ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

OFFICE OF ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT

The Office of Academic Engagement enriches student learning through distinctive and integrative opportunities that connect classroom knowledge with action and experience. The Office of Academic Engagement houses Academic Outreach, American Humanics, the Experiential Transcript, the Georgia Education Mentorship (GEM) Program, the Leadership Certificate Program, Service Learning, and Student Research. For more information visit /engagement

ACADEMIC OUTREACH

As a part of the Community Action Team for Service (CATS), GCSU students serve the surrounding area by leading programming for P-12 students. Members of CATS may serve as facilitators for environmental studies field trips, lead educational presentations in local schools, organize and run camps, or work in Boys and Girls Club. All students are eligible to participate in CATS. For more information about Academic Outreach, contact Ruth Eilers at ruth.eilers@gcsu.edu or 445-0810.

EXPERIENTIAL TRANSCRIPT

Just as the official academic transcript provides a complete record of a student's academic progress, the experiential transcript records ways in which a student uses opportunities outside the classroom to enhance and validate classroom knowledge.

The experiential transcript records achievement in the following categories: service learning, community service, scholarly and creative endeavors, international experiences, cross cultural endeavors, internships, undergraduate research, special awards and recognition, and distinguished campus leadership.

Together, the academic transcript and the experiential transcript reflect the student's total college educational experience.

For more information about the Experiential Transcript, contact Sara Faircloth at sara.faircloth@gcsu.edu or 445-3209.

STUDENT RESEARCH

The Office of Academic Engagement coordinates campus-wide initiatives to support and encourage student research.

The Corinthian: the Journal of Student Research at GCSU recognizes student achievement in research by providing an opportunity for the publication of selected papers. Undergraduate and graduate students from all disciplines are invited to submit their scholarly work to be included in an annual volume that is published each spring.

The annual GCSU Student Research Conference offers opportunities for students from a wide variety of disciplines to improve professional writing and presentation skills and display and present their scholarly research.

For more information about Student Research, contact John Bowen at john.bowen@gcsu.edu or 445-1227.

SERVICE LEARNING

Service learning connects classroom learning to community needs through partnerships with non-profit agencies. Students participating in academic classes with designated service learning components are able to apply theoretical knowledge from the classroom to "real world" settings. Such experiences reinforce and support academic learning while providing beneficial resources to the community.

For more information about Service Learning, contact Sara Faircloth at sara.faircloth@gcsu.edu or 445-3209.

GEM PROGRAM

Each year, the GEM program matches approximately twenty outstanding GCSU students with prominent state leaders in fields such as business, education, politics, healthcare, law, and industry. These executives serve as mentors for participating students, promoting their personal and professional growth by providing opportunities for them to identify and understand the principles and practices of leadership and success that benefit both the professional world and the community.

Established in 2002, and initially funded by the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, GEM is a creative partnership between GCSU and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.

For more information about the GEM program, contact John Bowen at john.bowen@gcsu.edu or 445-1227.

AMERICAN HUMANICS

American Humanics is a national alliance of colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations dedicated to preparing students to become skilled professionals and leaders in the nonprofit sector.

American Humanics is open to students from all disciplines and serves to enhance a bachelor's degree through a connection to potential employment opportunities in the nonprofit sector.

For more information about American Humanics, contact Sara Faircloth at sara.faircloth@gcsu.edu or 445-3209.

LEADERSHIP CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

The Leadership Certificate Program (LCP) provides ongoing leadership training, education, and development opportunities for participating students through purposeful instruction, enriching programming, direct experience, and active reflection. The leadership growth and development of these students directly benefits the GCSU organizations and programs with which they work, and further prepares them for future leadership endeavors.

LCP members will have the opportunity to participate in skill-based workshops, discussion forums, adventure retreats, leadership conferences, student-led presentations, and special leadership courses offered by the LCP.

For more information about the Leadership Certificate Program, contact John Bowen at john.bowen@gcsu.edu or 445-1227.

HONORS AND SCHOLARS PROGRAM

The Honors and Scholars Program is designed for intellectually talented and motivated students. We provide small sections of general education classes, multidisciplinary colloquiums, dinner-seminars, book discussions, and a variety of other academic, cultural, and social events. We have staff offices in Lanier Hall and student accommodations, classrooms, study rooms, and space for social events in Bell Hall – the only residential hall on the college's historic Front Campus.

BENEFITS

Benefits of the program include small classes taught by Georgia College's best professors; special multidisciplinary colloquiums; the opportunity to live in Bell Hall and to participate in the Bell Hall Residential Learning Community with its focus on global citizenship; undergraduate research (as part of the Scholars Program); dinner-seminars, book discussions, and other academic, cultural, and social events; membership in the Eta Sigma Alpha Honorary Society; the opportunity to participate in a specially designed Honors study abroad program; and the distinction of Honors graduation.

REQUIREMENTS

Students may remain in the Honors Program as long as they maintain a Georgia College & State University cumulative average of 3.3 and continue to take honors classes or participate in scholars experiences. If the average falls below 3.3, they are allowed a probationary period of one semester to return to good standing. Such students may continue to take honors courses during the probationary semester but are not eligible for recognition unless their cumulative Georgia College & State University average returns to 3.3 by the end of the probation semester. Students who are dropped from the program for academic reasons may not apply for readmission.

COURSES

We offer Honors sections of general education (core curriculum) classes and special multidisciplinary Honors colloquiums. The colloquiums are often team taught, and include field trips and guest speakers. Honors students may also apply to do an Honors Option for Honors credit in a non-Honors class.

BELL RESIDENTIAL LEARNING COMMUNITY

All Honors students have the opportunity to participate in the Bell Hall Residential Learning Community, an important "learning beyond the classroom" experience, which focuses on the theory and practice of global citizenship. In this community, we explore the idea of global citizenship: what it means to be a global citizen and what role concepts such as nationalism and patriotism play in a global society. We also study a select number of global issues each year -- issues that transcend national boundaries and geographic regions to affect all of us. These issues might include, but are not limited to, the environment and environmental justice, human rights, corporate responsibility, international development, natural resource management, public health, global migration, and globalization. Most importantly though, we explore ways in which we can positively impact these issues from here on campus. In this sense, we connect the local to the global and, in so doing, we take our first steps towards global citizenship.

As our Residential Learning Community reaches out beyond the classroom and beyond campus, we expect some students to participate in international service and service-learning programs. These students will bring their experiences back to campus, continuing our education and reinforcing our commitment to global citizenship.

DINNER-SEMINARS

Each year we offer a dozen or so dinner-seminars with Georgia College professors or visiting scholars on a wide variety of topics. These informal, "learning beyond the classroom" experiences at a professor's home are designed to stimulate thought and discussion, and promote student-faculty interaction. Dinner-seminars are limited to 10-15 students depending on space. The Honors Program provides the dinner.

BOOK DISCUSSIONS

Each year we offer a half dozen or so book discussions facilitated by Georgia College professors over dinner. As with our dinner-seminars, these "learning beyond the classroom" experiences at a professor's home are designed to stimulate thought and discussion, and promote student-faculty interaction. Each book discussion group is limited to about ten students. The Honors Program provides books and dinner.

SCHOLARS PROGRAM

The Scholars Program gives Honors students the opportunity to experience the processes of modern research, writing, presentation, and publication.

Scholars work one-on-one with a faculty member to develop and execute a research project. They then have an opportunity to present this research on campus and, possibly, at a state, regional, or national undergraduate research conference. There also exists the possibility, depending on the quality of the work, to publish the research in The Corinthian Journal of Student Research at GCSU or in an off-campus journal.

Research opportunities exist in all disciplines: the sciences, social sciences, humanities, arts, education, and business.

The Scholars Program is especially recommended for students planning to apply for graduate or medical school.

Honors students wishing to participate in the Scholars Program should have 60 hours of course credit and a minimum 3.5 institutional GPA.

APPLICATION/SELECTION

We will automatically mail Honors Program applications to students who have been accepted to Georgia College and who have a 3.5+ high school GPA (as calculated by our Admissions Office) and a 1200+ SAT score (or a 26+ ACT score). These applications will be mailed approximately two weeks after we have notified students of their admittance to Georgia College.

Honors Program applications are reviewed by a faculty committee. The committee considers academic achievement and potential, evidence of intellectual curiosity, record of leadership and service, and special talents (e.g., athletic, artistic, and other).

Honors Program applications must be postmarked by March 15.

All Honors Program applicants will be notified of their Honors application status via e-mail by April 1.

Students admitted to the Honors Program must let us know whether or not they accept via e-mail by May 1.

FACULTY INVOVLEMENT

There are numerous opportunities for faculty involvement in the Honors & Scholars Programs at numerous levels of commitment, both in and beyond the classroom. Faculty can lead dinner-seminars, facilitate book discussions, supervise research, participate in Honors colloquiums, and teach Honors classes.

Contact information

Dr. Steven Elliott-Gower

Director, Honors & Scholars Program

214 Lanier Hall, CBX 029

Georgia College & State University

Milledgeville, GA 31061-0490

Tel: (478) 445-1228

E-mail: steve.elliott-gower@gcsu.edu