Honors College leaders hope to make an impact

Photos by Ralph Freso

“Lead like a great conductor,” said Honors College Director Dr. Marette Hahn to a roomful of students at a recent Leadership in Action Fellowship meeting. “You don’t have to be the expert in everything. It’s more so about bringing the experts together and getting them to chat and work together. That is what a conductor does.”

The start of an academic year for Grand Canyon University’s Honors College does not only mean classes are back in session. It also means it is the start of new student leadership and professional development programs and committees.

Leadership in Action is a newly introduced program that provides an opportunity for Honors College students to get involved in its leadership opportunities, receive professional development training and have a chance to be a voice for students when they're working with faculty.

“We want students to build and strengthen the Honors community but also put what they are learning here into action when they leave and take their work off campus," Dr. Hahn said.

In the spring, the college launched an application process for students to join the fellowship, resulting in 50 new student leaders who are eager to get involved.

The group is is comprised of five committees led by student directors, each focused on a different area of programming to give students a chance to focus on a specific area of growth and skill:

The Academic Excellence Committee focuses on providing research opportunities and mentoring students in publishing personal work in the Canyon Journal of Undergraduate Research. In addition to academic success, students have a chance to develop their leadership and career skills through the Professional and Leadership Development Committee.

The other committees focus on creating community building and faith-based events, as well as opportunities for freshmen to get to know campus and student life.

“If you want to be a part of it, you are pledging to be a part of this community and wanting to make a change,” said Integrity, Faith and Service Committee Director Amelia Miller. “It’s being willing to engage and show up.”

Every week, students gather for a two-hour meeting. Student directors break off into committee groups and discuss future projects, from student-bonding activities to campus initiatives to conferences. They also listen to guest speakers from a different campus department or program. Those speakers encourage and mentor students in leadership development skills. Those meetings also give honors students a chance to interact with professionals in various fields.

“These are great tools for developing your leadership skills, to network and get plugged into the Honors College more,” said Leadership in Action Fellowship President Keerthana Krishnakumar Juttu.

“When I first came here, I was not involved at all. My second year is when I just jumped in with Young Athena, the leadership and self-discovery program for female students, and after that I wanted to see how much impact I could make but also how much I could learn from all these experiences. Being in LIA, you are establishing that you are the cream of the crop," Juttu said.

Through all of it, the Honors College is most focused on building an inviting and supportive community for its students and making sure campus feels like home.

“I never really thought I would do something like this,” said the fellowship's vice president, Isabel Joy Abbott. “Honors College is a very tightknit community, and hearing from them, ‘You can do it, you have the skills to do this,’ has encouraged me. Coming out of it has made me a more rounded person.”

GCU staff writer Izabela Fogarasi can be reached at [email protected]

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