OXFORD,
Miss. – What began months ago as a discussion around a kitchen table in
Oxford among three University of Mississippi honors students ended in
October with a dinner at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Sally
McDonnell Barksdale Honors College students Erin Callahan, Claire
Graves and Kent Ford were together one night last spring, wondering how
to select a topic for their senior honors theses, a requirement for
their graduation in 2010.
“We seemed to agree that if we could
just go talk to people who are actively engaged in – and shaping the
futures of – our fields of interest, our task would be much easier,”
said Ford, an international studies major from Hattiesburg.
As a
result, the three students were among 40 honors college juniors who
traveled to Washington last month on the college’s first Junior Quest,
to conduct preliminary thesis research interviews, explore career and
internship opportunities, and soak up culture and history.
They also enjoyed dinner at the Kennedy Center with honors college alumni in the D.C. area. The occasion was an opportunity for the alums to reconnect with the honors college and for the students to network and to see where SMBHC grads go and the career paths they follow.
The entire trip proved to be an incredible experience for the students. Callahan, an international studies major from Ocean Springs, said she hopes Junior Quest becomes a permanent part of the honors college experience.
“I felt it went amazingly well and really showed entrepreneurship and leadership among the honors students. I was so impressed by some of the interviews, and I really enjoyed reconnecting with honors alums,” she said.
John Samonds, acting dean of the college, said he was immediately convinced when he heard the group’s idea. “The proposal showed both creativity and a definite purpose for the trip,” he said.
The concept was taken from various other trips already funded by the honors college, including Freshman Ventures and Sophomore Service.
“We wanted this to be an experiential learning trip, in which each student develops his or her own project and sees it through,” Ford said.
Claire Graves, a marketing communications major from Ackerman, said Junior Quest was an excellent experience. She said she was thankful for SMBHC’s willingness to support student ideas and their commitment to giving students learning opportunities.
“The honors college continually empowers its students to seek knowledge both inside and outside the classroom,” Graves said.
Students experienced many aspects of the city. Some visited with a partner of one of the leading lobby firms, others participated in a writers’ conference and several sat down with prominent minority leaders in business to discuss the obstacles and opportunities they have faced in their careers. As an aside, a few students also participated in a service project at the Southeast White House, helping host a fall festival for children in an underserved neighborhood.
“The best part comes once we see what everyone brings back from this trip and how they incorporate their experiences into their future work and plans,” Ford said.
For more information about the honors college, visit http://www.honors.olemiss.edu .