Dear members and friends of the University Honors community,
A couple of years ago, honors student Angela Van Horn made a choice that would alter the direction of her life. She enrolled in the Wilks Scholars Program. This program offers American Studies courses and other out-of class experiences which focus on the ways that global forces intersect with local issues. After completing some of the courses tied to the Wilks Program, she and four other students became particularly intrigued with the current North American migration patterns that have resulted in an influx of Latino immigrants into Butler County. These students and their faculty advisors worked with community leaders in Hamilton to develop language and cultural exchange programming for immigrant workers.
Angela noted that to prepare for the programming, "I did a lot of research about exemplary popular education centers, such as the Jane Addams School, English for Action and the Highlander Center. . . The language exchange started small, but there was such a need in Butler County that our group wanted to expand." To better ensure that their efforts would meet the community's needs--even after she and her peers graduated--Angela and her fellow students decided to found a student organization (SALCE) on campus. She was pleasantly surprised when "Miami students jumped at the chance for an almost study-abroad-like experience at home."
The initiative that Angela demonstrated not only is significant for the community surrounding Miami University, but it also offers personal significance for Angela. In fact, the experience was so powerful for her that it altered her post-graduation plans. Angela decided to apply for and was accepted into the "Teach for America" Program, tand she is now eaching English to 11th-graders in the Rio Grande Valley.
In a recent email I received from Angela, she made a comment that can serve as a lesson for all of us: "If you find the right project, you will put any amount of time/effort into it. That may be something that not everyone is lucky enough to learn."
Whether you are a current student in the Honors & Scholars Program, a friend, or an alumni, I hope that you will take Angela's words to heart and actively seek out those projects, majors, or career paths that truly speak to your passions. It makes life so much more enriching.
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