Published November 21, 2024
CAPTION:(L-R) Noah Stephan, Amira Morales, Gwendolyn Abadie, Aayush Dahal, Beau Benoit, Dr.
Joshua Stockley, Amaya West, Michelle Thapa, George Khawas
MONROE, LA – The University of Louisiana Monroe Honors Program attended the annual meeting of the
National Collegiate Honors Council in Kansas City, Mo., from October 30 -November
3. Dr. Joshua Stockley, Director of the ULM Honors Program, was joined by eight students
– Amira Morales (Freshman, Biology, Covington), Gwendolyn Abadie (Junior, Toxicology,
Lafayette), Amaya West (Senior, Biology, West Monroe), Michelle Thapa (Freshman, Computer
Science, Nepal), George Khawas (Junior, Computer Science, Nepal), Noah Stephan (Junior,
Biology, Monroe), Aayush Dahal (Freshman, Computer Science, Nepal), and Beau Benoit
(Senior, Toxicology, Benton).
Michelle Thapa co-presented with Dr. Stockley for a panel entitled, “The Kids Are
Not Okay: Mental Health Programming in Honors.” The presentation focused on innovative
and collaborative steps taken by the ULM Honors Program during the past year with
respect to mental health programming – to include workshops, group sessions, a wellness
competency, and signing an MOU with the Marriage and Family Therapy program to create
an externship site. Thapa shared with attendees her experience in participating in
unique programming, dubbed the Honors Experience, jointly administered by two graduate
students from the Marriage and Family Therapy program during the Spring 2024 semester.
“NCHC24 was incredible, and getting the opportunity to present at my first conference
was a crowning moment. From attending meaningful, themed sessions to seeing research
from student presenters, I learned a lot within a short time - place-based learning,
capstone projects, social impacts by activists like Erin Gruwell, creative critiques
from students on novels and movies, political awareness activities, AI impacts, and
social stigmas in healthcare,” Thapa. “What I will take from this experience is how
everyone is enthusiastic about their fields of interest, have ideas to share, and
how NCHC provided a platform for all of that. NCHC ignited my own passion and motivated
me to implement ideas at ULM. There are so many ways that I am determined to use my
computer science degree and honors experience to bring a positive change to ULM and
to our society. This experience sparked a lifetime mission for me,” she added.
“NCHC provided an opportunity to see what we as students can do to better the Honors
Program,” said Beau Benoit. “Meeting student leaders from programs across the country
inspired me and our council members to do more with our program and set ourselves
up for success in the coming years. The trip also gave each of us the chance to bond
with each other and allowed us to grow together as a council,” Benoit stated.
“Attending NCHC '24 was more than a great experience,” said Amira Morales. “I benefited
from NCHC in more ways than I originally thought I would. I was allowed to participate
in multiple sessions as well as meet and connect with people from all over the country.
I left Kansas City with not only amazing experiences but with so many great ideas
to implement into the ULM Honors program for the betterment of everyone,” added Morales
"It was a privilege to attend NCHC 2024 with such wonderful company. It helped me
get out of my comfort zone and interact with multiple honors students from different
honors colleges in the nation. I learned about various facets of the honors community
and have brought diverse perspectives to grow our honors program. From back-to-back
sessions to admiring the beautiful downtown of Kansas City, NCHC is indeed the one
for the books,” said Aayush Dahal
“The conference was a splendid blend of personal and professional panels. I got the
chance discuss methods and strategies the honors college around the US have been using
to improve their program. I am incredibly excited to be able to apply the things that
I have learned in our program,” stated George Khawas
“NCHC was an incredible experience! To me, when being involved in any group or organization,
it is always important to hear from other successful groups that have attained similar
goals or goals that your group is aiming for. NCHC provided a great opportunity to
do that. The entire conference was full of great conversation and fellowship, and
I am so glad I had the opportunity to attend,” said Amaya West
“I found NCHC to be especially inspiring, in not just what I can do as an individual
student but also in what I can do for the Honors Program and for our entire university.
It’s a grand exchange of ideas and experiences between colleges across the nation
that I am so thankful I got to experience, and I hope I can serve better for it,”
said Gwen Abadie
"I came into the conference expecting to take a few things that could possibly benefit
the program, but what I didn't expect was the influx of ideas and experiences that
I cannot wait to share with the program. It was more than I ever expected to get out
of it. I am so grateful I was allowed to represent the program and even more excited
to apply what I learned," stated Noah Stephan.
“NCHC is a unique opportunity for our student leaders to connect with like-minded
peers, explore innovative ideas, and deepen their understanding of excellence in honors.
Students, faculty, and administrators from all over the country unselfishly share
what is working within their own programs so that others may better their programs.
NCHC challenges us to think bigger, push boundaries, and bring impactful strategies
back to ULM," says Dr. Stockley. “At the same time that we learn from others, it is
humbling that other programs want to learn from us – as was the case with our presentation
on mental health programming.”
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.
Honors Program Celebrates Record-High Freshman Class in Fall 2024
The ULM Honors Program is celebrating an overall enrollment increase of 35%. A total
of 212 freshmen joined the program this year, making it the largest-ever freshman
class for the program. The 2024 class includes from Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi,
Arkansas, United Kingdom, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Germany, Nepal, and Nigeria.
“The ULM Honors Program is excellent at scale, and we are delivering on that statement
now more than ever,” said Dr. Joshua Stockley. “We have an impressive track record
of not simply attracting highly motivated students, but also ensuring that they grow
– academically, professionally, and personally – into their best selves to graduate,
to obtain elite jobs, to gain admittance into competitive graduate programs, and to
become change makers in their communities.”
In the summer of 2024, the Honors curriculum, the FLIGHT Program was recognized with
two distinctions - Highest Engagement and Outstanding New Program - at a national
student engagement conference hosted by Suitable. “The FLIGHT Program, is unlike any
other program offered by any other university or honors college in the state, so it
is absolutely fair to say that our honors students are receiving an innovative, cutting-edge
education.”
The fall 2024 class boasts an average GPA of 3.76 and includes 32 valedictorians.
Although the honors program does not require a minimum test score for admission, the
average ACT for the class is 27, and the average SAT is 1300. Collectively, the freshman
class represents 34 unique majors from each undergraduate college.
International students comprise 33% of the Honors Program freshman class; 42% of the
class is non-white.
“I chose ULM because of the welcoming and family atmosphere that I experienced the
minute that I stepped foot on campus,” said Honors Program freshman Hali Dumatrait.
“Little did I realize that I would find a family within that family. As soon as I
heard about the Honors Program, I immediately knew I had to join because it would
give me a place to find equally motivated friends that I could grow with throughout
my years at ULM,” added Dumatrait.
“I chose ULM because it was close to home, affordable, but, most importantly, the
best option to get the best education. I joined the ULM Honors Program because I knew
it would provide me with additional opportunities to be successful in the future and
accomplish my goals,” said Honors Program freshman Brandon Bell.
“Our growth is an affirmation of the spirit of collaboration at ULM, a success story
of what happens when Recruitment, Admissions, Scholarships, Financial Aid, International
Student Programs, Student Life, and our Academic Deans and school directors and program
coordinators and faculty come together to practice ULM’s mission of changing lives,”
said Stockley.
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.
