Published January 5, 2023
CAPTION:ULM Honors Program students attending the national meeting included (back row L-R)
Beau Benoit, Tristan Sonnier, George Khawas(front row L-R) Jodi Bourgeois, Grace Gunder, Caitlyn Cullen
MONROE, LA – The University of Louisiana Monroe Honors Program attended the annual meeting of the
National Collegiate Honors Council in Dallas, TX, from November 2-6. Dr. Joshua Stockley,
Director of the ULM Honors Program, was joined by six students – Caitlyn Cullen (Senior,
Political Science), Grace Gunder (Senior, Biology), Jodi Bourgeois (Senior, Pre-Pharmacy),
George Khawas (Freshman, Computer Science), Beau Benoit (Junior, Toxicology), and
Tristan Sonnier (Senior, Medical Lab Sciences).
“NCHC is an excellent opportunity for ULM students, and me, to refine leadership skills
and to learn about creative strategies and programming employed by other honors programs,”
said Stockley. “I am always reminded through these interactions, discussions, and
panels, that the ULM Honors Program is a high-quality program doing a lot of great
things. That being said, we can always find ways to make our great better,” he added.
“NCHC is a formative experience for student leaders in Honors Programs and Colleges
across the Nation. After attending NCHC, I am equipped with knowledge that will guide
me within the remainder of my leadership position within our program,” said Caitlyn
Cullen. “The other attendees and I were instantly inspired and immediately began brainstorming
ideas and events that we plan to implement next semester, and, hopefully, instill
in the future of the ULM Honors Program,” she said.
"NCHC was an inspirational learning opportunity that left me with several great ideas
I plan to incorporate into our Honors Program in the near future," said Jodi Bourgeois.
“NCHC presented me with an excellent opportunity to network with other students, to
improve my professional skills, and to learn about advancements in honors education,”
said George Khawas. “Attending connected me to the world of honors education and inspired
me to embark on this road with a fearless heart,” added Khawas.
“Being able to attend NCHC was an amazing opportunity that gave me the chance to meet
with honors students and faculty from around the country to discuss how to strengthen
our program,” said Grace Gunder. “We attended sessions surrounding current, real-life
problems that colleges and students face and discussed solutions to help our university
communities. Some of the best moments came from the realization that our college,
program, and students are not alone in the obstacles we face,” shared Gunder.
Attending the conference were 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.
