HONORS 100
What is Honors 100?
HONR100 is a 1-credit, first-semester colloquium that meets for 1.5 hours each week and guides new students through the process of navigating a 1,200-acre campus, bringing their academic skills up to the college level, planning their courses and extracurriculars, and many other practical concerns.
Our goal is to welcome new students and give them a strong sense of belonging to the campus and the Honors Program. We also want to give them the information they need, not only to be successful in college, but also to be responsible for their own education and take advantage of the wide range of exceptional opportunities our campus and the surrounding Washington, DC area offer.
HONR100 encourages students to think broadly about the value of education and what it means to be an educated, engaged person. The curriculum includes carefully selected readings, service learning projects, and cross-cultural activities with fellow students. Students learn to think of themselves as campus and global citizens and to plan their education accordingly, gaining the knowledge and skills they need to live and work in a diverse and rapidly changing world.
We offer approximately 35 sections of HONR100 to keep the class small (usually 15 students per section). Each section is taught by two Student Section Leaders, who have already made the transition to college life successfully and are eager to share their knowledge and experiences with new students.
Dr. Cathy W. Barks, an Associate Director in Honors, and Dr. Barbara L. Shaw, an American Studies scholar and teacher, direct the HONR100 program, develop the curriculum, organize the training of Section Leaders, and link HONR100 with other campus programs and resources. Nevertheless, the student Section Leaders are the hallmark of HONR100, and the reason why new students find this colloquium engaging and beneficial.
HONR100 students adamantly attest that being guided through their first semester by their peers is the secret to the course's success. Who can understand adjusting to a new set of procedures and expectations better than those who have recently experienced the process themselves? Furthermore, new students appreciate having friendly, knowledgeable fellow students (in additional to their departmental advisers) readily available to turn to for information and guidance.
What Students Say About Honors 100
[New Students gain] a variety of points of view on topics that concern
them not only as students but also as citizens of society at-large. [HONR100]
encourages students to think in new and creative ways and is not idea-constraining,
but rather, it allows for the exchange of ideas in a safe, yet critical
environment.
— Tracey Klein, Section Leader and English major
What makes HONR100 great is walking into a classroom to find other students
who are not only receptive, but who face the same problems and adjustment
period as you. HONR100 helps you find a niche in such a big university
and gain a hold on your place in society in general. There's no better
feeling than helping someone start on the right path for their university
career.
— Danny Jacobs, Journalism major
Some students may walk on a great campus like Maryland and feel lost.
HONR100 helps them find their place in university life. It is one of the
most fun, enjoyable, and enlightening classes offered at Maryland.
— Elizabeth Gladmon, a Biology major
SECTION LEADER INFORMATION GUIDE
How are section leaders selected?
The course is led by two Honors students, each of whom will be selected based on a written application and an interview process. Candidates will be evaluated on academic achievement (minimum 3.2 GPA REQUIRED), involvement in the University Honors Program, campus and community activities, maturity, and demonstrated leadership and communication skills. The selection process is open to all Honors students.
What are the requirments?
Once selected, new Section Leaders will attend two training workshops in April, one in May, and one in September. All training is MANDATORY, which means Section Leaders must be present in order to teach.
The dates for training are:
Saturday, April 5; Saturday, April 13; Sunday, May 4; and Sunday, September 7
During the semester, in addition to planning for and meeting with your class each week, Section Leaders also attend bi-weekly, 1-hour meetings with a Student Coordinator and keep a teaching journal in which they respond to issues and questions provided by Student Coordinators.
Why should I take advantage of this opportunity?
Sections Leaders earn 3 credits (S/F) in HONR 358A (Teaching Practicum)
and experience personal satisfaction for having made a difference!
Teaching a first-year Honors colloquium is a leadership opportunity which
few other universities offer to undergraduate students.
You will be welcoming and guiding the newest students in the University of Maryland community.
Previous Section Leaders have identified this course as one of their best undergraduate experiences.
HONR 100 Section Leader Application
HONR 100 Returning Section Leader Application
