenges, and opportunities in higher education encompassing collaborative work in both student and academic affairs. For this reason, I enthusiastically express my interest in serving on the NCHC Board of Directors.

Since my first NCHC conference in 2012, I have facilitated several presentations, panels, and workshops including such notable sessions as Beginning in Honors, Developing in Honors, Students in Honors, and Summer Institutes. My NCHC service has also included membership on the NCHC Professional Development and Two-Year College Committees as well as organizing the Idea Exchange portion of the annual conference for several years.

Most of my service in honors has been devoted to leadership at the state and regional level, including presidencies with the MidEast Honors Association, Southern Regional Honors Council, and the Florida Collegiate Honors Council. Through my work with these organizations, I have engaged in collaborative leadership to advance their missions for promoting honors educational practices and student experiences. I have also organized two state honors conferences and one regional honors conference.

These experiences have afforded me the opportunity to develop a wide-ranging network of honors colleagues who can greatly contribute to my position as a board member advocating for honors education on a national level. As a board member, I would be especially interested in advancing the NCHC research agenda to promote more empirical research that will further provide institutional stakeholders with evidence-based tools to support their programs.

Complete Application

As a member of the NCHC Board of Directors, I would bring my experience in honors education at private, public, historically Black and predominantly White institutions in the south Atlantic and northeastern regions, as well as my education in the Midwest. I have served as a regional officer (NRHC 2006-2008) where I worked to broaden the academic disciplines included in our conference calls for proposals and (NRHC 2021-2025) where I am working alongside colleagues to deliver engaging conferences to our students.

My NCHC participation history reflects both my interest in edifying my own practice in honors by attending summer institutes such as Beginning in Honors, preparing the self-study, site visitor training; as well as my willingness to share information with colleagues through my conference presentations and workshops on curricular revision, diversity topics, and Fulbright activity. My experience navigating difficult and complex institutional transitions such as mergers and name changes – surviving with honors intact and with improved footing have provided me significant exercise in diplomacy that I have been able to use as an NCHC site visitor. I would look forward to lending the same skills as an NCHC board member.

Outside of honors, I have served (2016-2023) on the governing board of Hosteling International USA (hiusa.org) where my passion for international travel to promote the outlook of young people as global citizens found a home. Above all, I bring commitment to students. It has been my pleasure to shepherd honors students to their first conference experience, then to observe as they returned as presenters, volunteers and even board members. Flames alight!
If elected, I would lend my efforts to national board initiatives to sustain NCHC functions and to strengthen alignment of the regional councils with NCHC Shared Principles and Practices.

Complete Application

Hello, my name is Erik Ozolins and I look forward to serving the NCHC Honors community on the Board of Directors. I have served as Co-Director of the Honors Enrichment Program at Mt. San Jacinto Community College for the past 15 years. During that time, I have worked with my fellow Co-Director, our advisory committee and our student leaders to redesign the program so that it focuses more on diversity, equity and inclusion and helping to support and develop honors students who may not have previously viewed themselves as honors students. In aligning with my focus on equity and inclusion, I have twice given presentations at the NCHC conference on supporting Trans and Non-Binary students in our Honors Programs. If elected to the Board of Directors, I will continue to support the ongoing efforts by NCHC to promote values of equity and inclusion in honors education and honors spaces. Additionally, for all of my time as an Honors Director, I have also served on the Honors Transfer Council of California, including a term as President. I have also served HTCC as Vice-President and numerous times as Conference Chair. I currently serve as Scholarships chair of HTCC and help run the New Directors meetings. I am passionate about mentoring both honors faculty as well as new Honors directors and is something that I hope to continue to do in the future. I have had the pleasure of twice participating as a facilitator for Beginning in Honors at the NCHC Conference. I also currently serve as the secretary of the two-year committee.

Complete Application

With a new Executive Director (ED) and an expanded staff, I believe NCHC is well-positioned to offer its members greater resources and improve the visibility of honors education in the national higher education space. As a member of the Board, I would look forward to working with fellow board members, the ED and NCHC staff to: 1) revamping our internal and external communication options to provide: a) a useful listserv resource in support of scholarly exchanges and professional development; b) enhanced organization and availability of archived materials; c) more standardized communication resources for standing committees and their communication with the national office; 2) more on-line presentations on best practices and special topics offered throughout the year; 3) increase the visibility of honors education in national conversations on higher education by encouraging empirical research on the benefits of honors pedagogy and programming and promoting scholarly writing on the values and characteristics of honors education in a wider variety of professional journals; and 4) Broaden the development and efficacy of honors education in disciplines beyond the arts and humanities by providing a renewed emphasis on STEM interest groups, archiving of syllabi, and the development of in-person and online workshops.

Since 2004, I have directed, and taught in, UAB's University Honors Program. I have served in multiple leadership roles. For the Southern Regional Honors Council (SRHC), I have served as President, hosted two annual conferences (2008, 2022) in Birmingham, and my students publish Sanctuary, the literary arts journal of SRHC. For NCHC, I have previously served on the Board of Directors, co-chaired the Research Committee, Conference Planning Committee, and have organized the Student Poster sessions for many years. I have served on the editorial board of Honors in Practice since its inception. Most recently, I served on the Search Committee for NCHC's ED.

Complete Application

As a career professional and one who specializes in research in honors education, I have made progress within my own institution at narrowing equity gaps, and feel that I can bring this experience to honors education nationally. As an honors professional, I have always been committed to creating a community that provides meaningful, positive, high-impact experiences to students. I believe that honors education can be used effectively as an instrument for narrowing equity gaps, and that it is our responsibility to engage in this work. As a board member, I would work to create and sustain a community that invests in inclusive excellence, so that all deserving students may enjoy the meaningful, positive, high-impact experiences of an honors education. My goal for the National Collegiate Honors Council is for it to remain the foremost leader of honors education, and for it to continue as an organization known to be welcoming to honors deans, directors, faculty, staff, and students regardless of institutional size or affiliation, or individual background and identities. As student enrollment is declining, institutions are beginning to face a new era of financial difficulties. My goal as a board member would be to help further develop NCHC as an organization focused on making evidence-based and strategic reforms to be prepared to adjust to the changing higher education landscape, and to prepare honors deans and directors for the next stage in our development. It will be critical during this era that NCHC is equipped as an organization to support its member institutions and to advocate for the needs of all honors programs and colleges. As a member of the Board of Directors, I would make inclusive excellence and advocacy for honors education my top priority.

Complete Application

I have been in Honors for fifteen years on three different regional university campuses in Missouri, Illinois, and now in South Texas. I have served as an Honors Program Director and faculty member, an Honors administrator, and now as an Honors Dean. I have worked with faculty and departments to strengthen Honors education and to create Honors Living-Learning Communities. I have supervised Honors thesis projects. I have evaluated and been involved in the hiring process of Resident Assistants for Honors floors and residence halls. I'd like to think my greatest skills are organizational leadership as well as a passion for Honors advocacy and a desire to be involved in professional development.

I have been involved in Honors at the national and regional level. I began attending the National Collegiate Honors Council Conference in 2009. I currently co-chair the NCHC Advocacy Committee and serve on the Professional Development Committee. I also have been involved in regional Honors meetings as well, having been involved with the Honors Council of the Illinois Region (HCIR), the Great Plains Honors Council, and participate in the regular meetings of the Texas public university Honors directors and deans group. I would like nothing more than to give back to the greater Honors community.

As a representative from a Hispanic-Serving Institution, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, I feel I have an additional voice to add to the national Honors conversation on diversity and inclusion. I've already seen amazing stories as my students overcome incredible odds to become Goldwater Scholars, doctoral students in elite research programs, and have gained admission to professional schools. With the right environment and some hard work, there is no reason that excellence cannot be inclusive. I see it every day.

I would greatly appreciate your vote for the NCHC Board of Directors.

Complete Application

Hello, I am Dr. Joshua Stockley. Thank you for your consideration for the NCHC Board of Directors.

The first thing I bring is teaching experience, being an honors professor since 2006. My goal is to create an applied and interdisciplinary academic environment that facilitates critical thinking, inspires individuals to share their experiences, encourages articulation of different perspectives, uncovers new ideas, and impacts the broader community. Through these pedagogical efforts, students develop the skills required of global citizenship. My passion was recognized by students when awarded the SGA Faculty Award of Excellence and the ULM Foundation for Award for Excellence in Teaching.

The second thing I bring is administrative experience. I became Director of the ULM Honors Program in 2011. As director, my priority was to apply the aforementioned approach and to make this honors experience accessible to any individual from anywhere. My students are disproportionately low-income, first generation learners. I have work diligently to remove barriers to participation and to create partnerships for success so that any student can benefit from a transformative pedagogical experience.

Finally, I bring my institutional perspective, not uncommon to the honors community. I serve a program without a large endowment, infrastructure, budget, or staff; however, I have managed to grow the program, increase diversity, build courses, implement curricular changes, reconnect alumni, establish private/public partnerships, and position honors within the University's strategic plan. Service to the board allows me to represent similarly situated programs and to ensure NCHC actions are consistent with its strategic initiatives of organizational excellence, professional development, research, advocacy and partnership, and diversity and inclusion.

Complete Application

As a member of the NCHC Board I would address the concerns and responsibilities tied to being a member of a civil community, and as an extension, how honors colleges can provide students with guidance regarding such. Many students are aware of needing to take action, but not many are aware of how, and I believe that it could be the honor of the NCHC to present solutions and push their students to do more in their communities.

I'm a member of Drexel University's Program of Civic Foundations, and with it's added guidance regarding civil issues, I've connected with organizations such as Philadelphia's Chinatown Development Corporation and Asian Student Associations to discuss the future of my communities. Being a part of this program and an active member of these organizations have helped me gain insight and take actions beyond what I could have hoped for in the past.

With my previous employment and current major in the Hospitality Industry, I know that I hold experience in both team building and networking that many of my peers regretfully miss. My major also required me to complete volunteer work during the Philly Chef Conference, and from that I've learned endless ways to work with a team and assist guests. I had meetings to help plan for the event, and moderated conversations and panels - many of which concerning sensitive topics in our modern society.

Although I am still just a freshman, I take pride in my abilities to take action, network, and work with a team, and I have a clear view of what I believe the NCHC can be capable of. With the right steps, I believe that the NCHC can push honors students to take action and roles in civil communities, and I know I could contribute to that.

Complete Application

There are several unique qualities I can bring to the NCHC. One of my core strengths is the ability to effectively collaborate. In all situations I strive to examine disparate ideas and then work with team members to advance cohesive solutions. With proper utilization of resources and teamwork, I have been able to expand several programs, everything from community service to running clubs. Effective team collaboration is crucial for our success. Another strength I bring to the table is my relentlessness. I never leave a job undone and grind out projects through thick and thin. Not only are they done effectively, but efficiently as well. With the right team, any project presented to us could be made into reality.

My strengths directly correlate to my mission for NCHC. The overarching goal of NCHC is to put honors students front and center, and if I were voted into office, I would enforce this duty to the best of my ability. To achieve this goal, I would implement regional meetings of honors students representing their respective colleges in order to communicate the successes, struggles, and solutions implemented in their institutions. This in turn will allow for other students to provide feedback and learn what more could be done in their school. Innovation from the ground level could be highly beneficial for the council, and a worthwhile investment for the future of honors as a whole. By connecting our national organization with honors students on a more personal level, we can obtain a better understanding of what needs to be done on a member to member basis.

Complete Application

If elected to the NCHC Board of Directors, I will bring my personal artistic outlook and the dedication to honors education that I have developed at Eastern Kentucky to help the board move forward. As a graphic design major, I could contribute a creative perspective that the council may find refreshing. I attended the fall 2022 Kentucky Honors Roundtable at the University of Kentucky in to learn from graduating seniors. I also took part in EKU’s new Honors Launch orientation program for incoming students, and I am attending NCHC 23 in Chicago where I am participating in a student and faculty panel on a creative project-based course at EKU known as The Creative Imagination: Life and Death. In addition, as a general practice I attend all of our campus honors meetings, I have participated in committees, and I served on the Honors Launch planning team. I am an open-minded person and I am always looking to continue the growth mindset I am pursuing. I am organized, a critical thinker, and a problem solver. In terms of my vision for my role on the board, I would like to help get students further involved in their honors programs and serve as an ambassador between the National Collegiate Honors Council and honors students who may not be aware of it or how beneficial it is. I would like to look into furthering involvement of honors students with their local communities and to see how we can propel the development of courses that provide more creative opportunities and student-initiated learning and service projects. I have found that with traditional pedagogies students are losing interest in their courses as work turns out to be more busy than fun. While the main intention of any course is to be educational, there are many creative ways to be both attention-grabbing and educational that I would like to emphasize.

Complete Application

I believe that with my diverse back ground, area of expertise in leadership, and willingness to give back to my community, I will contribute a valuable membership on the NCHC Board of Directors. Not to mention, I have presented on the topic of retention of Latinx students within my own honors college, and it is a challenge that I am willing to shift into a goal, as one of my goals for service in the NCHC. Moreover, I would like to focus on having NCHC members participate in more community service projects such as the mural painted at Kirkpatrick Middle School during the conference in Dallas. That experience was and will remain one of the most fulfilling community service engagements I have been a part of, since we were given the chance to connect with the local community, and I was able to meet youth with a similar background as me. Impacting the community is very important, and I believe that it encompasses the values and the goals that the NCHC pursues. By impacting the community we can increase the influence of NCHC and touch the lives of those who may never get the opportunity to learn about an honors education. Captivating and giving underrepresented people the chance at something great is a very important value of mine, and I believe that by serving on the NCHC Board of Directors, I will be able to do so.

Complete Application

My name is Clay Loper, and I appreciate your consideration for this position. I am going into my third year at Angelo State University and am pursuing a double major in Management and Marketing, and an MBA. I am passionate about honors because my honors education has provided so much for me—enhanced academics, research opportunities, engaging discussions, leadership development, and life-long friendships, just to name a few. I welcome any opportunity to use my talents to give back to the honors community, and serving on the NCHC Board would provide that on a national level.

I am very involved in my campus Honors program, and I have seen first-hand the benefit that a quality honors program can provide. I served as an officer in our Honors Student Association last year and will serve as President this upcoming year, and through these experiences, I have learned how to listen and respond to the members of our program. I have also learned how to effectively communicate with others on a team, and those above me, in order to lead effectively and to create positive experiences for peers.

In the summer of 2022, I had the opportunity to participate in the Glacier National Partners in the Park trip. I also attended the 2022 national conference in Dallas. These experiences showed me all of the best parts of the honors community – not only the wonderful interpersonal relationships that I made, but also unique experiences, new ways of thinking, and an overall enhanced education.

I also have experience serving on boards of nonprofits in the San Angelo community. I understand the structure of boards, how to effectively participate as a student, and many of the unique challenges faced by nonprofits. This participation will be beneficial with serving on the board of NCHC.