Robert D. Clark Honors College

Support CHC on Giving Tuesday Reading the thesis memories posted by alumni on?CHC Connections?and talking to alumni in New York City, Portland, Seattle, and other cities reminds me how transformative an experience the Clark Honors College provides for students.?Because increases in college tuition and housing costs, high rates of inflation, and reduced support from state government are making paying for college more difficult, I am even more committed to helping defray the costs for students and their families.? ? As we head into the holiday season,?we encourage all CHC alumni to engage in an act of generosity on?Giving Tuesday?(December 3, 2024)?to benefit our current students. Donations from alumni helped us award more than $200,000 in scholarship funding to students in 2023-24. All contributions—regardless of the amount—make a difference: they add up to supporting students who are following in your footsteps. So whether you can give $5 (roughly the cost in Eugene of a large latte) or $500, your gift will make a difference in the lives of so many students. ? Your contributions?allow us to support Honors College students in many ways, including: ? ?Funding?CHC scholarships?for first-year students who are beginning their undergraduate education; scholarships for continuing students to pursue research opportunities and study abroad experiences; and money that goes directly to help students who need help financially to finish their studies. ?Supporting the CHC Three-Minute Thesis Competition, an event that has been established as an annual tradition. Our students use the Three-Minute Thesis competition as practice for the public speaking they will be expected to do, regardless of their career path, and as a way of translating their academic work for public audiences, including potential employers (mark your calendar for next year’s event on May 1, 2025). ?Assisting CHC students in traveling to conferences, like global studies major Charlie Petrik, who participated in the McDonald Conference for Leaders of Character at West Point and data science major Maya Rios’ participation at the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. ?Bolstering the Dean’s Innovation Fund?that provides funding for the CHC Career Faculty Summer Research Award. CHC core faculty member Casey Shoop recently received this award, which allowed him to travel to Alaska to study Indigenous storytelling about climate change. His research experience will figure prominently in his “Ice Archives” colloquium in winter term 2025. ? Many employers offer matching gift programs that can double or even triple the charitable contributions made by their employees and retirees.?Find out if your employer matches gifts on the?UO Matching Gifts page: https://lnkd.in/gHg9ihgy. ? We hope you will?support the CHC?on December 3, 2024, for Giving Tuesday: https://lnkd.in/gP7J9D7q.

Had a great time talking to CHC alums in NYC. Special treat: seeing former students Lauren Tokos, Miriam Yousaf, and Grace Shum at the NYC Ducks reception #UOalumni.

The Communications Team for the Robert D. Clark Honors College (CHC) is currently looking to expand its team via the addition of a staff writer! This team plays a central role in publicizing the achievements, awards, accomplishments, and other pertinent information about the CHC both internally and externally on a regular basis. Additionally, the team creates content for the CHC website, social media feeds, the CHC Post newsletter and other communications channels that amplify the college’s reach to stakeholders. The staff writer will collaborate with a team of students creating written, photo, audio, video and social media content. They will report to and work directly with the CHC Senior Director of Communications and other staff members. If you are interested in applying, follow this link to learn more details about the position and application! https://lnkd.in/guNtpvwC

The CHC is excited to partner with the UO Alumni Association and the UO Black Alumni Network to host Courtney Thorsson, CHC core faculty member and associate professor of English, for an engaging and thought-provoking virtual discussion about the transformative power of literature and collaboration on?Thursday April 11 from 4:00 – 5:00 pm. Professor Thorsson will read from her new groundbreaking work,?The Sisterhood: How a Network of Black Women Writers Changed American Culture.?The webinar promises to be an enlightening exploration of Black feminist collaboration and its enduring impact on American literature.? ? Register today?for this opportunity to learn about the powerful network that changed the literary landscape: https://lnkd.in/gTXp7nzw

Knight Campus Bioengineering Assistant Professor Calin Plesa received both a 2023 Knight Campus Innovation and Impact Award and a thesis advising award from Clark Honors College last term. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gHZs6ab3

Meet Daisy O’Hearn, Kavi Shrestha, and Chloé Webster, 3 CHC students who have found growth in leadership, activism, and politics through the UO’s Wayne Morse Scholars Program. Dan Tichenor, a professor of political science and the Philip H. Knight Chair of Social Science, leads the program. This opportunity provides networking opportunities for UO students interested in politics, justice, and law. To learn more about the experiences of the Wayne Morse Scholars, check out the latest issue of the CHC post here: https://lnkd.in/gMv43eJc #uohonors #waynemorsescholars

Meet Brittney Lee, a CHC senior double majoring in biology and human physiology with a minor in chemistry. She is conducting research in the Noma Lab, researching gene formation and transcription. Brittney is a Hui Undergraduate Research Scholar, taking part in a year-long fellowship. The program supports students from historically marginalized communities to get involved in research and provides career development opportunities. “The program allowed me to speak to other people who are working in labs and learning how to speak to different audiences,” Brittney says. Learn more about the Hui Undergraduate Research Program here! https://lnkd.in/g5jBNVHk The deadline to apply for this year is Sunday, February 4.? #uohonors ?

Lawren Paris is a CHC senior participating in the Hui Undergraduate Research Program while working in the Prell Lab. In the lab, she performs quantum mechanical calculations on a project that will hopefully lead to faster drug development.? Lawren, a chemistry major with minors in forensic anthropology and science communication, says that her favorite part of the working in the lab has been presenting her research and attending an American Society for Mass Spectrometry conference.? “I got to meet so many people doing fascinating research and sharing my research with those I look up to in the field was extremely rewarding.”? The deadline for this year’s Hui research program is February 4. Lawren urges students to apply for the fellowship even if you don’t know if you’re qualified enough. “If your passion for your research or field of study comes across in your statements, you'll be a strong candidate.”? Click the link to find out more about the program and apply!??https://lnkd.in/g5jBNVHk #uohonors?

During their winter break, Sofia Rodriguez Baquero was able to visit Colombia through a trip sponsored by the UO School of Journalism and Communication. A junior majoring in journalism with minors in sustainable business and science communications, Sofia recounts a first-person narrative of her experiences and reflections during her time in Colombia.? Both of Sofia’s parents were born and raised in Puerto Rico, and she spent a lot of time as a kid visiting there. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sofia was able to connect with her culture through art, music, and food. As Sofia grew older, she became increasingly aware of the racism around them and the way Americans treat immigrants. She reflects that the “color of [their] skin had been a privilege” and that she was able to take “part in all the beautiful parts of [her] Latino culture without worrying how others may treat or value [her]”. While Sofia’s relationship with “home” has changed since her childhood, they have become more intentional with establishing roots to Puerto Rico. Sofia's experience in Colombia has helped her reflect on her personal connection to Puerto Rico and how they interact with the world. “It makes it feel necessary to understand the history of where I come from (colonization and all) to appreciate these and other cultures even more,” she says.? Sofia hopes that her career in journalism will inspire meaningful conversations and they will have the privilege of continuing to share stories like those she experienced on this trip.? Read more about Sofia here: https://lnkd.in/gDmJ5ZHq #uohonors #uochc #sojc #uosojc #studyabroad #journalism

Meet Valerie Owusu-Hienno, a CHC sophomore majoring in neuroscience with minors in global health, chemistry, and biology. She’s currently working in the Mills Lab, conducting research about how young women's perceived social status impacts their ability to understand the mental state of others. She was a part of the team during the beginning of their project focusing on teens, and she says: “I’ve been able to develop so many skills like literature review, putting together documents for the IRB and the overall planning process of a human subject study in psychology.” Valerie is in the Hui Undergraduate Research Program, a prestigious year-long fellowship for students in STEM fields. The program supports students from historically marginalized communities to get involved in research and provides career development opportunities. The deadline to apply for this year’s program is February 4. Click here to find out how to apply! https://lnkd.in/g5jBNVHk #uohonors ?