At the end of every semester, Honors College (HC) students share and celebrate their work with their peers in the Academic Showcase. From first-year students presenting their first projects to seniors showcasing their final Capstones, the Academic Showcase unites students in an open and supportive interdisciplinary environment.
At this year’s Fall Academic Showcase, many students expressed enthusiasm about being able to share their work with fellow students within the Honors College community.
“In any other context, I would be showing off my work in the Mason Gross gallery, and I think the only people who go to that building are art majors,” said Kelly Gomez (’26, MGSA/HC), who exhibited her accordion-style sketchbook that she made for an honors contract course. “It’s nice branching out–this is artsy, but it is also ‘honors,’ as in combining different disciplines and showing it in a different scenario.”
Meanwhile, first-year students had their first chance to present their work in front of a larger audience in the Honors College, particularly their final projects for the Honors College mission course Cross-Cultural Competency.
“Having a medium to share our project with other members of the Honors College and anybody else who wants to listen really feels like a great opportunity,” said Pranav Mehndiratta (’28, SOE/HC), whose project was about increasing inclusivity in dining hall food options.
“One of the reasons why I came to the Honors College is to have that opportunity to share my experiences and opinions with other like-minded individuals.”
On the other end of the spectrum, students in their final semester of their undergraduate studies presenting their final theses and Capstones see the Academic Showcase as an homage to their four years at the HC, as well as an entrance into the beginning of their graduate school journey.
Megha Patel (’25, SAS/HC) did research on disparities in health literacy in older Southeastern Asian immigrants, addressing the possible factors that contribute to inequities and negative effects. She considers her research a valuable stepping-stone toward graduate school and says that she can build off the work she already started in her undergraduate years.
“I think it’s fulfilling, in the sense I’ve worked on a project for over a year that combined my four years in the Honors College overall,” said Patel. “I think that presenting here is a good way to end my journey.”
Similarly, Jasmine Tbaba (’25, SAS/HC), who conducted research on the relationship between social media and political polarization, felt that the Academic Showcase broadens students’ perspectives about the hard work that goes into different disciplines.
“I think the Academic Showcase is an emotional event because it’s the culmination of your Honors College experience, and it’s really meaningful to be able to sum that up and to share my work with my peers,” said Tbaba.
“Exposure to these types of events is at the cornerstone of what it means to have an honors experience. The honors experience really hinges on having an elevated academic experience, and these are the sorts of things that raise an undergrad experience to something more.”
No matter the year or subject, students presenting at the Academic Showcase can hone their presentation and listening skills. Public speaking and asking insightful questions are valuable skills regardless of what students’ interests or intended careers are.
“Explaining your ideas to others is a learned skill,” said J.D. Bowers, Dean of the Honors College. “It doesn’t necessarily come naturally to a lot of people and it only gets better with practice. The more you learn about a subject, the more complexities you understand and grapple with, but you still must communicate what you know in a more digestible way to those who don’t have that specialty knowledge or expertise.”
For many HC students across disciplines and graduation years, the Academic Showcase exemplifies the goals and values of the HC community. From being able to listen to the opinions and perspectives of other students, to sharing the knowledge that one gains through research, the Academic Showcase reminds students of their shared connection rather than students in separate, unrelated fields.
“The Academic Showcase shows how the Honors College community is present,” said Patel. “Sometimes it’s hard to feel it because so many people have different majors and are in different departments. This is one of the main events where you feel like you are part of the HC.”
By participating in the Academic Showcase, Honors College students are already immersing themselves in a broader network of interdisciplinary discussion and collaboration and jump-starting their journeys as leaders in their communities and fields of expertise.
“The knowledge that we learn needs to be shared with others, and it has more power only when it’s given to others,” said Dean Bowers. “That’s one of the most significant traits we can have as scholars of any sort. Without perpetuating your knowledge and giving it to others, it’s not really knowledge.”