欧美视频

 

 

Individuals taking part in the dedication ceremony celebrating the relocation of The Honors College at the 欧美视频 to the Achauer House are, from left, Laurel Hogue, vice provost for online and learning engagement; Phillip Bridgmon, provost and vice president for academic affairs; Jennifer Carson, professor of criminal justice and director of The Honors College; Bruce Uhler, UCM alumnus, member of the Warrensburg City Council, and president of the Johnson County Historical Society; Lynn Alkire, professor emerita and former  associate dean of the College of Health, Science and Technology; Peter Viscusi,  professor emerita who was the first dean of The Honors College: and Roger Best, UCM president.

WARRENSBURG, MO 鈥� As competition between colleges and universities increases nationally for a smaller number of students who are entering higher education, one of the best assets an institution may possess is a vibrant honors college. This information was part of a message delivered to members of the 欧美视频 campus and the local community on Aug. 17 during a celebration of the relocation of The Honors College at UCM from the James C. Kirkpatrick Library to the university鈥檚 Achauer House at 314 S Holden St., in Warrensburg.

Remarks by Peter Viscusi, who worked with the university鈥檚 honors students from 1992 to 2008 and was the college鈥檚 first dean, were included in the brief program dedicating the college鈥檚 new home. Viscusi joined UCM President Roger Best for the ceremony on the front porch of the Achauer House along with Lynn Alkire, professor emerita and former associate dean of the College of Health, Science and Technology, and Bruce Uhler, a UCM alumnus who is a member of the Warrensburg City Council and president of the Johnson County Historical Society. Jennifer Carson, professor of criminal justice and director of The Honors College, served as master of ceremonies.

When speaking to the small gathering of individuals seated outside the house, President Best said the idea for relocating The Honors College began with the question, 鈥淲hat if鈥�?鈥� As he put it, 鈥淚f you ask a simple question, amazing things can happen behind the question because of the vision and effort that other people put into that.鈥�

鈥淚t was literally three months ago, I asked the question of a couple of people associated with The Honors College鈥�What if? What if we take this space we call the Achauer House and have our Honors College in this facility?鈥�

He commended Laurel Hogue, vice provost for online and learning engagement, and Carson for their work in making the move possible. He also recognized the vision of Phil Bridgmon, provost and vice president for academic affairs, for his guidance regarding The Honors College, including his insight into how to structure its leadership and reporting lines to ensure that it was accomplishing university objectives. Such efforts by all three individuals have demonstrated a commitment to students and their success, according to Best.

鈥淥ur Honors College really exemplifies our approach for deep engagement with students and where we want to see them engage with us,鈥� Best said.

In his remarks, Viscusi called his time serving honors students 鈥測ears of joy鈥� that gave him something to look forward to every day because he 鈥済ot to work with the best and brightest students from every academic department on campus.鈥� He also noted how much he enjoyed collaboration with outstanding administrative assistants who were dedicated to students and contributed to the strong community spirit within the college.

鈥淎s the old saying goes, 鈥楴othing succeeds like success.鈥� This is true with regard to honors,鈥� Viscusi said. 鈥淭he success of past honors students attracted more and more incoming students enjoying The Honors College.鈥�

 鈥淭he academic accomplishments of The Honors College students never ceased to amaze me,鈥� Viscusi remarked. 鈥淲e had great students over the years who published their research in national and international professional journals and who presented their work at conferences here and abroad. If I had time, I could give you countless examples of our extraordinary students and their accomplishments.鈥�

Founded in 1958, the Honors Program at UCM is considered the second oldest program of its kind west of the Mississippi River. The program began with 12 students and became The Honors College during Viscusi's tenure in 1999.  Enrollment climbed to to 625 students while he served UCM, giving more students an opportunity to engage in high-impact learning in a collegial environment that adds  significant value to their university academic and social experiences.

Viscusi said honors students who graduated many years ago continue to contact him today. He met recently with a group of 15 former students who reminisced about their honors experience at UCM.

鈥淗onors was not only the best thing that happened to them, it had a great impact on their lives,鈥� Viscusi said. 鈥淚t also had a lasting impact on our faculty.鈥�

He rekindled a conversation he had with a faculty member who was involved with honors students. 鈥淗e told me how much he missed the intellectual curiosity of the students he had in his class, and he also told me how much he missed the intellectual repartee that went on in his class,鈥� Viscusi said.

鈥淔aculty teaching honors classes learn how to adapt their honors teaching to enrich their classes for the regular students,鈥� Viscusi told the audience.  鈥淗aving honors students with great potential is wonderful but having faculty who can actualize that potential is magical.鈥�

He pointed out that statistics show a decline in the number of students pursuing a college education. There are 2.5 million fewer students seeking a higher education in 2022 than there were three years ago, according to Viscusi. He believes honors colleges have a role in building a strong base of academically talented students.

鈥淓very university wants to attract incoming students. The challenge is to go beyond generic majors鈥�There needs to be a distinctness that one can point to,鈥� Viscusi said. 鈥淭he answer to this challenge is a vibrant honors college that can draw the best students.鈥�

Alkire and Uhler shared memories of Maurine Achauer and what the house, built in 1887, has meant to the community and to UCM. 

Uhler noted that the Achauer House, a Victorian structure that now sits at the northwest edge of campus and provides a link to downtown, is 鈥渟ymbolic鈥� of the way community residents and education supporters came together to make a college possible in Warrensburg. In a short period of time, they raised $260,000 (the equivalent of about $6 million in today鈥檚 dollars) and obtained a property gift of 16 acres This helped convince Missouri legislators that this community should be the home for what became in 1871 the State Normal School, Second District.

One of the Achauer Houses鈥檚 unique characteristics is the kitchen table which was a popular gathering spot for the owner who enjoyed her connection with the community and the university. She often used her home to host dignitaries who came to Warrensburg and the campus, including entertainers, military and political leaders, and a long list of other individuals who had the opportunity to enjoy her hospitality.

鈥淚 sat at that kitchen table many times,鈥滱lkire said, noting that she and Uhler are both excited about the university utilizing the Achauer House for The Honors College.

 鈥淲e want to thank Dr. Best and everyone else involved,鈥� Alkire said. 鈥淢aurine鈥檚 house is going to be used by The Honors College because she had a passion for everyone in the learning process and she wanted to bring the community together, This is what she lived by and this is what she did every day when she was here. I know she鈥檚 looking down and smiling, saying 'today is such a happy day.'"