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Keerthana Krishnakumar Juttu Grand Canyon University
To Keerthana Krishnakumar Juttu, “being an Honors Student means embodying the ideals of service and service-minded leadership with a focus on lifelong learning.”
Over the past year, Keerthana has served as the co-director of the Global Health Committee within the Leadership In Action Program, an ambassador for the Young Athena Valley of the Sun Leadership Program, and a member of
the Relationships Over Transactions Taskforce within the RISE Fellowship, the student body government of the Honors College at Grand Canyon University. These leadership positions have provided Keerthana with opportunities
to learn crucial soft skills for authentic and present leadership while honing the hard skills necessary to keep the team accountable, efficient, and productive.
Together with her co-director, Keerthana helped shape the Global Health Committee to spread awareness of prevalent health issues through the institutional practice of Grand Rounds. In 2023-2024, Honors College students
introduced this hospital practice to GCU, empowering students with knowledge of healthcare challenges and potential solutions. By being respectful, considerate, and open-minded towards each other, they efficiently executed
monthly Grand Rounds and made the weekly team meetings both productive and fun. This experience embodied Simon Sinek's idea that leadership is about taking care of those in one’s charge for the students, as they prioritized
the team's well-being and growth professionally and personally.
During the Spring of 2023, Keerthana participated in the Young Athena Leadership Program, which focuses on uplifting young women to be better leaders through four core values and eight core principles. As an ambassador
for the academic year of 2023-2024, Keerthana was able to give back to the women mentors who inspired her, empowering other young women to stay true to their core values. This all-women program emphasizes illumination
(living authentically, learning constantly), growth (building relationships, fostering collaboration), championing (acting courageously, advocating fiercely), and honoring (giving back, celebrating).
Looking ahead, Keerthana will assume the role of President of the Leadership In Action Fellowship, the combination of Leadership In Action and RISE Fellowship, for the academic year of 2024-2025. In this capacity, Keerthana
hopes to continue to embody Simon Sinek's vision of leadership by prioritizing the well-being, growth, and development of those in her charge, ensuring their collective journey remains rooted in service and lifelong
learning.
Being a part of the William Paterson Honors College has been the best part of Helen’s college experience because it has provided her with leadership and research experiences to serve her local community and beyond. The
strength of an Honors program lies in its ability to help foster a sense of self while promoting an understanding of a diverse population. Throughout her undergraduate career, Helen has been actively engaging her passions
in addition to applying them to serve a common interest for humanity. Helen’s first-year honors research seminar was themed around identity and community. She took the opportunity to complete an auto ethnography of
her personal culture and explore the impact of local Persian shops on the Persian American community in the US. This project reinforced the idea that in order to help others, an understanding of one’s own principles
and identity is important.
Despite being only a second-year student at that time, Helen was offered a position to be an Honors Peer Leader this semester and for the remainder of her undergraduate education. Through this position, Helen has and will
continue to co-facilitate Honors 1010 and 1020 courses which are orientation classes for first year and transition Honors students with the Honors College Fellow and other peer leaders. In addition, her leadership and
community development skills have been enhanced by planning, assisting, and interacting with younger Honors College students at annual events. These events include Honors Research Week and Graduation Reception. Helen’s
position as an Honors Peer Leader and Honor student has also provided her with a unique perspective of the campus; one that she has used in being an active student leader at William Paterson University. This includes
being a student assistant at the University Counseling, Health and Wellness Center where she assist students coming for mental health counseling and primary care visits. In addition, Helen had the pleasure of being
the only student Representative for a Mission Statement Working Committee to rewrite our William Paterson University. She believes that being in Honors helped her in emphasizing important aspects of our school mission
that can help guide prospective students and their families.
Helen’s goal for the future is to build on the community service work she has done by working in sustainable international development and help build communities that promote education, health, and equity. She is confident
that the collaborative and independent research activities have prepared her to understand and help the diverse populations she wants to work with. Helen’s honors thesis will defend the importance of patient-physician
linguistic concordance and cultural competency in improving health outcomes in global public health outcomes. The way Helen sees it, international aid organizations need to work with the citizens and their cultural
beliefs, not against them by imposing interventions on them. The goal of community service is to leave an impact on communities. What Helen hopes is to change the communities, not the people.
As a high school student, Presleigh was instantly connected to Flagler College’s commitment to the St. Augustine community. Images of students on volunteer days, taking water samples, and engaging in archaeological digs
dotted the Admissions building’s walls. As a Flagler student, Presleigh soon realized that those experiences were a reality, not a selling point. Flagler College was perfectly positioned to engage students on campus
and in the community through mentors making a difference. Presleigh's college experience has been shaped by the mentors who saw leadership skills in her and chose to invest in Presleigh's time at Flagler and her future.
Presleigh has learned that positive experiences are first shaped by meaningful mentorships. After her first semester, a professor said she wanted to recommend Presleigh for the Honors Program, which has become one of the most fulfilling experiences for
Presleigh. As an Honors student, she has worked closely with faculty, including a Florida National Parks project with her Public History professor. When Presleigh presented at two conferences, Honors Program faculty
graciously supported her. This year (2022) will be Presleigh's last at Flagler and her Honors capstone centers on exploring presidential visits to St. Augustine through a walking tour. Her goal of engaging in a community-based
capstone could not have happened without the mentorships forged along the way. To Presleigh, her Honors capstone is the culmination of collaboration with mentors who chose to take a chance on her.
Hardly knowing anyone on campus, Presleigh walked into a President’s Leadership Academy (PLA) interest meeting. Tracy Upchurch, both Mayor of St. Augustine and a professor, explained that PLA was based on cohorts learning
leadership in a community-oriented environment. PLA welcomed her as part of the cohort, inviting students to shape and make the experience. Needing a recruiting coordinator, Professor Upchurch invited Presleigh to plan
for the next two cohorts. Presleigh learned from this experience that a leader needs a support system such as collaborating with fellow students. Like the Honors Program, PLA believes that students should give back
to the community, so they are given a community mentor who helps them become engaged citizens. Presleigh's community mentor is Magen Altice, Executive Director of the St. Augustine Historical Society (SAHS). PLA has
given Presleigh a place to belong, forge a vision, and find meaningful opportunities to serve both on campus and in the community.
For Presleigh's SAHS internship, Ms. Altice found exciting leadership opportunities for her. Presleigh had the opportunity to lead the QR code project for the Surf Culture exhibition, bringing Honors Students to test the
technology. This spring, she researched the “Magic, Mirth, and Mortality: Musings on Black Motherhood” exhibition, weaving local artists’ stories with historical context. From interviewing an innkeeper for an oral history
to working on the Heritage Business webpage, Presleigh's SAHS internship has been creatively fulfilling because of how much Ms. Altice trusted Presleigh and taught her about Public History in the community.
Mentorships paved the way for future connections and collaborations. Ms. Altice invited Presleigh to an event where she met Dr. Darien Andreu, a Flagler English professor. They started talking about a grant Dr. Andreu had
received on Minorcan research and programming. Presleigh mentioned a few ideas on the project and Dr. Andreu asked Presleigh to become her research assistant, which has been another rewarding experience for Presleigh.
Dr. Andreu and Presleigh created a walking tour of Minorcan heritage sites and have larger plans for Flagler students becoming involved in sharing the Minorcan story. Dr. Andreu introduced Presleigh to Minorcans in
the community who were excited to see their heritage remembered. The times she spent traveling all over downtown St. Augustine designing map routes or taking thank you gifts to the people who supported the project will
be some of Presleigh's favorite Flagler memories. For Presliegh, Dr. Andreu was the perfect example of a community leader: a professor who takes her love of learning and shares it with her community.
Each mentor opened a path for another meaningful campus and community experience. Presleigh's time as a student has inspired her to think critically about the role of academia in the community. Students should not be divorced
from the community around them, but active participants in a changing world. Flagler has been a gateway of opportunity with mentors challenging and encouraging Presleigh to belong to the campus and community story.
When she thinks of her capstone, Presleigh will remember the interconnected history of the mentors who helped her get there. Her college experience is the story of how mentors change one's life and sets one forward.
Since March 2020, our lives have drastically changed. We must wear masks to slow the spread of a deadly virus that has affected thirty-five million Americans and caused over 600,000 deaths since then. However, the need
for universal volunteerism is just as essential as ever. Students at Youngstown State University Honors College were faced with a challenge; assisting the community while quarantined. As a busy student with an immunocompromised
father, Julie wanted to continue serving the community while protecting her family from this virus.
During the summer of 2020, Julie discovered the Smithsonian and Library of Congress Transcription Centers. These websites offered students the opportunity to transcribe documents that historians and researchers can use
in the future. After YSU volunteers transcribe historical documents, historians can gain access to these hard-to-read documents with a complete, typed transcription. This benefits historians because they can spend more
time researching documents than trying to read them. Throughout the fall semester, with the mentorship of Professor Mollie Hartup, Julie conducted Transcribe-a-Thons, which allowed students to transcribe documents while
conversing in a virtual environment. During the fall and spring semesters, these weekly meetings were transformed into a Transcribing Club, where students meet up to three days a week to transcribe historical documents.
The Transcribing Club’s mission is to transcribe or correct millions of hard-to-read historical and scientific documents. Club members found many fascinating letters, scientific experiments, and political papers that correlate
to events occurring today, such as the pandemic of 1918. They found the historical aspect fascinating, and club members could not stop typing and reading these articles! They enjoyed learning about the first women that
fought for their right to vote, along with scientific articles that measured the temperature and location of stars. They also learned more about President Theodore Roosevelt through his great mass of papers, which included
documents regarding their community steel mills in Youngstown and Cleveland, Ohio.
This club provided the perfect platform for Julie to volunteer and virtually build community among honors students while quarantined at home. Club members worldwide have the opportunity to interact with students of different
majors. They enjoyed discussing classwork, hobbies, family, and pets. For example, several of the music majors delighted fellow members by virtually performing complex orchestral scores they would perform at a virtual
competition. A biology major that worked at Julie's favorite ice cream shop shared her favorite work experiences. A business major living in India started his morning at 4:30 AM to attend club meetings halfway across
the globe. Julie found it fascinating to learn about his culture! A business major shared her adorable Goldendoodle puppy! The upperclassmen mentored first-year students with similar majors. For example, a business
major upperclassman advised a freshman regarding her internship. Julie truly enjoyed talking to each student that shared stories during the club meetings. They discussed honors seminars, such as the Honors Magazine
Editing and Production Seminar. This seminar allowed students to connect to the university by writing about honors achievements and events. Julie learned more about her peers than she could have without this club.
Throughout the formation and management of the Transcribing Club, Julie's leadership abilities significantly improved. For example, Julie taught members to follow proper transcription techniques. Together, they learned
about various idiosyncrasies found in illegible cursive handwriting. If a member found a phrase that they could not decipher, that student shared their screen while members of the club helped them solve the illegible
phrase. As a club, members completed over 9,000 documents and transcribed over 950 hours. The Transcribing Club also had Levels of Transcribing, which give students motivation to attend meetings. After attending a certain
number of sessions, they could earn prizes and reputable titles that could be emphasized on a resume.
Honors students at Youngstown State adhere to the five honors pillars. The Transcribing Club is an excellent example of the Service-Learning pillar. Service-Learning allows students to learn new information while working
as a team. This valuable experience allowed Julie to learn more about historical events while helping national library databases. Without this club, it would have been difficult for YSU Honors students worldwide to
connect during the pandemic.
In the future, Julie hopes to expand the Transcribing Club by scanning, digitizing, and transcribing historical documents from Youngstown and surrounding communities. This project will allow students to learn more about
the community where they attend college while building friendships among Honors College students. While transcribing, Julie found a quote by Teddy Roosevelt that relates to the Transcribing Club’s persistence during
the pandemic: “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
Anjali Kumari North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
“Reaching back, reaching forward, while we reach the goals we are working toward.” As one of the leaders of the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students, this quote not only signifies what they hope to accomplish
as an organization, but also represents what Anjali strives for as she move towards her aspirations. Anjali believes in an inclusive environment where those who came before her as well as those who will come after
her benefit and grow through Anjali's experiences and contributions.
Leadership, if done right, can be a service because it does not only signify a position, but the change that can help and influence numerous others. Being a part of The University Honors Program, Anjali learned the
attributes of a leader and gained the confidence to pursue this role to implement the changes that she envisioned.
Over the years, Anjali started to volunteer and spent time doing what she loves most: art and mentorship. Realizing the power of art and knowledge, Anjali wanted to share her ideas and skills to stimulate growth in
others. Following these ideas led Anjali to become member of the University Honors Program and eventually serve as the Events Director on the Student Advisory Board and as an Honors Ambassador. Within these roles,
she has been able to devote her time to raise awareness about food disparities and deserts within Greensboro and on campus. After volunteering as a member, Anjali participated in the crop Walk, a walk to end hunger,
as well as volunteered at Aggie Source, a food pantry, as a leader by encouraging and recruiting incoming freshman to participate in these events as well. As an ambassador, Anjali recognized the power of mentorship
and the influence that this leadership position can have on students’ mindsets and motivation levels.
Having mentees through the Honors Ambassador Program has made Anjali recognize her role as a supporter, motivator, educator, and a friend. Her goal has always been to translate the knowledge that she has gained over
the years to the incoming students so that they can pick up progress from where Anjali left off. This ensures overall net progress for the future generations and the Honors Program.
Experiencing the impact of mentorship through having multiple mentors, Anjali decided to not limit her knowledge and help to the University Honors Program, but also extend it to her department and middle school/high
school students in Guilford County who might be struggling academically and socially. Through mentoring programs, Anjali had the pleasure to learn and teach.
To extend the extent of impact that she could have using her pre-existing skills, Anjali assumed the role of an Events Director within the Honors Program. Through this position, Anjali led events such as The Paint &
Sip Event and The Website Designing Event. These two events were initiated and implemented to overcome the level of stress that students experience during the semester. These events not only utilized her skills
as an artist/designer, but they also enabled students to relax and learn through creative outlets. The Paint & Sip Event broadens students understanding of art techniques along with allowing them to appreciate
the intricacies of painting. They also relax and destress during the event. Similarly, the Website Building Event enables students to increase their professional net worth by constructing an online portfolio of
their projects and accomplishments while also enjoying the freedom of creativity. These two events were continued this year because they are very close to Anjali's heart and helped others enjoy even though she didn’t
hold the same position this year (2020). These activities were much needed especially during the pandemic. It enabled them, as a community of students, to refocus on projects and successfully handle challenges.
Along with her service as a mentor and a leader, Anjali also serves as an appreciator of nature. Having grown up with her grandmother’s house filled with flowers and vegetables and hence gaining an appreciation for
nature, Anjali spent her personal time volunteering at community gardens and parks to enjoy the beauty of nature and helping others experience the same through keeping it clean.
As an honors student, Anjali has been able to grow and prosper professionally and personally. Anjali is elated that her skills and knowledge can help someone as the skills and contributions of mentors has helped her.
She did not get volunteering hours for leading a volunteering or a campus event, yet they still satisfied Anjali, knowing that her skills and efforts either inspired someone or helped change someone’s life.
As a first-generation college student and the daughter of a single mother, Rachael never thought that applying for PhD programs was something she could do. However, her time at Shippensburg University—and in the Wood
Honors College, especially—has shown Rachael that not only am is she capable of obtaining a PhD, but that it is her dream, as well. Rachael's Honors capstone project, which is the basis of her NCHC conference proposal,
brings her one step closer to her dream of attending graduate school in order to obtain a PhD in early American history with an emphasis on women’s history and political history of the American Revolution. Her conference
proposal, submitted for a poster session, revolves around Rachael's research into the joint role of John and Sarah Jay in shaping early American diplomatic traditions during their time in Spain, 1779-1782. Although
most scholars believe that the Jays’ mission to Spain, where John Jay served as Minister Plenipotentiary, was a failure, Rachael argues in her thesis that it was, in fact, a success in the long-term. Rachael's research
focuses in on three themes: balancing ideals and principles with diplomacy in the pursuit of national credibility; the power of precedent in shaping American diplomacy and society; and transcending gender expectations
and limitations in American diplomacy.
The latter theme is the focal point of Rachael's conference proposal. Often forgotten among America’s Founding Mothers, Sarah Livingston Jay played a defining role in shaping American diplomatic traditions. As the first
American woman to travel abroad with her husband on a diplomatic assignment, she embodies an important precedent and stands as a powerful example for the women who would follow her. Sarah Jay was exceptionally educated
for a woman of her time, and she did not hesitate in sharing her political opinions, something women were not generally permitted to do. In travelling to Spain, she took a great risk, as capture by British ships
was quite common. She also endured a long separation from her young son, Peter, who stayed behind in America. These hardships, however, did not stop her from acting as not only hostess, but also advisor to her husband
during their time abroad. Transcending eighteenth-century gender expectations and limitations, her efforts were vital in achieving U.S. diplomatic goals. This research adds new insight and perspective into Sarah’s
lasting influences in Spain in shaping American society and diplomacy. It explores how her contributions led to the mission’s eventual success as well as the further involvement of women in the political and diplomatic
sphere. Most importantly, it illustrates that Sarah Jay is just as important as any other Founding Mother in creating the United States that we know today.
The ability to share her research with other students and scholars at the NCHC conference allows Rachael to not only reach one step closer to her dream of obtaining a PhD, but also to become more involved in a national
academic setting and meet likeminded people who share a passion for research and education. Both this academic setting and the ability to travel to a new place will offer unique professional and personal development.
The Honors College has provided Rachael with countless opportunities, and attendance at the NCHC conference to present her original research will be the highlight of her final year at Shippensburg.
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