Before Registering:

If your institution IS a member of NCHC:
Unless you hold a current NCHC Institutional or Professional membership, you must sign up as a "Contact" to be affiliated with your institution and receive member pricing for event registration. Sign up as a Contact Here

If your institution is NOT a member of NCHC:
Please proceed as a "Guest". Members receive a 50% discount on all NCHC event registrations - contact the NCHC Office for more details on joining!

Institute Focus

Honors programs and colleges are increasingly being asked to assess and evaluate their outcomes and effectiveness. The revamped 2023 iSpark (Institute on Strategic Planning, Assessment, and Reviewer Knowledge) will enable participants to build and assess a strategic plan, and evaluate assessment data in order to make effective recommendations for improving honors education.

The workshop will begin with a social event on the evening of July 25th, then full day workshops on July 26th and 27th. The morning of July 28th will offer program review role play, and concluding thoughts.

Learning Outcomes

Self-Assessment and Strategic Planning

• Overview of self-assessment
• Strategic Planning, vision, mission
• Curriculum Map and rotation of annual assessment within institution
• NCHC Shared Principles and Practices (for a Director/Dean)
• NCHC Self-Assessment review instrument (for a Director/Dean)

Program Review Visits

• Overview of Program Review Visits
• NCHC Shared Principles and Practices (for a Program Reviewer)
• NCHC Self-Assessment review instrument (for a Program Reviewer)
• Analysis of de-identified historical program reviews
• Writing evidence statements
• Mock scenarios with different roles and institutions
• Program Review Process/Application

Audience

Ideal for directors with established assessment routines and anyone wanting to revitalize their approach. Required for those seeking to become an NCHC‐approved Program Reviewer

Double Up and Save $100!

Register first for NDI, and save $100 on iSpark registration! Registrants for the New Directors Institute (July 23-26) will receive a code to save $100 on their registration for iSpark (Institute for Strategic Planning, Assessment, and Reviewer Knowledge), July 26-28. 

2023 Assessment & Program Review Institute Agenda

Venue & Accommodations

The iSpark Institute will be hosted in Chicago, Illinois at the

Aloft Chicago on Magnificent Mile 
243 East Ontario  |  Chicago, IL 60611

To make your reservation, call Marriott reservations at (888) 236-2427 and indicate that you are with the NCHC Summer Institutes.

OR: Click here to make your Room Reservation Online

Facilitators

Lisa Higgins, College of DuPage

Dr. Lisa Higgins has served as Director of the Honors Program at College of DuPage since 2017 and is a tenured professor of English. Prior to joining the full-time faculty at COD in 2004, she taught at University of Illinois at Chicago, Roosevelt University, Dominican University and Concordia University Chicago. She earned a master’s and doctorate in literature at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She also has a background working for non-profit organizations as a writer and fundraiser.

She was the proud recipient of the Outstanding Full-time Faculty Member in Liberal Arts Award (2018-2019) and the Outstanding Club Advisor Award for her work with the Honors Student Advisory Committee (2022). She has been involved in assessment and strategic planning projects over the years, including a site-visit by NCHC planned for April 2023. She is immediate past-president of the Honors Council of the Illinois Region and her college hosted the HCIR Student Symposium for undergraduates in Spring 2022.

College of DuPage is the largest single-campus community college in the country. Lisa looks forward to offering a two-year college perspective and working directly with faculty from community colleges during the Summer Institute.

David Rhea, Governors State University

Dr. David Rhea has served as the Director of the Governors State University Honors Program since 2013 and Director of the Center for the Junior Year since 2018. He is full professor of communication and received the GSU Faculty Excellence Award in 2013.  

His research background is in campaign election messages and infotainment. 

Over the last 10 years, Dr. Rhea has moved GSU from a two-year (finishing) honors program to a four-year program, with a program growth from 1.5% to 5.0% of the GSU undergraduate population. He has built his institution’s honor program mission statement, curriculum maps, study abroad, housing initiatives, and research initiatives that have led to over 150 undergraduate research authorships (local, state, and national conferences) since 2016.  Dr. Rhea has eight NCHC conference presentations and two NCHC journal publications (admissions and recruitment) credits. He has served on with NCHC’s Assessment and Evaluation Committee since 2013, becoming co-chair in 2023. Dr. Rhea is also the Vice Chair of the Communication Assessment Division of the National Communication Association, a Higher Learning Commission Peer Reviewer, and a Past President of the Honors Council of the Illinois Region.  

James Williams, University of Indianapolis

Dr. James Williams has served as the Executive Director of the Ron & Laura Strain Honors College at the University of Indianapolis since 2015.  He is also a tenured associate professor of history and received the UIndy Teacher of the Year Award in 2016.  His educational background is in medieval history with a doctorate from Purdue University and a master’s from Oxford University.

Dr. Williams has a good deal of experience with assessment, strategic planning, and evaluation. He has successfully designed and executed mission statements, learning goals, and two strategic plans for his current institution and has presented on these matters at the NCHC annual meetings numerous times.  He has served on and actively engaged with NCHC’s Assessment and Evaluation Committee since 2015 becoming co-chair in 2023.  When not engaged with assessment, he is leading the Mid-East Honors Association as its current President and past Secretary.

Dr. Williams believes that proper planning, communication, and implementation can transform education for honors students for the better.  This has been evident at his home campus of UIndy where graduation rates of honors students have increased by 400% over the last 7 years.

Refunds

All requests for refunds MUST be submitted in writing to the national office and RECEIVED no later than seven days in advance of the NCHC Summer Institute.

• Received prior to 7 days before Institute:          Full refund, less a $50 per person administrative fee
• Received within 7 days before Institute:            No refunds granted

Questions? Contact the NCHC office at (402) 472-9150 or nchc@unl.edu.