NOTE: This message was sent to interest group members on December 17, 2004.

To: Advising High Achieving Students Interest Group Members
From: Marion Schwartz, Co-Chair

Dear Members of the Advising High Achieving Students interest group,

In Cincinnati, we mentioned several issues that we wanted to pursue further, and some of you have already corresponded about one -- undergraduate research programs. Now, as the semester ends, we should start thinking about how we can share collective wisdom with a view to presenting in Las Vegas next fall.

• Did the exchange about research generate any sparks? Anyone want to organize a panel on that topic?
• Several of you were interested in exploring how honors students cope with failure. Do we have people in the group with expertise in student development who might look into relevant literature on resiliency? Any case studies?
• We could also think of failure as an aspect of transition, that is, to the extent that honors students are most vulnerable as they move from high school to college, where the demands may be quite different. Do any of you have special programs addressed to the needs of incoming honors students? How do you define those needs? What do you do to meet them?
• Do you find faculty particularly eager to work with honors students? How do you train them? What do you have to watch out for? Could we have a panel on involving faculty in honors education?
• Several people mentioned matters of focus -- whether on the major or on careers or on everything at once. Anyone willing to do something like a role-play with commentary about how to manage a conversation where the student is too narrowly focused? Not focused enough?
• Has anyone used the monograph series from the National Collegiate Honors Council? They have several books on honors administration at various stages. Would it be worth while to do some kind of literature review or collection of resources?

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday. Let's get in touch in January so that we can inspire each other with good ideas before the February proposal deadline!

Marion

Marion Schwartz, Ph.D.
Division of Undergraduate Studies Programs Coordinator
The Pennsylvania State University
206 Grange Building, University Park, PA 16802
814 865-7576
mxs5@psu.edu