Meet Your Student Honors Coordinators: Courtney Lewis and Allison Stuart

Courtney Lewis and Allison Stuart have been named student honors coordinators for 2005-06. They will be responsible for coordinating the Match Program, keeping the honors study center running smoothly, and providing academic advising services for honors students, helping them to plan schedules, graduate with honors, find classes and majors that interest them, and get involved on campus. In the spring, they will meet with prospective students, sharing their experiences with high school seniors who are deciding whether they'd like to spend the next four years at UCSB.

Throughout the year, they'll keep students informed of research opportunities, scholarships, community service projects, and other interesting programs on campus and around Santa Barbara that will help them enrich their academic experience at UCSB.

Both Courtney and Allison look forward to meeting honors students to discuss any aspect of the program's offerings. Make an appointment to meet with them in 1117 Cheadle by phoning 893-3201 or send them questions by e-mail. Courtney's address is shcgold@LTSC.ucsb.edu and Allison's is shcblue@LTSC.ucsb.edu.

In the Q&A with them below, learn more about who they are and what they value about the honors program.

Courtney Lewis

Name: Courtney Lewis
Home town: Bakersfield
High School: Ridgeview High School
Class standing: Junior
Major: English with an emphasis in African American Literature
Career or graduate/professional school goals: Law school

Q. What will be your primary responsibilities as a student honors coordinator?

A. As a student honors coordinator I will primarily be a resource to students with questions about the Honors Program and the College of Letters and Science. Additionally, I will meet with students to discuss their progress and to answer questions about General Education requirements. Both Allison and I will be sending out e-mail messages to keep honors students informed of deadlines, honors activities, and community service opportunities.

Q. What do you hope to achieve as a coordinator in the coming year?

A. I hope to reach out to as many students as possible and tell them how to take full advantage of the honors program. I hope to dispel any preconceived notion that the honors program is about more work, and instead promote the truth, which is that it is about enriching curriculum and tailoring your own academic program.

Q. What are your most memorable honors experiences?

A. Most of my experience in the honors program has been in the humanities and social sciences. As a first-year student, I took advantage of the many honors sections offered in lower-division classes. My most memorable was the honors section for Dramatic Arts 60, Theatre Appreciation, with Professor Irwin Appel. In addition to having a smaller discussion section with him, we were also allowed behind-the-scenes access to the production A View From the Bridge. When I started taking upper-division classes, I established my first honors contract with Professor Robert Hamm for English 102. I enjoyed this experience because I was able to make the honors contract truly my own by opting to read additional plays by an author in the course I found interesting.

Q. Do you have any advice for new honors students?

A. The honors program is a great way to enrich your course of study here at UCSB, to get to know some great faculty members, and to maximize your academic opportunities. Be on the lookout for fun activities within the honors program, so that you can meet other students like yourself. The honors program creates a small community feeling on a large campus through a supportive network of students and advisers. The honors program also helps students personalize their education through small sections and honors contracts, allowing them to get an in-depth look at topics, which fascinate them. I chose UCSB in large part due to its superior honors program, and I want others to enjoy it as much as I do. Stop by Cheadle Hall and speak to Allison or me to learn more.

Q. What do you wish someone had told you when you entered UCSB as a freshman?

A. I wish someone had told me not to be afraid to step outside of my comfort zone, to take challenging courses, and to make my college experience all that it can be. I also wish someone had told me how quickly the time goes by!

Allison Stuart

Name: Allison Stuart
Home town/high school: San Jose/Leland High School
Class standing: Senior
Major: Cell and Developmental Biology
Career or graduate/professional school goals: Medical school

Q. What will be your primary responsibilities as a student honors coordinator?

A. More than anything, I am a resource for students. If you have questions about the honors program, graduating, or opportunities on campus, send an e-mail or come see me! Aside from advising students, Courtney and I will keep ourselves busy planning programs, such as the Honors Match Program and various workshops. We will also oversee the popular honors study center to keep it running smoothly. I will continue working to improve the new seminar series, Coffee and Concepts. If you want to discuss contemporary ideas with some of our university's favorite professors, come check it out!

Q. What do you hope to achieve as a coordinator in the coming year?

A. I am excited to serve as a student honors coordinator for another year (I served last year, as well); I look forward to advising students and contributing to the program with a year of experience behind me. I hope to create a new honors class based on the Coffee and Concepts series. I also want to help new students experience a smooth transition to UCSB, especially through a strong Honors Match Program. I aim to help make the honors program requirements easier to understand, and to plan activities and workshops that are enriching and fun!

Q. Please comment on a few of your most memorable honors experiences.

A. My favorite honors experience was an upper division honors discussion for my genetics course with Dr. Christoffersen. He selected research articles each week for the group to read and led discussions on everything from the research method to the ethical and moral implications of the scientists' findings. The articles complemented the class well, so it was a challenging experience without being frustrating. I learned a lot from him. I also had fun taking an honors section for one of my introductory biology courses with Dr. Alldredge. She took us out of the classroom for hands-on experiences, including a trip to a nearby lake where we collected water samples to bring back to the lab and view under the microscope. It was a blast!

Q. Do you have any advice for new honors students?

A. Take time to explore, both in and out of the classroom. There are some great opportunities at UCSB, ranging from Arts and Lectures to Adventure Programs and cutting edge classes. Discover what interests you and go for it -- don't settle too early. Networking can be a great way to find out what is available to you. Remember to do things for yourself, not just for your resume. It is difficult to know now exactly whom you will want to impress in the future, but committing to something that you're passionate about should impress anyone.

Q. What do you wish someone had told you when you entered UCSB as a freshman?

A. I wish someone had emphasized that I did not need to be a biology major to go to medical school. Fortunately, I truly enjoyed a lot of the courses for my major and would not have traded them, but I will be taking several science courses with similar information in medical school. I would have enjoyed studying a different field in depth while attending UCSB in order have a more rounded education.

Q. Do you have any final comments for our readers?

A. New students often ask me how the honors program will benefit them -- whether it's worth the extra work. While some students boast priority registration as the greatest advantage, the honors program holds a deeper meaning for me. When I first came to UCSB, I had an overwhelming feeling of being just another face in the crowd; I was used to having close interactions with instructors and other students in small high school classes. The honors program helped recreate that feeling of a close-knit community through its honors sections. Returning to a small setting once a week with similarly motivated students fostered friendships and caused me to feel more absorbed in my courses. I continue to enjoy lively, engaging discussions with my professors and other honors students, which inspire me and enhance my experience at UCSB.

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