This year, Sinclair welcomes two new directors into their Honors Program: Myra Bozeman and Jessica McKinley. In Sinclair’s Honors Program, students get the valuable opportunity to work on their intellect and responsibility by taking honors courses and participating in community services. Bozeman and McKinley both have experience working at Sinclair and are very excited to start their new positions.
Jessica McKinley, is a University of Dayton and Purdue University alumnus, who has been at Sinclair for five years. She worked with Honors students in the past and said she’s excited to receive another opportunity to work with students who thrive to succeed.
“Sinclair is a great fit for me. I love my students and my co-workers. Sinclair students are changing the world and I am excited to be a part of it,” McKinley said. “[I like] working with students who have a hunger for knowledge and a thirst for excellence.”
Before being promoted as Honors Director, McKinley had experience as a faculty advisor for the student organization, “A Culturally Educated Sisterhood (A.C.E.S.),” as well as being an Associate Professor in the Communication Department.
McKinley thoroughly enjoys her job. She began teaching as an undergrad at UD through graduate school as a teaching assistant at UD and Purdue.“It has been a joy to grow as a scholar in the field of communication and teach students what I love— Teaching has come very natural for me,” she said.
During her time in the Honors Program, McKinley wishes to create better awareness and knowledge about the Honors Program, streamline the application and submission processes, and improve the data collection within the Honors Program.
“Every day I meet with students who are excited about learning and who want to go above and beyond. Working with Honors students also makes me want to strive to be the best. I was fortunate to have great mentors and now I have the opportunity to foster growth and promote education,” she said.
Myra Bozeman, Wright State University and UD alumnus, has been at Sinclair for 19 years, the last three and a half as an advisor for the official international honors society, Phi Theta Kappa. Applying for a position in the Honors Program seemed to be her the next logical step because of her experience in honors she said.
Like so many Sinclair students, Bozeman was a traditionally-aged student during her college years, and jugged her school work with a demanding job. Understanding the value of working hard and achieving goals, Bozeman was encouraged to pursue a job in teaching.
“There isn’t just one person who inspires me. It’s crazy, but I am inspired by many of my fellow faculty members. Everyone I work with/have worked with, has a characteristic that I wish I possessed. The combination of those characteristics inspire me to be a better teacher, better advisor, better director, better mother and wife—Every aspect of my life is affected,” she said.
When she first started with Phi Theta Kappa, Bozeman spent the entire summer before her first semester reading the history of and learning about what other schools were doing with their Phi Theta Kappa chapters.“I looked at what other colleges do with their honors programs and I tried to figure out how to elevate our honors program based on the research that I read,” she said.
One of Bozeman’s main goals this year is to raise Sinclair’s Honors Scholars by 25 percent, and to introduce this opportunity to those who are eligible, but had never considered it a real option before.
Bozeman’s passion for student’s success motivates her to expel student’s “tarnished” view of their academic capabilities.“I love working with students. I am excited to come into the office each day because there are always students stopping by to talk. I am extremely proud of any student who graduates, transfers and completes their Bachelor’s degree,” Bozeman said.
Ariel Parker
Reporter