Honors News Archive

In addition to an incredibly diverse range of academic opportunities, the interdisciplinary Honors Program hosts many awesome social events where current students can mingle with peers, staff and faculty, as well as influential and inspiring individuals from across the University and the Seattle area. I've been fortunate enough to participate in several of these opportunities, ranging from a research program in Olympic National Park to an evening play at the Seattle Repertory Theatre.

During mid-November, fellow Honors students and I headed to Seattle Center for a panel featuring Reverend Bernard Lafayette, Labor History Project co-founder Trevor Griffey, and Seattle Rep associate artistic director Marya Sea-Kaminski before attending the award-winning play All the Way. The panelists discussed their views on the historic Civil Rights Movement, its impact today, and the importance of featuring social justice issues in the arts as a tool for inspiration and galvanization. All the Way illustrated the story of Lyndon B. Johnson's first few months in the presidency following the Kennedy assassination, and the struggles Johnson faced passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through Congress. Brilliantly performed and incredibly thought-provoking, this play encouraged us to think outside our traditional disciplines in new ways and with a different perspective.

The Honors Program, with all the opportunities it provides, continually promotes thinking across disciplines, fostering connections between social justice and science, history and philosophy. All the Way allowed us to experience this interdisciplinarity in the real world and encouraged us to pursue a lifelong love of learning.

As a way to keep connecting outside of the classroom, I recently revived the Honors Book Club with Honors Hanauer Professor Robin Stacey and staff member Carey Christie. At our first meeting a couple weeks ago, we discussed the award-winning novel And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini. A great group of students attended and we enjoyed a lively discussion about the topics of family, relationships, and what it means to be human; all over a delicious homemade lemon meringue pie! Our second meeting is January 15 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. in the Honors Suite (Mary Gates Hall 211), and we will discuss The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown, a book about the UW men's rowing team in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Join us for an engaging conversation with friends, books, and lots of food! All members of the Honors community are welcome.