This year on Nov. 13, honor students will be given an opportunity to demonstrate their talents and place their names on the map in the annual Honors Symposium. For years, the honors program department of Sinclair Community College has hosted this event for any and all overachievers at Sinclair who desire a greater challenge in their education.
Through the initiatives of former Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences Clifford Barr, Sinclair jumped ahead of the curve in a time where few colleges began offering honors curricula to overachieving students.
Within the division of liberal arts and sciences, Dr. Mary Navarro convened a committee to produce an honors program, which was then approved by the Board of Trustees.
During the winter quarter of 1987, there were initially two courses for the honors symposium, math and English. However, the program expanded before long to include psychology, humanities, business, fine arts and many more during the late ‘80s and early to mid-’90s. Since 2009, the service learning department, which engages students to learn through helping the community, has partnered with the honors department for this symposium.
These symposiums are held twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall semester. Students of any field of study are bestowed a table to display their honors project. There are prizes for the first, second and third place winners such as gift cards.
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Students who compete in the honors program can also be eligible for scholarships at four-year institutions such as the University of Dayton, Wright State University, Miami University, the University of Cincinnati or Wittenberg University
Winning projects of the past include Erin Trace’s “Accessibility for the Deaf in Education,” a project that highlighted ways in which to teach to deaf and Taylor Bryan’s “The Loneliest Man in the World,” about an indigenous man in the rainforests of Brazil believed to be the last of his tribe.
“The biggest benefits of honors is testing yourself,” Brandon Johnson, the current honors program administrative assistant, said. “Going a little bit farther, pushing your own boundaries and also going out of your way to learn more and get the most out of your classes.”
For any and all students interested, the event will occur on Wednesday, Nov. 13 in the library’s NW loggia from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Whether you’re an honors student seeking to make your presence known or simply an observer, the honors symposium is open to any students looking to enrich their educational experience at Sinclair.
For more information about Sinclair’s honors program you can drop by the office in the basement of building 8, 025D, email them at honorsprogram@sinclair.com, or call 512-4331.
Samuel J. Claude
Managing Editor