As I begin my eleventh year
as the Director of Honors,
it is thrilling to see where
we have come and consider
where we have yet to go. I
remember an interview I had
over thirteen years ago as
part of my Kellogg
Fellowship with a university
president in a southern
state. Upon meeting me she
said, "So, tell me,
what's your passion?"
Without hesitation, I can
say that my "passion" today
is the work that is
happening in the name of
West Chester University
Honors. From our curriculum
to our greatest asset, the
gifted young men and women
who hold membership in
Honors, our College truly
embraces the university's
call for a "Plan for
Excellence."
Without question, the
cornerstone of the Honors
College is the curriculum.
Over the course of time we
have made a major shift from
a "Great Books" model to an
interdisciplinary course of
study grounded in personal
leadership development.
Dr. Kevin
Dean
Director of Honors
Our mission challenges students to
reflect upon what contributions they
will make to their communities --
perhaps the greatest testimony to
the value of a higher education
degree. The aim of our curriculum
is to prepare students to discover
their own giftedness, to see the
value of team approaches to problem
solving, and to have exposure to the
components necessary to enact real
change. The core courses replace
traditional general education
courses. To make logistics of
Honors work with every major program
on campus, Honors students are given
priority scheduling.
The pride of the Honors College is
our student body. Students in the
program represent a diversity of
academic backgrounds spanning 36
distinctive disciplines. Such
diversity truly enlivens discussions
in class when a pre-med major and a
major in music education can come
together to discuss strategies for
economic enhancement, formation of
ethical standards for genetic
testing, and approaches to survey
research. While students spend a
majority of their time with peers in
their home departments, Honors
provides a living-learning community
environment where students reside in
a designated Honors residence hall.
Over the past years this option has
increased in its attractiveness as a
video/film technology lab, study
lounge and group meeting space were
added to the floor. The Honors
Student Association, the social arm
of the College, holds monthly
meetings and hosts a wide range of
service and social opportunities
each month. Highlights, in addition
to over two dozen opportunities for
service for the 2006-2007 year
include: our annual fall bus trip to
Washington D.C., Tail Gate and Group
Attendance at a September Philly’s
game, Halloween Haunted Hay Ride,
special movie and theatre
performances, holiday party in
Princeton, spring semi-formal dance,
sponsorship of our annual graduate
school fair, our annual Aid for
South Africa (ASA) Fundraising Walk
and Cultural Celebration, teacher
celebration tea, recruitment events,
and the spring banquet.
A highlight of 2007 was our study
tour, where 25 Honors students and
faculty traveled to China during
spring break to study educational
leadership, culture, art and oral
history. We visited in the home of
the woman who taught English to
Chairman Mao and was the primary
interpreter for Richard Nixon during
his historic 1974 visit, experienced
first hand traditional Chinese
medicine, interacted with children
in an elementary school, climbed the
great wall, and formed relationships
with college students from Tianjin
University and then hosted them upon
their visit to the US in summer
2007.
This year, I am particularly excited
about our May 2008 study project in
South Africa, where a team of 25-30
Honors students and faculty will
conduct a community needs assessment
in Guguletu Township, just outside
of Cape Town. Video shot by our
students will be used in spring
2008, as the basis for a special
topics Honors seminar, “Documentary
Production for Social Justice
Causes.” This will be our 4th
such study project since 2001. I
am so proud of the contributions to
improved communication and access to
health care that our students’
research has encouraged.
We also benefit from a renewed grant
from the Bonner Foundation that
supports greater development of the
Bonner-AmeriCorps Leaders
Program--an opportunity for students
to receive a $1,000 educational
award for outstanding leadership and
service. Finally, we all anticipate
our fall 2007 “25th Anniversary
Celebration of Honors” at WCU!
The major event slated for November
3rd will be a fabulous opportunity
for students, faculty and friends
from years past and present to
connect.
With all that we have done and all
that we have planned, I am confident
in Robert Browning's words, "The
best is yet to be." As always, I am
anxious to meet with any of you to
discuss your passions and learn
"what difference YOU will make."
Dr. Kevin W. Dean Professor, Communication Studies
Director of Honors College
