Interested in getting more involved in NCHC by joining a committee?

Explore and access a wealth of resources to guide and enhance your work as an NCHC Committee leader. Committee work is vital to the success of NCHC - thank you for investing your time, talents, and resources into making the honors community the best it can be!

Thomas Spencer, Central State University, Chair
Jonathan Kotinek, Texas A&M University, Chair Elect
Tibias Thibodeaux, Lamar University, Secretary

• Advocate to the broader community, including government and legislative bodies, regarding what Honors is (and what it is not), the varieties of honors education, what role honors programs and colleges play in the higher education landscape, etc.;
• Advocate to the broader community, and particularly government and legislative bodies, regarding issues in higher education that have an impact on honors students;
• Promote NCHC to individuals, foundations and other funding entities.
• Report regularly in writing to the Governance Committee who reports to the Board of Directors.
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s Mission Statement.

Steven Edwards, Delgado Community College, Chair

• Study and make recommendations regarding arts and creativity in honors programs.
• Organize workshops and panels at the annual conference and throughout the year on honors teaching in arts and creativity and solicit performance/exhibition-based conference events.
• Develop and distribute materials to members through the NCHC website to introduce or enhance the teaching of arts and creativity in their honors program.
• Report regularly in writing to the Board of Directors.

David Rhea, Governors State University, Chair
James Williams, University of Indianapolis, Chair Elect
Amy Lebo, Emory University, Secretary

• Coordinate and oversee activities of NCHC relating to honors evaluation and the assessment of honors programs.
• Train program reviewers for honors program consultations, assessments, and evaluations.
• In collaboration with the Publications Board, oversee the periodic updating and revisions of all NCHC publications relating to the evaluation of honors programs.
• Work closely with NCHC Conference Program Chair to coordinate workshops and sessions at the annual conference relating to honors evaluation and institutional accreditation issues.
• Develop or contribute information or articles to NCHC publications on evaluation and assessment issues in honors.
• Report regularly in writing to the Board of Directors.
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s Mission Statement.

Betsy Yarrison, University of Baltimore, Co-Chair
Kerry Wynn, Washburn University, Co-Chair

• Administer the NCHC Fellows recognition process as described in the Policies and Procedures.
• Consider other awards which would be appropriate for NCHC and recommend appropriate recognition for recipients of the award.
• For NCHC Portz Grants awards and NCHC Portz Scholars awards, the committee shall:
  • Allocate monies provided by NCHC in support of worthy projects in honors education and recommend to the Board of Directors proposals deemed worthy of funding using the following guidelines:
    • to generate and support new ideas for proposals from NCHC members;
    • to fund innovative and creative proposals in preference to on-going or established programs or activities.
    • Publicize the procedure for applying for NCHC Portz Grants including announcements in the NCHC E-letter and/or through direct mailings to NCHC members.
    • Work with the Conference Chair to recognize the winner(s) at the annual conference.
    • Work with the National Headquarters Office to publicize the award winners through press releases.
    • Conduct the annual NCHC Portz Scholars competition for undergraduate honors papers.
    • Cooperate with NCHC Conference Chair as appropriate in developing programs for the annual meeting.
  • Maintain simple procedures for entertaining requests for funds and for making selections.
• Report regularly in writing to the Finance Committee who will then communicate to the Board.
• Review annually with the Finance Committee the endowed investment policy and endowment distribution policy to fund the student award and scholarships for honors semesters.
• Review annually with the Finance Committee the endowed investment policy and endowment distribution policy to fund the John and Edythe Portz Fellowship, to be awarded competitively for a period of up to 15 months, and limited to one proposal per member’s institution.
• Work with the Executive Director staff of the National Headquarters Office to announce annually a call for proposals that are cross boundaries and disciplines and are creative and innovative.
• Annually review proposals with a team of committee members, presenting all finalists for review to the entire committee.
• Work with the Executive Director and staff of the National Headquarters Office to announce the awards and market them broadly, recognizing recipients and generating press releases.
• Report regularly in writing to the Finance Committee who reports to the Board of Directors.
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s Mission Statement.

Fawn-Amber Montoya, James Madison University, Co-Chair
Mili Jha, Oklahoma State University, Co-Chair
Sherese Williams, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga., Co-Chair
Alan Oda, Azusa Pacific University, Secretary

• Develop strategies to increase diversity in NCHC.
• Work closely with the Conference Program Chair and the Conference Program Planning Committee in developing presentations for the annual conference that deal with issues of diversity as they relate to honors.
• Contribute to NCHC periodicals materials dealing with issues of diversity.
• Report regularly in writing to the Programming Committee who will then report to the Board of Directors.
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s Mission Statement.

John Emert, Ball State University (retired), Chair
Linda Frost, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Co-Chair
Brian White, Graceland University, Secretary

• Evaluate all annual budget requests as to their coherence with and fitness to achieving NCHC’s mission.
• Solicit from committees their budget requests in order to prepare and submit a budget recommendation to the Board of Directors at its fall meeting.
• Review and approve any expenditure greater than $10,000 beyond what has been approved previously in the budget process.
• Make its aid and counsel available to all NCHC committees by request from the President, Executive Director, or action of the Board of Directors.
• Submit reports to the National Headquarters Office as appropriate to keep members informed.
• Review all independent financial reviews or audits of NCHC finances.
• Report regularly in writing to the Board of Directors.
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s Mission Statement.
• Review the benefits and salary packages proposed by the Executive Director and Personnel Committee.

Elaine Torda, SUNY Orange County Community College, Chair

• Conduct orientation for incoming Board Members and Committee Leaders annually.
• Manage the Board of Directors matrix to present upcoming vacancies so that the board can solicit nominations among members.
• Manage a transparent nomination process to fill officer and board positions.
• Convene a nominations subcommittee that is responsible for reviewing submissions and presenting the final slate for elections to the Board of Directors.
• Review the foundational documents of NCHC periodically to determine if changes are needed. Including: Constitution and Bylaws, the Policy Roster, Financial Policies, and the Committee Handbook.
• Craft the Annual Business meeting agenda in partnership with the Executive Director and facilitate the Annual Business Meeting.
• Establish accountability and oversight mechanisms for officers, board members and committee leaders.
• Report regularly in writing to the Board of Directors.
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s Mission Statement.
• Annual listening forum prior to conference, bring things to annual business meeting.

• The Governance Committee is comprised of current or former members of the NCHC Board of Directors and will have seven members, including one student member. The committee is co-chaired by the Immediate Past President.
• The nominations subcommittee is chaired by the Immediate Past President and comprised of five members: a student Board Member (2 Year of Service), a governance committee representative, a current Board Member and a general member.

Ebonie Hill, Oklahoma State University, Co-Chair
Christian Rubio, Bentley University, Co-Chair

• Gather and disseminate information on:
  • Models and methods for honors advising and student development support, and
  • Models and methods for assessment of honors advising;
• Organize national and regional honors conference sessions on honors advising;
• Submit articles for possible publication in NCHC periodicals and publications as appropriate;
• Develop a profile of honors advising to assist honors programs and honors colleges;
• Report regularly in writing to the Board of Directors
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s Mission Statement.

Kevin Dean, West Chester University of Pennsylvania (retired), Co-Chair
Kim Klein, Shippensburg University, Co-Chair
Mary Kay Mulvaney, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, Secretary

• Share best practices in international experiences and opportunities for global learning appropriate for honors communities.
• Communicate with other members of the NCHC through the organization's publications.
• Promote awareness of the importance of international education among NCHC’s membership.
• Organize a forum on international education at the annual NCHC conference.
• Report the status and accomplishments of the committee in writing to the Board of Directors.
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s Mission Statement.

Keith Garbutt, Oklahoma State University, Chair
Ebonie Hill, Oklahoma State University, Secretary

• Work with the Executive Director, Membership Director, and staff at the National Headquarters Office to maintain a list of Large Research University members of NCHC.
• Work with the Executive Director, Membership Director, and staff at the National Headquarters Office to actively recruit other large research universities with honors programs to join NCHC.
• Seek effective ways of integrating the interests and concerns of large research universities with NCHC operations and programs.
• Increase the participation of large research universities in activities of NCHC.
• Contribute to NCHC periodicals and occasional publications material focused upon small college honors programs.
• Cooperate with the NCHC Conference Program Chair and Conference Planning Committee to develop programs of interest to large research universities at the annual meeting.
• Report regularly in writing to the Board of Directors.

Daniel Roberts, Virginia State University, Chair 

• Work to ensure NCHC’s member benefits and value to membership.
• Collaborate with interior committees to provide more resources to membership.
• Receive and review membership renewal and retention trend reports from HQ.
• Facilitate a new member onboarding process and participate in new member discussions.
• Generate membership campaigns both to address retention and new member efforts.
• Actively participating in discussions with new members
• Regularly review NCHC membership model to ensure we are meeting the needs of our members and propose new membership classifications as needed.
• Address lifetime membership opportunities with retiring members -and- attract their on-campus replacements as members.

Lucy Morrison, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Chair
Zeb Baker,Miami University of Ohio, Chair-Elect

• Gather and disseminate information on models and methods for mentoring honors students for the Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Fulbright, Gates, Goldwater, Udall, and other major scholarship competitions.
• Organize national and regional honors conference sessions on major scholarship mentoring.
• Submit articles for possible publication in NCHC periodicals and publications as appropriate.
• Prepare information about major scholarship competitions and facilitate links to their web pages from the NCHC web site.
• Report regularly in writing to the Board of Directors.
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s Mission Statement.

Melissa Berninger, University of South Dakota, Co-Chair
Christopher Syrnyk, Oregon Institute of Technology, Co-Chair

• Continue to develop in cooperation with the National Park Service and other sponsoring bodies, academic experiential programs in national parks, and other facilities under the authority of the park service.
• Review applications and award NCHC Partners in the Parks stipends when offered.
• Report regularly in writing to the Programming Committee who will report to the Board of Directors.
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s Mission Statement.

Alix Fink, Longwood University, Co-Chair
Sara Quay, Endicott University, Co-Chair

• Plan and oversee the City as Text sessions at the annual conference in conjunction with the Conference Chair.
• Promote Place as Text pedagogy throughout honors education.
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s mission statement.
• This committee reports through the Programming Committee.

Karen Youmans, Oklahoma City University, Chair
Angela Bolte, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Chair Elect
Sheila Nowinski, Thiel College, Secretary

• Determine the professional development needs of NCHC members.
• Develop and recommend strategies and programs to meet those needs.
• Compile a list of “honors resource specialists” and post it on the NCHC website.
• Report regularly in writing to the Programming Committee who reports to the Board of Directors.
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s Mission Statement.

Melissa Berninger, University of South Dakota, Chair
Deirdre Ragan, The Citadel, Co-Chair

• Oversee the programming of NCHC to balance quality engagement with efficient operations and assessments.
• Create priorities for non-conference NCHC programming, in conjunction with the Board of Directors, and craft an annual calendar of events.
• Design and distribute to committees involved in programming a request for a narrative report of the previous year’s accomplishments, the coming year’s goals and objectives, including an account of how those relate to the mission, and a line-item budget request for the coming operational year which clearly shows how the appropriation would be spent.
• Review and approve all programs offered through NCHC, making recommendations to the Board of Directors for final approval.
• Review the timing and number of total programs offered to ensure that the programs do not overwhelm the NCHC professional staff or members and do not dilute the quality of programs offered.
• Collaborate in developing programs as appropriate at the national conference.
• Report regularly in writing to the Board of Directors.
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s Mission Statement.

Kristine Miller, Utah State University, Co-Chair
Anne Dotter, Johnson County Community College, Co-Chair
Andrew Cognard-Black, St. Mary's College of Maryland, Co-Chair

• Oversee the mission and function of and relationships among the Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council, Honors in Practice, and the Monograph Series, acting as an advisory board to the editors and authors of these publications.
• Review and evaluate proposals for the Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council, Honors in Practice, and the Monograph Series for quality, format, quantity, cost effectiveness, and distribution.
• Regularly review the inventory list of NCHC publications.
• Assist the editors of the Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council, Honors in Practice, and the Monograph Series in soliciting and encouraging publishable materials.
• Cooperate in developing programs as appropriate at the national conference.
• Report regularly in writing to the Board of Directors.
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s Mission Statement.
  

Jane Honeycutt, Northeast State Community College, Chair
Aaron Hanlin, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Chair Elect
Patricia Smith, University of Central Arkansas, Secretary

• Encourage, stimulate, and undertake research directed towards honors programs, honors students, and honors faculty.
• Work closely with the Conference Program Chair and the Conference Planning Committee to develop workshops and presentations reflecting current and ongoing research in honors
• Identify areas of research related to the academically talented student and appropriate pedagogy, environments, and/or co-curricular activities for honors students and make this information available to the membership.
• Serve as a liaison/conduit for NCHC Committees to promote and communicate the need for research in various aspects of honors education.
• Contribute to NCHC periodicals and occasional publications material focused upon research on honors education.
• Disseminate findings of research, together with recommendations toward improving the quality of educational practices in honors programs.
• Report regularly to the Programming Committee who reports to the Board of Directors
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s Mission Statement.

Russ Costa, Westminster College, Co-Chair

• Study and make recommendations regarding science and mathematics in honors programs.
• Work with the Executive Director and the National Headquarters Office to develop and submit grant proposals to appropriate federal agencies.
• Work with the Executive Director and the National Headquarters Office in implementing, monitoring, and evaluating any grants received.
• Organize workshops and panels at the annual meeting on honors teaching in mathematics and the natural and physical sciences.
• Develop and distribute materials to members through the NCHC website to introduce or enhance the teaching of mathematics and the sciences in their honors program.
• Report regularly in writing to the Board of Directors.

Scott Boltwood, Emory & Henry College, Chair

• Work with the Executive Director, Membership Director, and staff at the National Headquarters Office to maintain a list of small college members of NCHC; these shall be defined as four-year institutions with an institutional size of fewer than 4001 undergraduate students or a program size of fewer than 76 students.
• Work with the Executive Director, Membership Director, and staff at the National Headquarters Office to actively recruit other small colleges with honors programs to join NCHC.
• Seek effective ways of integrating the interests and concerns of small college programs with NCHC operations and programs.
• Increase the participation of small colleges in activities of NCHC.
• Clarify the characteristics and qualities of successful small college honors programs that are distinct to these types of programs and are not shared by those of larger colleges and universities.
• Contribute to NCHC periodicals and occasional publications material focused upon small college honors programs.
• Cooperate with the NCHC Conference Program Chair and Conference Planning Committee to develop programs of interest to small college honors programs at the annual meeting.
• Report regularly in writing to the Board of Directors.
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s Mission Statement.

Susan Dinan, Adelphi University, Chair
Sydney Chiang, Drexel University, Co-Chair
Katelyn “Kat” Walker, Eastern Kentucky University, Co-Chair

• Work with the Conference Planning Committee in identifying and running activities at the annual conference, including a student introductory session that consists of a student social event and student caucus, and other workshops and events of particular interest to students.
• Encourage student members to submit writing for NCHC journals and the Monograph Series.
• Identify students willing and able to serve on other NCHC committees as active members.
• Report regularly in writing to the Board of Directors.
• Work to meet the goals and objectives of NCHC’s Mission Statement.
• The Student Affairs Committee is chaired by the most recent Past NCHC Board President.
• The Student Affairs Committee is co-chaired by the two 2-Year Student Board Representatives.