Who are SU Honors Alumni?

What organizations did you participate in while at SU?

Shenandoah University’s Honors Program, Sigma Delta Pi Honor Society, Scholars Latino Initiative Mentor, VFIC Enhancing Career Preparedness for Underrepresented Students, Spanish Tutor, Shenandoah University Student Ambassador

What tips or advice do you have for prospective students entering SU?

Become close to your professors/advisors, they are there to help you succeed as a student.

What advice do you have for honors students who will be graduating soon?

Be confident in everything you decide to pursue. Always remember to believe in yourself and although things do not always end up the way you want them to, continue to put effort and never give up

What was your favorite honors experience?

Movie night

What was your favorite class while at SU and why?

Developmental Biology because it was the first class I was able to do hands-on research.

Who has been your favorite professor? Why?

I didn’t really have a favorite, I had great experiences with all my professors!

What organizations did you participate in while at SU?

Pre-Pharmacy Club, Health and Life Sciences Club

What tips or advice do you have for prospective students entering SU?

Don’t let your work load prevent you from getting involved! Shenandoah has plenty of opportunities for not only learning, but also fostering relationships with faculty, attending fun events, and making memories that’ll last a lifetime.

What advice do you have for honors students who will be graduating soon?

Graduate school is no walk in the park! But, take comfort in knowing that your course load at Shenandoah likely prepared you for the complexity of material that will be presented to you, just not the volume of material you will have to deal with. As honors students, you’ve taken the extra step to establish your ambition to learn and succeed—use that and never let it go.

What was your favorite honors experience?

Axe Throwing in Old Town! Lots of food, fun, and axes. Learned I can probably take on the apocalypse for a day or two if it came.

How did experiences, skills, or classes gained in Honors help you post-graduation?

Leadership skills learned through my time as VP in the Honors Program encourage me to seek out and hold leadership positions in graduate school. Communication skills learned through interacting with various members of the honors program at events or meetings has helped me be a better student pharmacist in the classroom and out on rotations dealing with actual patients and providers.

What was your favorite class while at SU and why?

Developmental Biology was likely one of my most favorite classes because I got to learn about the early development of several organisms and animals, experience real labs accompanying weekly lecture material that visually exposed me to the various developmental stages of organisms (1 cell, to 2 cell, to 4 cell, etc), and conduct an experiment involving the effect of an environmental hazard on the development of zebrafish embryos.

Who has been your favorite professor? Why?

Ah.. the biology department as a whole would be my answer, but specifically Dr. Rodgers. I started out as a wee chemistry major with a slight interest in biology, but following her Gen Bio honors course, I was heartily encouraged to pursue a dual degree. The coursework given to me in all my upper level biology courses, specifically those of Dr. Rodgers (Cell Biology, Developmental Biology), have better prepared me for the difficulties I now face in graduate school.

What organizations did you participate in while at SU?

Shenandoah Women’s Lacrosse Team (captain), Orientation Leader, Rise Against Hunger, Adaptive Aquatics, Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society

What tips or advice do you have for prospective students entering SU?

Do not be afraid to take risks and do things that scare you! You will never know your true potential if you do not challenge yourself in and outside of the classroom.

What advice do you have for honors students who will be graduating soon?

You have been very well prepared for whatever you choose to do after graduation. Be confident in your skillset and continue to pursue excellence.

What was your favorite honors experience?

My favorite Honors experience was getting to take a break from class with the other Honors Program members to paint ceramic pots. We got to sit outside and bond while decorating and planting succulents. Not only was it a moment to breathe, but it offered a rare time for all years of Honors students to form relationships.

How did experiences, skills, or classes gained in Honors help you post-graduation?

My experiences in the Honor’s Program challenged me to engage with my studies on a deeper level. The curriculum was tailored to include real-life application of the traditional curriculum which had a significant impact in preparing me for graduate school. I did not realize how much of an advantage I was earning through completion of the Honors Program here at SU. All the work was worth it!

What was your favorite class while at SU and why?

My favorite class was Honors Physics I and II. I was challenged by Dr. Bly both semesters to work on projects outside of class which supplemented the traditional curriculum. Not only did this help me to understand the material, but it also offered real-world application that helped me to better understand the world around me and the laws that govern it.

Who has been your favorite professor? Why?

My favorite professor at SU was Dr. Bly, my physics professor. He teaches one of the most challenging undergraduate courses SU has to offer. In two semesters, I learned the most from him both about physics and about myself as a student and learner. Not to mention – building a radio from scratch was pretty cool, too.

What organizations did you participate in while at SU?

I was on the women’s soccer team and I was a work-study for the athletic department.

What tips or advice do you have for prospective students entering SU?

My advice is to take your studies seriously, always go to class, and always complete your assignments even if they are only worth a couple points!

What advice do you have for honors students who will be graduating soon?

When entering the employment field or graduate studies, always ask questions and get your work or school work assignments done early!

What was your favorite honors experience?

My favorite honors experience is having the intellectual honors class every spring where you are with other honors students

How did experiences, skills, or classes gained in Honors help you post-graduation?

It helped me prepare for graduate studies because the honors work made me dive deeper into complex thinking. For employment, the honors experience helped me increase skills that generalized over into the real world and not just in a classroom.

What was your favorite class while at SU and why?

My favorite class was my independent research project class because I got to create a research project, run the tests and analyze data, and then present my work to hundreds of people.

Who has been your favorite professor? Why?

My favorite Professor at SU was Dr. Scott King because 1) he was my advisor and he always helped me with class schedules, life advice, and post-grad endeavors. 2) he always made class fun and wasn’t a bland or dry professor. He is a down-to-earth professor and always wanted to help and see me succeed.

What organizations did you participate in while at SU?

Spiritual Life, Exercise and Health Professions Club, Resident Assistant, Psychology Tutor, CAS mentorship program

What tips or advice do you have for prospective students entering SU?

Learn how to organize your classes and studying. Organization is the first step to success.

What advice do you have for honors students who will be graduating soon?

If you are continuing on to graduate school, enjoy your summer! Grad school is hard, so be sure to relax beforehand. Your hard work and determination got you to where you are today, keep up the great work!

What was your favorite honors experience?

Being able to attend events that the general student population was not invited to. The honors program hosts a lot of great events and they are all catered to the students and their interests.

How did experiences, skills, or classes gained in Honors help you post-graduation?

The honors program does a great job preparing you for grad school. Grad school has high expectations and the honor program is a good intro to the rigor of grad school.

What was your favorite class while at SU and why?

My favorite class at SU was exercise physiology because I love to learn about the body and how exercise changes physiological processes. Dr. Sansone was wonderful and always made class fun and provided hands on learning to better understand the material.

Who has been your favorite professor? Why?

Dr. Bly was my favorite professor because he is so knowledgeable and makes class fun. He is always willing to help with whatever he can and meet with you 1-1 for help in his classes. He tells great stories and truly wants to see his students succeed in school.

What organizations did you participate in while at SU?

Honors Program, Health and Life Sciences Club, Alpha Lambda Delta, Psi Chi

What advice do you have for honors students who will be graduating soon?

Use the things you have learned in your honors classes to your advantage.

What was your favorite honors experience?

Volunteering for the Winchester Kids Club in my service class.

How did experiences, skills, or classes gained in Honors help you post-graduation?

Having a broader perspective in regards to global citizenship and community service helped me so much with PA school interviews.

What was your favorite class while at SU and why?

Tropical Diseases because it was very interesting and touched on things none of my other classes did.

Who has been your favorite professor? Why?

Dr. Zimmermann because he explained things so well and he really cared about all of his student’s success.