Edi�boro U�iversity Ho�ors College

Around The Honors
College
Dece�ber 2021

Inside This Issue
Page 1-3
Graduating Seniors
Page 4-5
Student Spotlights
Page 6
Honors Contract Presentation
Page 7
Halloween Horror Night
Page 8
Certifigate of Recognition

The Honors College is proud to present you with the last issue for the
Fall 2021 semester. Everyone did a fantastic job this semester, and we
are all so proud of your accomplishments. We hope you enjoyed the
various campus events, enrichment meetings, and volunteer
opportunities offered this semester. Good luck on finals and we will see
you all next semester!"

Graduating
Seniors
Morgan Kingen
Major: Early Childhood and
Special Education
Hometown: Waterford, PA
How has the Honors College impacted your
college experience?

Contact Us
Ho�ors Office
315 Butterfield Hall
Edinboro, PA 16412
Director
Dr. Roger Solberg
rsolberg@edinboro.edu
Office Ma�ager
Karen Culbertson
kculbertson@edinboro.edu
Stude�t Assista�ts
Abigail Morrow
am173097@scots.edinboro.edu
Jessalynn Ellis
je190954@sctos.edinboro.edu
Nicole Egan
ng190456@scots.edinboro.edu

“The Honors College has impacted my
college experience in a variety of ways.
First, the program has helped me become
more involved on campus. As a commuter,
I wasn’t familiar with many of the
extracurricular programs and activities
until joining the Honors College. Also, it
has helped me to broaden my
understanding of content in my education
classes. Through the Honors College, I
contracted two of my courses and
completed research projects based on the
content. I also feel that the Honors College
has helped me give to my community and
college campus through service
opportunities.”
What are your plans for the future?
“After graduation, I plan to become an Early Childhood educator. I hope to be a 1st, 2nd,
or 3rd grade general education teacher. I hope to teach in a local district. I am very
excited for where my future will take me”
The Buddy Bench Project
"I chose to create a buddy bench as a service project for the Honors College. I chose to
create this bench to benefit the Waterford Community. The goal of a buddy bench is
to help kids avoid feeling lonely on the playground. The idea behind it is that if a child
is feeling lonely, they will go to the bench and sit on it as a signal that they want
someone to play with. This bench will also add additional seating for parents as their
children play on the playground".

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Audrey MacPherson
Major: Graphic Design
How has the Honors College impacted your
college experience?
“I've gained lifelong friendships from the Honors college,
a community of like-minded individuals, and the opportunity
to study here at Edinboro University thanks to everything the
program offers for incoming students. It has impacted me in
that I have learned the importance of volunteer work, learning
new things, and striving for greatness in every aspect of life.”
What are your plans for the future?
“I plan to get married in May of next year, move to grove city
with my fiancé, and pursue my art further in a small business
setting while working part time for WFMJ Broadcast station!”

Emmalee Faiello
Major: Animation
How has the Honors College impacted your
college experience?
“The honors college has been a great experience! While I was on
campus, I got to volunteer with some alumni in 2019 and participate
in the homecoming parade along with completing an honors
contract for my ceramics class. I'm in love with the honors contract
process and it has really let me branch out into a different media of
art unlike anything I've ever tried before. Since I am a digital animator
a lot of my art making comes from the computer but with ceramics
it's a very tactile learning experience and a very different medium.
I am in love with the challenges it posed to me as an artist. It's been
very enriching this semester since I was able to return to campus.”
What are your plans for the future?
As for my plans for the future, I'm currently exploring different jobs
working in any kind of remote digital art, whether that be animation, graphic design or concept art. I would love to
work remotely at any business and might have a job lined up with a previous alum friend of mine at his business.
He is currently working with clients to design PowerPoints and graphics regarding work safety and his boss is
interested in hiring an assistant to animate those graphics.

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Amy Simkovitch
Major: Graphic Design
Minors: Illustration and Painting
How has the Honors College impacted your
college experience?
The honors program has given me opportunities to help others,
travel, meet like-minded people, expand my knowledge on a
range of topics through enrichment meetings and get to know
one of the most dedicated and enthusiastic professors I have
ever known: Dr. Solberg. Being a part of this community has been
nothing short of fulfilling and an honor.
What are your plans for the future?
After graduation I would like to refine my portfolio, resume,
and start applying to jobs after a much needed break. School
has been busy, stressful and overwhelming at times; I would like
to slow down and take in the quiet moments that have previously
gone unnoticed. And if this past year and a half has taught me
anything, it’s that taking a break can be just as productive. I eventually would like to look into grad school to continue
learning and growing as an artist and as a person. But first, I’m taking each day as they come and seeing where new
and exciting opportunities take me.
Congratulations to all our graduating seniors! We wish you all the very best on your future endeavors.

Student
Spotlight
John Wheeler
Major: Psychology
Minor: Criminal Justice
“It is important for me to get everything
I can out of any experience I find myself
in, which is why I choose to fully immerse
myself at Edinboro University. Through
different clubs and organizations, I have
learned important qualities ranging from
group facilitation skills to the ability to be
flexible and open-minded. Currently, I am
Psi Chi’s President, the National Society of
Leadership and Success’ e-board Vice
p

resident, part of the President’s
Leadership Academy, a Resident
Assistant, and many other roles. Most
importantly though, I am the Student

Trustee for Edinboro. Many people are unaware of this position, and I was too up until recently. This is one of the most
important student roles an undergraduate can take on. As the Student Trustee, I am responsible for accurately
representing the student body during council and other board meetings. Sharing the perspective of thousands of
students can be challenging, especially when many donot know I am a voice of their concerns. Luckily, being an RA and
a part of the Honors College has provided different avenues to reach out. I feel it is imperative to get involved to stimulate
individual growth and encourage all students to strive for more during their limited time here at Edinboro.”

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Amanda LeSuer
“My name is Amanda LeSuer. I am dual majoring in Psychology
and Sociology, and a senior and will be graduating in the Spring.
I am involved in the Psychology Club and hold the officer
position of Artistic Director. I am also a member of the PSI
CHI (Psychology Honors Society) and Alpha Kappa Delta
(Sociology Honors Society) Edinboro University Chapters. I am
looking at continuing my education in Sports Psychology,
focusing on health and wellness.
I attended my first research conference on zoom in the fall of
my junior year (2020), presenting my research “The Post Covid
Classroom: Analysis of School Reopening Plans.” I did this
research with Dr. Patricia Claster. It was part of an honors
contract I did for her Youth and Society class, looking at Pennsylvania schools only. Then, in spring of my junior year, I
continued the research looking at schools across the United States. I continued the research with Dr. Ivan Chompalov
as another honors contract in his Applied Quantitative Research Method class.
My first conference was hosted by the California University of Pennsylvania. Via zoom, we each had time slots to when
we would present. We were asked to give a 10–15-minute presentation either with a poster or PowerPoint, then a
10-minute Q&A would follow. For my first conference, I was not sure what to expect, but everyone was very friendly
and helped in any way they could.
In the spring of my junior year, I presented at three more conferences. First, the California University of Pennsylvania
held one called “Strike a Spark”. Which was in the same format as the one that I attended in the fall. A couple of the
other presenters were the same as before, showing off their continued work on their research.
The second conference I attended, on zoom, was held by Penn State Behrend. This conference was different from the
two I attended at Cal U. We had a specific time slot that we needed to be online, and we had a room monitor, but at this
conference we were put into a breakout room and were interviewed by judges. There were six judges total, and each
interview lasted 10 minutes. During the interview, I had my research poster screen shared, and the judges would ask
questions about my project. The judges scored the poster, presentation, and interview. The projects with the most points
won money to fund future research. I did not win anything, but it was a great experience. I got a lot of great feedback
on my project, presentation, and interview.
The third online conference was here at Edinboro University. I loved the setup. This conference was held on Gather
Town. I found it fun to be able to walk around (virtually) and look at everyone’s work. People could also look at my project
and if wanting to stop by and talk to me. We were asked to “stand” with our posters from specific times, but the
conference was open all day for visitors to come to look. I felt this conference was a little more laid back than others I
had been to, but all the same excellent learning experience.
This fall, on November 6th, 2021, I attended the Annual Pennsylvania Sociological Associations Conference and
Meeting with Dr. Patricia Claster. This was my first all-day conference that was held on zoom. They had research papers
and posters being presented by professors, graduate, and undergraduate students. The wealth of knowledge that
surrounded me during this conference was incredible. Everyone had great work, and you could tell they put a lot of work
into their projects. A winner was picked from each of these sections, and if they won, they got their work published in the
Sociological Viewpoints Journal. I did not win in my category, but I had a great time.
If you have the chance while in the Honors College to make an Honors Contract with a professor or attend conferences.
I would highly recommend it. I have gathered so much knowledge from working one on one with my professors and
attending conferences. Your professors have such a wealth of knowledge to share, and they can help prepare you for life
after graduation, either by continuing your education or getting a job. I have enjoyed my time here at Edinboro University
and the Honors College. I am sad that the time here is almost over, but I am excited about what lies ahead and use the
skills I have learned”

Honors Contract
Presentation
In Butterfield Hall on December 1, Paige Carnes read her short story “All Along” to a gathering of her fellow Honors
College students. The story, about a woman emerging from the shadow of an abusive relationship, was enthusiastically
received by its audience.
Paige’s presentation is the product of a new initiative: If students
completing an Honors contract do a public presentation of their work,
they can now earn a total of three Honors Option Points (HOPs) instead
of the usual two. (A total of 14 HOPs are required for the Honors diploma.
Introducing the author, Dr. Solberg said, “Paige is setting a precedent.
Honors students are doing such excellent work with their contracts—but
nobody knows about them. I hope that in the spring, we will have more of
these presentations.”
For her contract, Paige worked with Dr. John Cussen of the Department of
English and Philosophy. The course, Intro to Fiction (ENGL 117), offers a
broad survey of short stories. Paige, who says “English is my passion,” was
inspired to create her own story after reading many classics, including
“The Blue Hotel,” by Stephen Crane; “Happy Endings,” by Margaret Atwood;
“The Birthmark,” by Nathaniel Hawthorne; and “A Temporary Matter,”
by Jhumpa Lahiri.
“I wrote ‘All Along’ to release my own feelings,” said Paige. “I wanted to
prove to myself and to other people that you need to put your love into things that really matter.” She said the basic
theme of the story is “self-respect.”
A 2017 graduate of Girard High School, Paige is looking forward to future writing projects and sees herself pursuing
a career as a writer. “I’d love to publish a book,” she said, “and I’ll bet people would buy it.”

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Halloween
Horror Night
One of the semester’s highlights for many honors students is Dr. Solberg’s Halloween Horror Night. This year,
Dr. Solberg talked about the make-up artists and creature designers in the horror movie industry. As usual, there
were a lot of honors students in attendance eager to see what Dr. Solberg had come up with this year. They learned
about some of the most impressive achievements in horror movie artistry, including the work of Jack Pierce
(“Frankenstein, “The Wolf Man”), Milicent Patrick (“The Creature from the Black Lagoon”), Eiji Tsuburaya (“Godzilla”),
and Ve Neill (“Beetlejuice”).

As usual, the students were able to take a brochure home of Dr. Solberg’s top 100 horror movies. This year as a special
touch, Dr. Solberg raffled off painted rocks with some famous creatures on them. Fifteen lucky students were able to
take a rock home with them.

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Certificate of
Recognition

This Tuesday, November 30th we recognized all the amazing faculty who taught an honors class, held
an enrichment meeting, or supervised honors contract. Thank you to all of those who dedicated their time
and expertise. It truly makes being in the Honors College a more enriching experience. In the picture above
from left to right is Dr. Karim Hossain, Dr. Anthony Esposito, Dr. Melissa Gibson, Professor Lisa Austin,
and Dr. Ronald Craig.

Designed by Graphic Design Student Macey McKinney

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