Published May 23, 2023
CAPTION:(L-R) Brennan Remington, Zy Villanueva, Caitlyn Cullen, Amaya West, Dr. Joshua Stockley
MONROE, LA – The University of Louisiana Monroe Honors Program joined the annual meeting of the
Southern Regional Honors Council on March 30-April 1, in Charlotte, NC.
Dr. Joshua Stockley, Director of the ULM Honors Program, was accompanied by four students
– Brennan Remington, a senior psychology major; Caitlyn Cullen, a senior political
science major; Zy Villanueva, a junior pre-pharmacy major; and Amaya West, a sophomore
biology major.
Remington presented “The IQ Qualm – A Systemic Review of Historical and Current Intelligence
Testing.” His presentation was based upon his honors thesis, which reviewed how methods
of quantifying intelligence have changed dramatically with changes in the academic
community.
Remington said, “I had the invaluable opportunity at SRHC to meet a wide array of individuals from
a variety of institutions, which I utilized to form connections that will lead to
inter-university research in the future. I also generated a wealth of new research
topics based on sessions that I attended, ranging from introducing virtual reality
technology within collegiate classrooms to developing support programs for twice-exceptional
learners (learners who are gifted with learning disabilities). I was able to gain
valuable experience when I presented my undergraduate honors thesis and fielded questions
regarding it, which will help me as I attend an increasing number of conferences as
I become more involved with research and our graduate program.”
Remington was joined by Cullen, West, and Villanueva for a student panel entitled,
“Student Development Outside of the Honors Community.” The panel discussed how being
involved outside of the honors community fosters relationships between honors and
other university organizations and assists individuals in developing leadership and
creating career connections.
“SRHC is an eye-opening experience for honors students who are looking for ways to
better themselves, their programs, and their honors experiences. There, I got to hear
from other student leaders on how to enhance our program,” said Cullen. “Additionally,
SRHC is where I gained further inspiration for my thesis research and presentation
style. The wide range of student presentations exposed me to topics outside of my
field of study and how honors programs differ among universities,” she added.
“SRHC gave me the opportunity to connect with students that have similar academic goals
and experiences with campus involvement. It allowed me to share how my involvement
in multiple campus organizations have enriched my academic and social environment,”
said Villanueva.
Dr. Stockley was also a panelist for a roundtable entitled, “Navigating the Transition from Program
to College.” The panel discussed the role of strategic planning, programmatic data, professional development,
curricular planning, and administrative support for honors programs considering the
transition to an honors college.
“SRHC is an excellent opportunity for our students to share their experiences – the
successes and failures – with the rest of the honors community as well as for our
students to learn about the innovative strategies implemented by other programs to
improve our own program. The ULM Honors Program is a great program, but we are always
looking for ways to improve. I was impressed by the presentations of our students,
the questions they answered, and the quality of connections they fostered with other
programs from across the nation.”
Attending the conference were honors students and administrators from colleges and
universities across the southern region of the United States.
The Southern Regional Honors Council is an educational organization that promotes
and advances Honors Programs and Honors Colleges in the southern United States. SRHC
currently comprises over 100 member institutions, hosts an annual conference, publishes
a literary arts journal Sanctuary, and provides a variety of grants to support student efforts to engage in NCHC-sponsored
experiential learning as well as leadership in honors organizations.
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 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.
