Published December 7, 2023
CAPTION: ULM Honors Program students recently attended and presented at the annual meeting
of the National Collegiate Honors Council in Chicago. Pictured L-R: Dr. Joshua Stockley,
Noah Stephan, Shreya Adhikari, Kaitlyn Apperley, Grace Gunder, George Khawas
MONROE, LA – The University of Louisiana Monroe Honors Program attended the annual meeting of the
National Collegiate Honors Council in Chicago, IL from November 8-11. Dr. Joshua Stockley,
Director of the ULM Honors Program, was joined by five students –Grace Gunder (Senior,
Biology, Elizabeth), Shreya Adhikari (Junior, Nursing, Nepal), Kaitlyn Apperley (Junior,
Pre-Pharmacy, Monroe), George Khawas (Sophomore, Computer Science, Nepal), Noah Stephan
(Sophomore, Biology, Monroe).
“The conference was a mosaic of ideas and experiences shared among like- and different-minded
individuals making it an enriching and enjoyable experience,” said Stephan.
Kaitlyn Apperley presented at a panel with Dr. Stockley entitled, “DEI at a PWI: Supporting
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within Honors Programs and Colleges at Predominately
White Institutions.” A graduate of Wossman High School in Monroe, Apperley shared
her experiences within ULM and the ULM Honors Program. “Participating in NCHC not
only provided valuable insights into diverse program practices, but also empowered
me to develop innovative ideas to significantly enhance our honors program,” said
Apperley.
George Khawas presented at a panel with Dr. Stockley entitled, “Becoming Global Citizens:
Centering International and Immigrant Students Towards a Global Experience in Honors
Program and Colleges.” Khawas discussed his journey from Lalitpur, Nepal to ULM and
the opportunities the ULM Honors Program provides to international students. Khawas
said, “From presenting my perspectives on campus diversity to attending workshops
to create better honors experiences to learning ways to improve student communication,
my experience at NCHC was incredibly productive and I cannot wait to apply all of
the knowledge to better our program!”
Grace Gunder presented at a panel with Dr. Stockley entitled, “Pre-College Credits
and its Effects in Honors Education.” Gunder and Dr. Stockley shared successful and
unsuccessful curricular strategies employed by the ULM Honors Program for students
participating in the honors program while arriving with a large amount of previously
earned credits.
“Attending NCHC was an absolutely wonderful experience and an opportunity to learn
more about supporting and enhancing the community we have within the ULM Honors Program.
I am really excited to collaborate with other members who attended to bring to life
the developmental and structural ideas we were presented with at NCHC and to see how
we can improve our program. I am so fortunate to have been given the chance to contribute
to an organization I care so much about, in addition to the professional and educational
development I have personally been able to obtain through all that our program has
to offer,” said Grace Gunder, student president of the ULM Honors Program.
Adhikari said, “Attending NCHC was a transformative experience for me. Keynote speakers
and panel discussions inspired me by offering insights into the latest trends, challenges,
and innovations in various fields. Diverse attendees encouraged cultural exchange
and broadened my perspective. I gained insights into effective practices within honors
programs in different universities and colleges, which can be valuable for the growth
of our own program at ULM. Overall, I found NCHC to be not only intellectually stimulating
but also personally rewarding, creating lasting memories and connections within the
honors community.”
“NCHC is an excellent opportunity for our students to share their experiences with
others, to develop professional skills, to build networks, and to learn about strategies
and programming employed by other honors programs,” said Dr. Stockley. “I am reminded
that the ULM Honors Program is a high-quality program doing a lot of innovative things,
but we can always improve – our great can always be greater.”
Attending the conference were 1,800 honors students and administrators from colleges
and universities across the United States.
The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) is an educational organization that
supports and promotes undergraduate honors education. NCHC has nearly 900 member institutions
and several hundred individual members, impacting over 330,000 honors students. NCHC
provides its members with resources, training opportunities, and collaborative events
to build and sustain honors programs and their curriculum. NCHC distributes honors
scholarships and hosts exclusive events for its members.
About the ULM Honors Program
The ULM Honors Program is a unique program within ULM that seeks intellectually curious
students who desire to challenge themselves with new ideas and to work with similarly
motivated students. The program is open to all majors and works within all degree
programs. Honors students are exposed to more in-depth topics and work closely with
faculty in smaller courses.
For more information about the Honors Program contact Dr. Joshua Stockley at stockley@ulm.edu or 318-342-3216 or visit ulm.edu/honors.
