Outside of working for the history department as well as the honors department, I chose to join Honors Scholars because I wanted to push myself, as well as surround myself with other students that wanted the same thing. I’ve learned to communicate with my peers much better; I’ve noticed that I have become much more social after being in the honors program. I have also become much more adaptable and can easily shift my thoughts or actions based on the problems that may arise within any part of my life.
The best part of Honors for me is the cohort of people that I get to have class with. All of them are great to talk to, both inside and outside of class, and make the learning environment better. They are all super eager to learn and talk in class.
Alex Flint ’23 Psychology Major with a Music Minor
Outside of my work in the Registrar’s office and taking part in the choir and music department clubs, I chose the CSB+SJU Honors Scholars program because it fit well into my personal goal of gaining a better understanding of complex issues. Throughout my time in the program, we have explored many issues and broad topics.
One of my favorite parts of the program is that we get to dive into a topic that would normally be briefly skimmed over and explore it for an extended period. Each Honors Scholars Student has a genuine desire for the betterment of the community and common good.
Since we share a similar set of core values, it is easy for us to work with one another and pool our knowledge and resources to create the best possible outcomes. This is especially the case when we disagree about something. Because we share a similar foundation, we can disagree but still come back to our shared beliefs, which allows us to push forward to gain better understanding and come to more nuanced solutions.
Given the nature of discussion-based classes, I feel that I can think about critical issues from multiple viewpoints. Often, discussions in class lead to better comprehension and solutions to issues because students are less focused on outcomes and more focused on the process. There is less emphasis on regurgitation of facts/content and more focus on why the facts/content matter in a larger context.
Adaptability, and understanding are the top leadership skills I feel I have gained from being in the Honors Scholars program. Both these qualities are personally important to me, and I have been able to foster the development of these skills throughout the program. Both skills present themselves in many forms. Adaptability, for example, can mean the way one thinks about an issue, or it can mean learning to work with individuals who share similar but different views. In a similar vein, understanding can consist of learning about a person’s ideas or background, so that you can gain a better context for their ways of thinking, or it can mean working to understand complex issues that have seemingly no answer. Together both these traits are learned over time, and the Honors Scholars program allows a multitude of opportunities to develop and nurture these skills.
I will never forget the outstanding individuals whom I have had the privilege to work with and call classmates. Each brings a unique lens and set of background knowledge to the table which in turns allows for the most fruitful discussions that I have on campus. Having the opportunity to work with each of these extraordinary scholars has been something that has been an honor and I am so glad that CSB+SJU provides a program to connect these remarkable individuals.
Ryan Imm ’22 Psychology Major with a Hispanic Studies and Neuroscience Minor
While I do work in the Multicultural Student Services as a QPLUS Advocacy Coordinator and partake in other clubs and organizations, I felt Honors Scholars would be a benefit for me to become a part of. I chose to join the Honors program here at CSB and SJU because I thought it would be one of my last chances to get involved with people that share similar goals as I do but have vastly different career goals.
The revised Honors program has brought diversity and cultural agility into our discussions that extend beyond the classroom. Topics ranging from Gender in Mathematics to the Philosophy of Race and Ethnicity have happily surprised me in their ability to engage and have catalyzed some of the most fruitful conversations I’ve had within higher education.
Working with honors students is a fulfilling and anxiety-reducing opportunity. Because of our shared ambition, group projects no longer fuel social loafing; thus, our peers address tasks with genuine interest and effort. This helped me to develop my collaboration and consciousness-of-self skills to better prepare me for my next steps in life.
I will never forget the connections I made with my peers during my experience in the Honors program as I have made some lifelong friends.
College of Saint Benedict Saint John’s University
Dr. Emily Esch Co-Director, Honors Scholars Professor of Philosophy SJU Quad 362G 320-363-3288
Dr. Beth Wengler Co-Director, Honors Scholars Professor of History CSB Richarda N7 320-363-5190
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