An assistant professor, a vice provost, an associate dean of students and three students from the University of Nevada, Reno will address the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) during its Annual Council Meeting in Reno beginning today through Sunday, Feb. 12-15.
Todd Felts, assistant professor of strategic communication for the Reynolds School of Journalism & Center for Advanced Media Studies, and recipient of the University Honor Program’s Distinguished Faculty Award, is scheduled to address the delegates who represent nearly one million students from affiliated member chapters.
“We’re excited to welcome ACHS to Reno and have some of our outstanding students weigh in on honor societies and their place in the higher education process,” Felts said. “I look forward to showcasing the work happening at our Tier-1 University and the impact our top students are having.”
Opening the conference, attended by a few hundred participants, will be Joe Cline, associate provost of undergraduate education, who will highlight some of the outstanding work among undergraduate students at the University. The closing speaker for the event is Marcelo Vazquez, associate dean of students, who will challenge participants on how to grow outstanding students on the nation’s campuses and will feature current activities underway at Nevada.
Three University students, Morgan Thacker, Evan Thacker and Siobhan McGuinness will share their Honor Society experiences with delegates during a Friday afternoon session which will also feature students from Eastern Kentucky University. Morgan and Evan are journalism/strategic communication majors while McGuinness is pursuing a triple major in philosophy, English creative writing and philosophy.
According to Dorothy Mitstifer, executive director of Association, “ACHS is in the process of implementing its strategic plan for member chapters to help improve the effectiveness of honor societies on their campuses, and show how honor societies make a difference in the lives of young people. Having these students on our program helps us see our plan at work.
“Reno was a good choice for our annual meeting,” Mitstifer added. “We try to alternate east and west, and in exploring good sites, we found Reno and the Peppermill Resort. They made us a wonderful offer, and coming here gives our members an opportunity to see an exciting, emerging city.”
The meeting officially kicks off when the governing board meets Wednesday and Thursday before the Friday sessions with the University participants. Other sessions include Brent Drake, Purdue University, who will share his research on the impact of honor societies on colleges and universities around the country. Susan Albertine of Northern Illinois University and the Association of American Colleges and Universities, will help ACHS members identify and assess high impact undergraduate experiences that will help honor societies reach their full potential, according to Jerry Rudmann, vice president of ACHS and program chair.
“Members of the University community will help us explore our plan and its potential and that is extremely important for its ultimate success,” Rudmann said.
Since its founding in 1922, ACHS has represented more than 92 million honor students. Some 400,000 new students are initiated into its chapters each year.
ACHS is the only certifying agency for college and university honor societies. Members must meet strict guidelines for organizational excellence and scholastic eligibility.
For more information about the Annual Council Meeting, go to http://www.achsnatl.org/
