• President
• Vice President
• Academic Affairs Chair
• Communications Chair
• Community Engagement Chair
• Mentorship Program Chair
• Social Affairs Chair

UHSA Executive board members work to better the university's honors community through student-planned events and initiatives. They also serve as liaisons between honors students and the staff of the University Honors Program. Please review the attached position descriptions for more information on these excellent student leadership opportunities. Completed applications must be submitted by noon on Friday, April 19th. Don't hesitate to contact if you have any questions.

Complete Position Descriptions for 2013-2014

Peer Assistant Academic Year Responsibilities

Honors Peer Assistants perform a wide variety of tasks that support the UHP mission to guide and challenge students from across the University as they develop into broad, creative, independent, and informed thinkers. Peer Assistants provide office support to the University Honors Program director, associate directors, academic advisors, and support staff.

Peer Assistant Job Duties:

• Greet visitors and assist students with questions about UHP
• Answer phones; manage multiple lines
• Schedule appointments in Google Calendar
• Prepare student information files for advisors on a timely basis; print transcripts and various reports
• Perform back-up duties for Student Services Specialist
• Make posters/handouts
• Research and compile data for one-time projects
• Create and maintain Excel spreadsheets
• Clean and organize work center and storage rooms
• Copy, print, scan, shred
• Run errands on campus

Work Hours

Peer Assistants are expected to make a commitment for the academic year, with an availability of 4-8 hours per week during fall and spring semesters. Some hours are available during winter and spring breaks. Peer Assistants are required to attend training at the start of the academic year.

Essential Qualifications

Currently enrolled and active in the honors program at the U of M-Twin Cities; full-time enrollment for fall 2013 and spring 2014; strong academic record; evidence of involvement in campus or community activities; excellent communication skills; attention to detail; basic knowledge of Word, Excel, PowerPoint; interest in working with honors students from diverse backgrounds and areas of interest. Reception or front desk experience is desirable.

Pay

Official job classification title for the Peer Assistant position is Undergraduate Teaching Assistant I. Pay rate is $9.14 per hour.

Apply

To apply, please provide the following documentation:

• Application form
• Current resume
• Personal statement (approximately 250 words) telling us why you are interested.

Application, resume, and personal statement are due by 4:30 pm on April 5, 2013.

Submit by U of M Campus Mail, U.S. Mail, hand deliver, or email to:
, Student Services Specialist
University Honors Program
20 Nicholson Hall
216 Pillsbury Drive S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455

The full slate of upcoming Fridays at Noon events is available on the UHP calendar. Please join us for one or several!

More information and a PDF application are available here on our website, or by accessing the "Future Students" tab in the above navigation bar and selecting "Admission After Freshman Year."

2012-2013 B.A.-level Fulbright Scholarships and Fulbright-affiliated Awards

• Sarah Anagnostou
• Amy Conner
• Austin Johnson
• Andrew Larkin
• Michael McGarrah
• Nicole Muenchow
• Lesa Nord
• Jonathan Rabb
• Jennifer Sanchez
• Bethany Schowengerdt
• Elizabeth Troolin
• Tanya Wacholz
• Emilia Witthuhn

2012-2013 Graduate-level Fulbright Scholarships

• Brandon Arthur Baumbach
• Jesse Wolf Izzo
• Melissa Kelley
• Danielle Marie Kuntz
• Tracy LeAnne Rutler
• Stephen Cho Suh

Sarah Anagnostou

Sarah Anagnostou has been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to India. A December 2011 CLA graduate with a Bachelor of Individualized Studies (French, global studies and teaching English as a second language) and a TESL certificate, Anagnostou has taught English to Somali immigrant women at the Coyle Community Center in Minneapolis and has tutored French language learners at the University. She became interested in Indian cultures through her study and practice of yoga. While assisting in a middle school English class in Madurai, India next year, she will conduct independent research on the healing traditions of yoga and Ayurvedic medicine. Her long-term goal is to establish a community center focused on lesser-known healing techniques and cultural practices to promote health and wellness in her local community. Back to top

Amy Conner

Amy Conner will be a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Croatia next year, where she will work with English students at the university level. Conner, an alumna of CLA and the University Honors Program, graduated magna cum laude and with high distinction this spring, with majors in history, political science, and Spanish studies. She served in several political internships while in college, including one as a political and economic relations intern at a foreign diplomatic mission here in Minnesota. In addition, Conner gained experience teaching English to preschool children while studying abroad in Spain. A course on the history of the Balkans piqued her interest in Croatia, and she is eager to learn the Croatian language during her Fulbright year. She would like to apply the knowledge she gains from her Fulbright experience in a foreign service career. Back to top

Austin Johnson

Austin Johnson is one of two U of M-Twin Cities students to be awarded Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships to Germany. An alumnus of the College of Biological Sciences and the University Honors Program, he graduated in Spring 2012, summa cum laude and with distinction, with a B.S. in genetics, cell biology, & development and a minor in German studies. Johnson has been an undergraduate teaching assistant in biology courses and volunteers extensively in the community. Since he intends to enter medical school after his Fulbright year, during his teaching assignment at the Berufsbildende Schule in Ingelheim Johnson would also like to volunteer in a hospital or clinic in order to learn about the world's oldest universal health care system. Back to top

Andrew Larkin

Andrew Larkin graduated from CLA with distinction in December 2011, with a history major and an economics minor. He has been awarded a Fulbright to study for a masters degree in history in the United Kingdom. One of two U of M-Twin Cities students to receive a highly competitive Fulbright to the UK this year, he will study at the University of Sussex and will focus on British and French colonialism in Africa. He also plans to volunteer with a community organization in the UK that provides legal counsel to immigrants and refugees. Back to top

Michael McGarrah

Michael McGarrah has been awarded a Fubright English Teaching Assistantship to Spain. McGarrah graduated from CLA and the University Honors Program this spring, summa cum laude and with distinction, with a major in child psychology and minors in Spanish studies and history. He has extensive experience working with children and completed a policy internship at the Children's Defense Fund in Washington, D.C. last summer. As a Fulbrighter, McGarrah will assist in an English classroom at a school in Madrid and would like to volunteer with a community organization to learn about child welfare policy and programs in Spain. When he returns to the U.S. he plans to enter a Ph.D. program in developmental psychology, to prepare for a career as a clinician, researcher, and child policy advocate. Back to top

Nicole Muenchow

Nicole Muenchow will spend 2013 at a teacher's college in Brazil as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant. She will be part of an initiative to improve English instruction in advance of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, both of which will be held in Brazil. Muenchow graduated from CLA with high distinction in May 2011, majoring in Spanish & Portuguese Studies and earning a certificate in teaching English as a second language. She would like to pursue a career teaching English to adult immigrants in the United States. Her extensive teaching background includes serving as an Americorps Vista literacy tutor, teaching English to elementary students in Berlin through the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation, assisting in English classes for adult immigrants at the International Education Center, and mentoring youth at the Centro Latino Community Center. Back to top

Lesa Nord

Lesa Nord, like Andrew Larkin, has been awarded a highly competitive UK Fulbright. Nord began her college education at North Hennepin Community College and received her Bachelor of Individualized Studies with high distinction from CLA in December 2010. A certified Emergency Medical Technician and an aspiring future physician, Nord has served as a volunteer interpreter and technician on medical mission trips in developing countries. As a Fulbrighter Nord will complete an interdisciplinary masters degree in humanitarianism and conflict response at the University of Manchester. Nord intends to use her training and experience at Manchester in a career as a physician working in international aid. Back to top

Jonathan Rabb

Jonathan Rabb has been awarded a Fulbright to Germany in the field of journalism for the 2012-13 academic year. Rabb graduated from CLA and the University Honors Program in December 2010, earning a BA in German studies and Global Studies, summa cum laude and with distinction. Since graduation, he works as a television host and reporter for WUCW-23, The CW Twin Cities. His Fulbright project, to be carried out in Berlin, investigates the influence of Turkish immigration on German multiculturalism with a focus on the popularity of the Döner sandwich. He plans to produce a journalistic documentary of his research. His long-term goals include earning a masters in journalism and working in broadcast journalism with a focus on international issues. Back to top

Jennifer Sanchez

Jennifer Sanchez is the recipient of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Uruguay. Since graduating magna cum laude from CLA and the University Honors Program in spring 2009 with majors in global studies and political science and a minor in Spanish studies, Sanchez has worked as an Americorps High School Coach with Admission Possible, a nonprofit organization that assists underserved high school students to transition to college, and as an Education Assistant in the Saint Paul Public Schools. Sanchez's Fulbright year, which starts in March 2013, will be split between the capital city of Montevideo and a provincial location. In the meantime, Sanchez will begin a masters program in public policy at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs this fall. She intends to pursue a career in international education and education policy. Back to top

Bethany Schowengerdt

Bethany Schowengerdt is one of only two Americans selected for Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships to Rwanda. Schowengerdt graduated summa cum laude and with high distinction from CLA and the University Honors Program this spring, completing majors in both global studies and French studies. She will assist in the teaching of college-level English and plans to volunteer with an organization dedicated to improving language and technology education in Rwanda. In the future Schowengerdt would like to pursue a masters degree and a career in international educational development. Back to top

Elizabeth Troolin

Elizabeth Troolin, an alumna of CLA and the University Honors Program, graduated summa cum laude with high distinction this spring with a triple major in political science, Spanish studies, and global studies. In July she will begin a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship at La Universidad de Cartagena in Colombia. Troolin has taught U.S. citizenship preparation classes at the Jane Addams School for Democracy and has engaged extensively in human rights work. This past year she was an intern for immigrant and refugee programs at the Advocates for Human Rights. During her Fulbright year, Troolin wants to learn about human rights and legal issues for displaced populations in Colombia and volunteer with an organization that serves displaced youth. In the future she will pursue graduate studies in international relations or political science. Back to top

Tanya Wacholz

Tanya Wacholz, like Austin Johnson, will be a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Germany during the coming year. A spring 2011 CLA graduate with majors in history and German studies, Wacholz plans to pursue a career as a high school teacher and to be active in the field of international education. One of her goals is to establish an exchange program between high school students in the U.S. and Germany that will make it possible for students in those countries to have experiences abroad regardless of their personal circumstances. Wacholz is not only an experienced English teacher, but also an experienced soccer player and coach; while teaching English in the German state of Brandenburg, she wants to start or coach a girl's soccer team and incorporate lessons about soccer culture in the US. Back to top

Emilia Witthuhn

Emilia Witthuhn is the recipient of a Fulbright-affiliated Austrian Government Teaching Assistantship. Witthun, a 2008 CLA graduate with a major in German studies and a minor in history, is fascinated by languages and language acquisition. After college, she studied abroad in Berlin and taught English through the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation. She has also volunteered as an English teacher with several community organizations in the Twin Cities. During her Fulbright year Witthun looks forward to fine-tuning her German while helping Austrian high school students to improve their English. She intends to pursue a career in library services for children and teens. Back to top

Brandon Arthur Baumbach

Brandon Arthur Baumbach, '11, MPP in Public Policy, will research the Norwegian government's national immigration policy with the Somali population being the specific case study. As a strong social welfare country, Norwegian policies that affect the Somali Diaspora in Norway will provide for a strong comparison with the immigration policies of the United States affecting the American Somali Diaspora. This research will comment on a best practices model concerning Somali immigration today. Baumbach graduated with a B.A. in Global Studies from the University of Minnesota in 2010. Back to top

Jesse Wolf Izzo

Jesse Wolf Izzo, Ph.D. student in History, will spend the academic year at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel. He will research the role of the Latin Christian crusader states during the late thirteenth-century in the context of the first Mamluk-Ilkhanid War. Izzo received a B.A. in History from Yale University in 2004 and a M.Phil. in Medieval History from Cambridge University in 2005. Back to top

Melissa Kelley

Melissa Kelley, Ph.D. student in History, will travel to select German universities. Her dissertation will present a critique of the recurrent "crisis in the university" between the late 19th and the late 20th centuries through an analysis of student life. The particular focus will be the experiences of students from social groups which had historically limited or no access to higher education. Kelley received a B.A. in History from Smith College in 2007. Back to top

Danielle Marie Kuntz

Danielle Marie Kuntz, a Ph.D. student in Musicology, will conduct archival research in Portugal. She will analyze eighteenth-century sacred dramatic musical productions by the royal court in Portugal. Kuntz received a B.S. in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2007 and a M.A. in Musicology from the University of Minnesota in 2009. Back to top

Tracy LeAnne Rutler

Tracy LeAnne Rutler, a Ph.D. student in French, will visit several archives in France. Her dissertation analyzes legacy 18th-century French literature. Rutler received a B.A. and M.A. in French from the University of Kansas. Back to top

Stephen Cho Suh

Stephen Cho Suh, a Ph.D. student in Sociology, will study the return migration of Korean Americans to South Korea. Through ethnography and qualitative interviews, he will investigate the causes of return migration, the ability of Korean Americans to adapt to South Korean society, and the type of reception that they receive from locals. Suh received a B.A. in Ethnic Studies and Psychology from the University of California, San Diego in 2008. Back to top

Many congratulations to Miss Minnesota 2012, Siri Freeh. Freeh, who will be a senior in the University Honors Program this fall, will now have the honor of representing her state in the Miss America Pageant. You can follow Siri's journey on her blog.

Click photograph to expand. Courtesy of Sarah Morreim Photography.

About Siri Freeh

Siri Freeh is a representative on the Nursing College Board, a Co-host for the Women's Only Cardiac Support Group at the Minneapolis Heart Institute, President of the Global Health and Transcultural Group, an advocate for the American Heart Association, and a volunteer for Camp Odayin. She's currently conducting research in cardiovascular disease and women's heart issues as part of her undergraduate experience in the University Honors Program, and plans to pursue a doctorate in a related area.

About the Miss Minnesota Pageant

The Miss Minnesota Scholarship Pageant is a non-profit organization that awards scholarships to outstanding young women to help advance them academically and professionally. Participants have gone on to achieve major success in diverse fields including medicine, law, business, broadcast journalism, theater, politics, literature and more.

We're very pleased to share a selection of photos from the 2012 Honors Recognition Ceremony. The ceremony was a great success, with an audience of 700 students, families, friends, staff, and faculty gathering at the Ted Mann Concert Hall to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our 2012 graduates. Thanks for making this event a memorable one.

Unless otherwise noted, photos courtesy of Patrick O'Leary, University Relations.

Plans for the 2013 Ceremony

We're excited to announce that the 2013 ceremony will again be held at Ted Mann. Mark your calendars with the following details, and stay tuned for further information early next Spring:

• Thursday, May 9th, 2013, 7:00 p.m.
• Ted Mann Concert Hall, West Bank campus.

Sara Butterfass is a senior at the University of Minnesota-Morris, with a major in English and a minor in History. As a Katherine E. Sullivan Scholar, she will study Icelandic language and literature at the University of Iceland in Reykjavik for the 2012-13 academic year. She looks forward to gaining insight into the history of the medieval Icelandic sagas by visiting historic sites and working with medieval manuscripts. Her long-term goal is to pursue a Ph.D. in medieval studies. Sara is from Howard Lake, MN and is a graduate of Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted High School.

Brian Eby, a senior in the College of Biological Sciences and the University Honors Program at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, is majoring in genetics, cell biology & development and minoring in chemistry. He will spend the 2012-13 year on the IES Abroad Program in Freiburg, Germany. Brian will take courses in advanced German language, history, culture, and economics. An aspiring physician who intends to enter medical school in the future, Brian would also like to volunteer in a German hospital during his year abroad as a Katherine E. Sullivan Scholar, in order to learn about Germany's healthcare system. Brian is from Oregon, WI and graduated from Oregon High School.

Congratulations, Sara and Brian!

HCOL 3801H: Honors Challenge Course, Changing America: The Face of Immigration

In this interdisciplinary seminar, we will study the immigrant and refugee experience in America in the past and the present through readings, discussion, and service-learning with local immigrant and refugee serving organizations. We will address national and international issues related to immigrants and refugees in the US, while also focusing on communities, organizations, and topics specific to Minnesota. We will also consider why immigration has been considered a subject of "perennial debate" in the United States. Throughout the course we will explore four key areas: immigration and xenophobia, immigrant/refugee integration, immigrant rights, and immigration law and policy.

This course is co-taught by Erika Lee and Katherine Fennelly.

Why do immigrants come to the United States? What kind of "America" do they find once they're here? And why have Americans continuously debated the merits and demerits of immigration since the colonial era to the present? These are the questions that Erika Lee, Professor of History and Asian American Studies, explores in her research, writing, and teaching. Winner of a 2011 Arthur "Red" Motley Award for Excellence in Teaching in the College of Liberal Arts, Professor Lee is the author of two award-winning books and several articles on Asian American history and the history of immigration law in the United States.

Katherine Fennelly is Professor of Public Affairs at the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota. Her research and outreach interests include the human rights of immigrants and refugees in the United States, and the preparedness of individuals, communities and public institutions to adapt to demographic changes. Fennelly is bilingual in Spanish and English and has worked and traveled extensively throughout Latin America.

Please note that HCOL3803H ("Can we feed the world without destroying it?") has been moved to spring 2013. http://blog.lib.umn.edu/honors/news/2012/04/honors-challenge-courses-for-fall-2012.php http://blog.lib.umn.edu/honors/news/2012/04/honors-challenge-courses-for-fall-2012.php Info for Current Students Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:00:42 -0600 The University Honors Student Association (UHSA) is accepting applications for the following executive board positions for the upcoming 2012-2013 academic year:

• President
• Vice President
• Academic Affairs Chair
• Communications Chair
• Community Engagement Chair
• Mentorship Program Chair
• Social Affairs Chair

UHSA Executive board members work to better the university's honors community through student-planned events and initiatives. They also serve as liaisons between honors students and the staff of the University Honors Program. The above positions are open to continuing students, and there will be opportunities for freshmen this Fall as well. Please review the attached position descriptions for more information on these excellent student leadership opportunities. Don't hesitate to contact if you have any questions.

Application and Position Descriptions

Completed applications must be submitted to by noon on Thursday, May 3.

Application
Position descriptions

]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/honors/news/2012/04/uhsa-seeks-candidates-for-executive-board.php http://blog.lib.umn.edu/honors/news/2012/04/uhsa-seeks-candidates-for-executive-board.php News Release Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:34:42 -0600 Please join us in congratulating Paul David Carlson, Chung-Yun (George) Chao, and Mark Strom, all UHP students who have been named 2012 Barry M. Goldwater Scholars. The prestigious Goldwater Scholarship is awarded annually to outstanding sophomores and juniors who intend to pursue research-oriented careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering. The scholarships provide up to $7,500 per year for up to two years of undergraduate study.

More about the 2012 Goldwater Scholars:

Paul David Carlson, a junior majoring in chemical engineering in the College of Science and Engineering, plans to pursue a combined M.D. and Ph.D. in chemical engineering and specialize in cardiovascular tissue engineering. Carlson is a named contributor in a publication from the biomedical engineering laboratory of professor Robert Tranquillo, under whose guidance he has researched the creation of aligned, perfusable microvascular networks within fibrin-based tissue that can be used to repair damage to the human heart from cardiac infarction. Carlson has also given several poster presentations on his work. He spent summer 2011 as a Chemical Engineering Formulation intern at Eastman Kodak Co. in Rochester, New York, working on the reformulation of products in the Thermal Printing Platform. A National Merit Scholar, a Presidential Scholar, a Minnesota Gold Scholar, and recipient of the Monroe Professional Engineers Society and SIG Hagen scholarships, Carlson has been recognized by the American Chemical Society and awarded two Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program grants. In his spare time, he tutors chemistry students at the U of M and volunteers at Amplatz Children's Hospital.

Chung-Yun (George) Chao is a junior pursuing a double major in genetics, cell biology, and development in the College of Biological Sciences and computer science in the College of Science and Engineering. Following his undergraduate studies, he plans to pursue a doctorate in bioinformatics and possibly an M.D. with a future specialty in internal medicine. Chao aspires to a research career at the intersection of genetics and computer science that will lead to new medical treatments. Working under the guidance of professor Chad Myers, he has researched mapping gene interaction networks in yeast and has extended these studies into an interaction network of human genes to predict possible protein interactions in humans. Chao is also involved in research on protein pathways in Drosophila under the direction of professor Thomas Neufeld, and under professor Daniel Keefe, he has explored the creation of a data generation system for analyzing movements of the spine. He has presented his work on several occasions, including a recent TEDxUMN talk, and is involved in leading the U of M's team for the 2012 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Competition. Chao is a Presidential Scholar, a Monica Tsang and James Weatherbee Merit Scholar in Biology, a Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development Scholar, and the recipient of an Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program grant. A competitive ballroom dancer, Chao has won dozens of awards and mentions in local, regional and national competitions.

Mark Strom, a junior chemistry major in the College of Science and Engineering, plans to pursue a combined M.D. and Ph.D. in cell biology with the purpose of conducting research on stem cells as a faculty member at a medical school. Under the direction of professor Atsushi Asakura, Strom has investigated molecular mechanisms behind muscle stem cell self-renewal with the hope of eventually applying these findings toward treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Strom spent summer 2011 conducting research at Syracuse University, working in the bioorganic chemistry laboratory of professor Yan-Yeung Luk on the organic synthesis and biological testing of novel bacterial biofilm inhibitors. Strom is a Presidential Scholar, a Minnesota Gold Scholar, a CSE Merit Scholar, a Robert C. Byrd Scholar, and a Thomas J. Watson Memorial Scholar, and he has been recognized with the Prentice Hall Organize Chemistry Book Prize, the Merck Index Award, a pair of Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program grants, and a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates grant. A teaching assistant in the University of Minnesota Talented Youth Mathematics Program, Strom is also a longtime Habitat for Humanity volunteer.

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities students who are interested in applying for the scholarship in the future may consult the Office for National and International Scholarships, a service of the University Honors Program.

Read the full press release here.

]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/honors/news/2012/03/three-uhp-students-named-2012-barry-m-goldwater-scholars.php http://blog.lib.umn.edu/honors/news/2012/03/three-uhp-students-named-2012-barry-m-goldwater-scholars.php Info for Current Students Fri, 30 Mar 2012 09:14:43 -0600 The Fannie and John Hertz Foundation announced today that University of Minnesota Honors Program student Grant Remmen has been awarded a prestigious Hertz Fellowship to support his future graduate studies. Considered to be the nation's most prestigious and generous support for graduate education in applied sciences and engineering, the Hertz Fellowship is valued at more than $250,000 per student, with support lasting up to five years.

Remmen will graduate summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota's College of Science and Engineering this spring in each of his three majors: astrophysics, physics, and mathematics. He has been admitted to numerous top Ph.D. programs across the country in physics and astrophysics and will begin graduate study this fall.

Remmen has been conducting original research since his freshman year, and his work on the Milky Way's dark matter and on the cosmic ray muon velocity distribution has appeared in two publications in the Journal of Undergraduate Research in Physics. At the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Remmen has investigated aspherical black holes under the mentorship of Professor Robert Gehrz and is currently conducting Hubble Space Telescope research on Eta Carinae, a complex star system, with Professor Kris Davidson.

Last summer, with the support of an international student scholarship from University College London, he engaged in research on general relativistic spin orbit coupling and its effect on multiple-body gravitational systems with Professor Kinwah Wu, head of theory at Mullard Space Science Lab in England. For his work on galactic dark matter, he was awarded the American Astronomical Society's Chambliss Medal for exemplary student research. Remmen was named a Goldwater Scholar in his sophomore year. He is also a U.S. Presidential Scholar and a National Merit Scholar, and has received many awards and honors at the University of Minnesota.

Remmen was one of only 15 students selected nationwide for the Hertz Fellowship from more than 600 applications and the only student chosen in the physics/astrophysics area. The highly competitive selection process includes a comprehensive written application, four references, and two rounds of technical interviews by recognized leaders in applied science and engineering. The scholarship is open to graduate students as well as college seniors.

Other 2012 Hertz fellows are from MIT, Harvard, Caltech, Princeton, University of California-Berkeley, Indiana University and the University of Texas, Austin.

The text of this press release was issued by the University News Service

]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/honors/news/2012/03/remmen.php http://blog.lib.umn.edu/honors/news/2012/03/remmen.php News Release Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:41:31 -0600 The National Park Service and University Honors Program are collaborating to offer new honors internships during the summer 2012 and fall 2012 semesters.

About the Program

The University of Minnesota is a world-class university located in a national park, along one of the great rivers of the world. The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA), established by Congress in 1988, stretches for 72 miles on each side of the Mississippi through the heart of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. A "partnership park," because the Park Service owns very little land, MNRRA works with public agencies and nonprofit partners throughout the corridor to protect significant resources and interpret the stories and places of this nationally-significant corridor.

The MNRRA-University of Minnesota relationship is enhanced by programs that bring students into the park for research and service projects that advance park goals and contribute to student learning and development. Students wishing to participate in these programs must be self-motivated, detail-oriented, and able to work effectively with relatively infrequent detailed supervision (meetings every other week and email contact in between). Familiarity with web-based research and ability to develop and modify Excel spreadsheets and Word documents are required.

2012 Summer/Fall Honors Internships

A wide variety of internships are available. Some are for summer, some for fall, and others are available for either semester. Each internship counts as two non-course Honors Experiences for the academic year. Most internships will require registration for a 2-credit internship course. A small number are paid internships for which no credit can be earned.

Information Sessions

Please attend one of the following information sessions:

• Monday, 3/26, 11:30 – 12:15: 12 Nicholson Hall
• Tuesday, 3/27, 11:30 – 12:15: N668 Elliott Hall

Position Descriptions

Mapping park water quality

The project will work with staff of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization to gather data on projects on which the two organizations have collaborated. Interns will gather basic project information from agency staff and/or files, and participate in the process of mapping the discovered projects.

Community Partners: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Some GIS experience is strongly preferred. Applicants for this position should make their relevant experience and coursework clear, noting software familiarity, dataset experience, and types of products created.

Credit/Paid: This is a credit-bearing internship. The selected applicant will be required to register for a 2-credit internship course and meet regularly with the cohort of interns.

Summer/Fall: Either (summer preferred)

SiteSeeing: connecting river and community

Work with staff at the Minneapolis Parks Foundation to gather materials for a youth-oriented community design project. "SiteSeeing" equips youth to ask the following questions about their immediate neighborhood/community:

• What's there? (in terms of components of the physical landscape)
• What used to be there?
• What's missing?
• What could be there?

Further information is available on the Site Lines website.

Community Partner: Minneapolis Parks Foundation

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Strong interest in exploring the ways in which the public can be more effective advocates for the future of their particular community.

Credit/Paid: This is a credit-bearing internship. The selected applicant will be required to register for a 2-credit internship course and meet regularly with the cohort of interns.

Summer/Fall: Summer, to build a materials base for fall semester programming at one or more Minneapolis public schools.

Note: It is possible that the right student, if interested, could continue to work with the program through implementation.

Minnehaha Park environmental scan

Work with staff at the National Park Service and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to undertake an "environmental scan" of Minnehaha Park and its immediate surroundings—in terms of identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The scan will also identify and compile a basic record of "who's who" around the Park: private sector vendors and contractors, public agencies and their missions, staffs, and programs, and any available data on the public using the park.

Community Partners: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, National Park Service.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Interest in planning, program development, urban studies, or urban systems.

Credit/Paid: This is a credit-bearing internship. The selected applicant will be required to register for a 2-credit internship course and meet regularly with the cohort of interns.

Summer/Fall: Summer

Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventure evaluation

Work with staff at the National Park Service and Wilderness Inquiry to research existing evaluation reports on the Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventure (UWCA) and prepare materials for the evaluations to reach a broader audience. Research will also examine ways in which comparable programs—place-based learning, other river-oriented programs, and experiential/adventure learning—have been evaluated.

The UWCA program, now in its third year, gets urban youth (middle school and high school age) on the Mississippi River in large canoes for short day trips that complement their summer school curriculum. Education researchers have been conducting surveys assessing a variety of ways to measure learning outcomes, but those results are not widely distributed.

Community Partners: Wilderness Inquiry, National Park Service.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Basic familiarity with education/curriculum development or outdoor recreation and outdoor learning programs. Some knowledge of program assessment would be good.

Credit/Paid: This is a credit-bearing internship. The selected applicant will be required to register for a 2-credit internship course and meet regularly with the cohort of interns.

Summer/Fall: Either

Coldwater historical research

Work with staff at the National Park Service and the Minnesota Historical Society to identify and develop for interpretive staff historical materials pertaining to the Coldwater Spring/Bureau of Mines site. Research will include gathering material from existing cultural resource management reports, project materials developed for the removal of Bureau of Mines buildings and features, and other materials.

Community Partners: National Park Service, Minnesota Historical Society.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Experience and interest in history, geography, or environmental studies.

Credit/Paid: This is a credit-bearing internship. The selected applicant will be required to register for a 2-credit internship course and meet regularly with the cohort of interns.

Summer/Fall: Either

Visual material research on the river and city

Work with staff at the National Park and the River Life program to identify, sort, and develop finding aids for visual materials illustrating the intersections of the Mississippi River and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Digital materials developed between 1990 – 2009 by the University's Metropolitan Design Center (and its predecessor, the Design Center for the American Urban Landscape) are the sources for this project. Material types include aerial and ground level photos, summaries of urban design standards that are sensitive to sustainable water infrastructure and open space systems, and early visualizations/drawings of the cities in their topographical surroundings.

Community Partners: National Park Service, River Life program.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Experience and interest in urban design, history, geography, or environmental studies.

Credit/Paid: This is a credit-bearing internship. The selected applicant will be required to register for a 2-credit internship course and meet regularly with the cohort of interns.

Summer/Fall: Either

Land cover change in the Minnehaha Creek watershed

Conduct a land cover change analysis on one subwatershed of the Mississippi River within the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The land cover analysis will be based upon Landsat imagery and will involve validating, classifying, and summarizing areas of change identified by the LandTrendr program. The student will also look at precedents in the NPS for management use of comparable research.

Community Partner: National Park Service

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: The ideal candidate should be pursuing a degree in geography, planning, environmental science, landscape architecture, or a similar course of study. The applicant should have basic knowledge of land use and cover and an interest in how they affect the environment and natural resources. Experience and interest in airphoto interpretation and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) is preferred, in addition to working knowledge of the following computer programs:

• ArcMap (working with shapefiles and mapping services; creating and editing data)
• Google Earth (working with KML files)
• Microsoft Excel

Student must have access to a computer with either ArcMap (preferred) or Google Earth software.

Credit/Paid: This is a credit-bearing internship. The selected applicant will be required to register for a 2-credit internship course and meet regularly with the cohort of interns.

Summer/Fall: Either

Tracking the Invasion: Where are invasive plants in the Mississippi corridor?

Investigate invasive plant species on public lands within and adjacent to the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA). There are two parts to the project, which are envisioned to take place consecutively: Part 1 is an "institutional environmental scan" of efforts to control invasive vegetation—Who is doing what? Part 2 is a mapping project, assessing conditions to date of the efforts identified in Part 1.

Part 1 asks researchers to engage in internet, phone, and email research to compile a document (likely a spreadsheet) describing the "state of the field" in invasive vegetation management. For Part 2, the researcher will take existing land survey maps and set up meetings with various land managers (Anoka County Parks, for instance) to find out what invasives each agency is dealing with and obtain an estimate of the amount of land cover occupied by invasive plants.

Community Partners: Mississippi River Fund, National Park Service, nonprofit organizations, and local park and public land management agencies.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: The ideal candidate should be pursuing a degree in geography, planning, environmental science, landscape architecture, or a similar course of study. The applicant should have basic knowledge of land use and cover and an interest in how they affect the environment and natural resources. Experience and interest in airphoto interpretation and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) is preferred, in addition to working knowledge of the following computer programs:

• ArcMap (working with shapefiles and mapping services; creating and editing data)
• Google Earth (working with KML files)
• Microsoft Excel

Student must have access to a computer with either ArcMap (preferred) or Google Earth software.

Credit/Paid: Paid, with remuneration of $12/hour for approximately 120 hours (comparable to a standard UROP arrangement). The intern will also be required to meet regularly with the rest of that semester's intern cohort. No credit will be earned.

Summer/Fall: Either (summer preferred)

MNopedia

Work with staff at the Minnesota Historical Society to compile materials for MNopedia. Selected interns (up to 4) will choose from among the following topics:

• Headwaters dams on the Mississippi River
• Urban river parks and parkways
• Wing dams and other channel maintenance efforts in the Mississippi below St. Paul River bridges

Interns will research and write MNopedia entries, gather and select ancillary materials, compile short "sidebar" items, and otherwise prepare materials for publication according to MNopedia protocols and standards.

Community Partner: Minnesota Historical Society

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Interest in history, geography, urban studies, or environmental studies.

Credit/Paid: This is a credit-bearing internship. The selected applicant(s) will be required to register for a 2-credit internship course and meet regularly with the cohort of interns.

Summer/Fall: Either

Notes: Selected interns will need to submit an EZ online volunteer application to the Minnesota Historical Society. Interns also will need to report the total number of hours worked on the project to Society staff upon completion of the project. The Society will provide free parking for interns while they conduct research in the library at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul.

Digital interpretation at St. Anthony Falls

Work with staff of the St. Anthony Falls Heritage Board and its members (Minnesota Historical Society, Hennepin County, City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board), as well as the River Life program and the National Park Service to develop digital interpretive features for sections of the Heritage District near the Mill City Museum and Mill Ruins Park (west side of the river, near downtown). There are two openings in this program. Each researcher will complete the following general steps, though specifics will depend on the precise skills and interests of individual researchers:

• Conduct research in visual and documentary resources at collections pertinent to St. Anthony Falls and its history (MHS, Minneapolis History Collection, U of M)
• In consultation with community partners, develop a prototype of at least one digital platform by which to tell a "story" of the place (cell phone tour, podcast, slide show, then/now photo set)
• Test the prototype on an audience or focus group of U of M students
• Revise and prepare the program for electronic distribution
• Write a report analyzing the project.

Community Partners: St. Anthony Falls Heritage Board and other organizations focused on the Central Riverfront in Minneapolis.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Interest in history, geography, urban studies, or environmental studies. Willingness to learn and develop digital programs is essential (in consultation and with training).

Credit/Paid: Paid, with remuneration of $12/hour for an estimated 20 hours per week during the summer (roughly June through August). Interns will also meet regularly with the cohort of interns working during the summer.

Summer/Fall: Summer

To Apply

Download the application
Submit completed application by 4:00 pm on April 15, 2012, to Patrick Nunnally, River Life Coordinator, at .

]]> http://blog.lib.umn.edu/honors/news/2012/03/nps2012.php http://blog.lib.umn.edu/honors/news/2012/03/nps2012.php Info for Current Students Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:10:00 -0600 Listen to Kit's acceptance speech here

Peer Assistant Academic Year Responsibilities

Honors Peer Assistants perform a wide variety of tasks that support the UHP mission to guide and challenge students from across the University as they develop into broad, creative, independent, and informed thinkers. Peer Assistants provide office support to the University Honors Program director, associate directors, academic advisors, and support staff.

Peer Assistants Job Duties:

• Greet visitors and assist students with questions about Honors
• Answer phones; manage multiple lines
• Schedule appointments in Google Calendar
• Prepare student information files for advisors on a timely basis; print transcripts and various reports
• Perform back-up duties for Student Services Specialist
• Make posters/handouts
• Research and compile data for one-time projects
• Create and maintain Excel spreadsheets
• Clean and organize work center and storage rooms
• Copy, print, scan, shred
• Run errands on campus

Work Hours

An academic year commitment is expected with an availability of 4-8 hours per week during fall and spring semesters; some hours during winter and spring breaks are available. Peer Assistants are required to attend training at the start of the academic year.

Essential Qualifications

Currently enrolled and active in the honors program at the U of M-Twin Cities; full-time enrollment for fall 2012 and spring 2013; strong academic record; evidence of involvement in campus or community activities; excellent communication skills; attention to detail; basic knowledge of Word, Excel, PowerPoint; interest in working with honors students from diverse backgrounds and areas of interest.

Pay

Official job classification title for the Peer Assistant position is Undergraduate Teaching Assistant I. Pay rate is $9.14 per hour.

Apply

To apply, please provide the following documentation:

• Application form
• Current resume
• Personal statement (approximately 250 words) telling us why you are interested.

Application, resume, and personal statement are due by 4:30 pm on March 30, 2012.

Submit by U of M Campus Mail, U.S. Mail, hand deliver, or email to:

University Honors Program
20 Nicholson Hall
216 Pillsbury Drive S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455