Opportunities and Information for Honors Students
February 1, 2021
Message from Honors Director, Anne Dotter
Dear Honors students,
What a week! COVID 19 cases are going down and Wallstreet is exploding! But in Honors at JCCC, we keep our heads down: the third week of classes means an up-take in assignments and homework and generally a need to focus on schoolwork. Be sure to reach out if you’d like to chat about completing your honors requirements or otherwise getting your ducks in a row!
One important deadline I will bring to your attention is the end of the honors contract open season. Ideally, all honors contract forms would be submitted by Friday, February 5th, this week, so that we can make sure that you are all enrolled in the hour that you need to earn that honors credit. Please be sure to start your honors contract related conversations sooner rather than later and, again, reach out if I can help you getting things going.
This week also offers terrific opportunities to connect with your honors peers: our very own Honors Students’ Association (HSA) will hold its first meeting this afternoon and Professor Daniel Owen has agreed to help us all understand what actually happened with Gamestop stocks, Robinhood and Wallstreet. I am looking forward to these two events and to seeing many of you there!
Be well and stay strong,
Anne
This Week in Honors:
- Honors Hangout-2/4 @ 3:00 PM
Many of us have seen the headlines stating that Robinhood (stock trading app characterizing itself as a democratizing force in the stock market) had frozen trade on a number of stocks, including Gamestop. The result is anger across the political spectrum and a hefty number of lawsuits. How many of us can say that we actually understand the mechanics of what happened or what is represents? I will admit that I can’t.
This week, JCCC economics professor Daniel Owens will lead a discussion of the Gamestop-Robinhood stock trading phenomenon. Join us at 3pm on Thursday, Feb. 4th, for an illuminating Honors Hangout!
https://jccc.zoom.us/j/96076425124
- Honors Student Association
- 1st Meeting of the semester—2/2 @ 3:30 PM
Other Opportunities:
- Come join the HSA Book Club!
One way to get engaged with our honors community is through the HSA book club! Due to the unfortunate times we are in we will not be having books to read, but instead short stories about current social issues. All you have to do to participate is read the article and then come to discuss! Our first meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 23rd from 2:30-3:30. We will be discussing Black History Month with a short story by Zora Neale Hurston! Hope to see you there!
https://blackwomenwriterssp18.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/hurston_sweat.pdf
- Honors Scholarship application
Submit the JCCC Scholarship application by 4/1 to be considered for the Honors Program Scholarship along with many other scholarship! Additional instructions can be found here.
- Student Sustainability Committee
The Student Sustainability Committee is a great place to get involved if you’re interested in leading campus conversations around social, environmental, and economic improvements. You may have noticed that here at JCCC, our work on sustainability is visible – it’s woven through almost everything we do, from energy to the food we eat and the relationships we build in the community. That’s all due to students like you. Through the years, the work of students on the Committee has helped lower our energy bills, increased our renewable energy production, contributed to conversations about diversity and belonging, and – of course – helped more people learn about recycling, increasing scholarship dollars available to all students through their work.
The committee is made up of students from any background, as long as they are enrolled in at least 6 credit hours. Their time commitment is around an hour every two weeks, and joining is easy. Tell us a little about yourself by completing the application here, or if you’re already using your GetInvolved account, you can search for the Student Sustainability Committee there. If you have questions, or aren’t quite sure how to best translate your interests for the application, give us a shout – we’re always happy to talk with students who want to do good work for their community!
- Pro Publica Scholarship Opportunity
Interested in Journalism? This Pro Publica scholarship might be for you! Check it out! https://www.propublica.org/article/students-propublica-and-the-pudding-want-to-help-pay-for-your-journalism-expenses-in-2021?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter#1046944
- Welcome Center Now Hiring for Admissions Ambassador Positions
Are you interested in a position that would allow you to utilize and improve your public speaking, time management, and leadership skills? The Welcome Center is looking for students to join the Admissions Ambassadors team! Information regarding the positions and the application is available at careers.jccc.edu.
- Internship Opportunity: Mentor Coordinator-Global FC
Global FC is looking for a stipend-paid intern to help coordinate community service projects in Northeast KC. Click here for more details.
Mark your Calendars:
- Cavalier Leadership Program—2/2 @ 2:00 PM
Cavalier Leadership is a leadership program designed to empower students to be people of influence in their professional, academic, and personal lives. This is powered by a comprehensive curriculum, Collegiate Leadership Challenge. The Cavalier Leadership Program is through Canvas with weekly zoom meetings. The first session will be held 2/2 at 2:00 PM. Click here to register. Contact Cassie Fulk at cfulk4@jccc.edu for questions.
- Community Blood Center Blood Drive—2/2 & 2/3
Our community needs blood donations. With the Pandemic being a part of our lives, blood donations are in high demand. As a community we can flatten this blood shortage curve with your donation. Together, the community of Johnson County Community College can save lives. With your help we can achieve this goal! https://youtu.be/NKbU33KOKPg
Book your appointment by visiting http://savealifenow.org/group and enter Group Code: NA. For additional details contact Cassie Fulk at (913) 469-3433 or cfulk4@jccc.edu. Medical eligibility questions? Call 1.800.688.0900.
- Lunch Time Virtual Trivia—2/3 @ 9:00 AM-11:45 PM
Do you think you have knowledge to be JCCC’s top trivia master? Join us for our monthly Lunch Time Trivia Challenges to find out! Each month a new trivia challenge will be posted on Get Involved @ JCCC. Check in the day of the challenge for the unique Kahoot trivia link to be posted. Money prizes for the top three placers! Click here for more details and to join in on the day of the event.
- Virtual Volunteer Fair—2/8-2/12
Every year the office of Community-Based Learning holds a volunteer fair to give nonprofits and students an opportunity to meet. This gives nonprofits the chance to spread the word about their volunteer needs and students the chance to find a place to give back.
This year, we’re doing things a little differently. For the VIRTUAL volunteer fair, current volunteer opportunities will be posted every day from February 8-12. You can follow along here or on Instagram, @jccc_cbl. Through Instagram, JCCC students will have a chance to win prizes every day!
- JCCC’s Great Decisions Series:
Prepare to discuss the world. Curious about the impact of recent developments in world economy, foreign conflicts and more? This is an opportunity to discuss important global issues that affect us all, gain a variety of new perspectives and engage with your fellow citizens. Mark your calendars for this semester’s sessions: 2/18, 3/18, 4/15 & 5/6.Sessions will be held via zoom from 2:00-3:30 pm. It is not necessary to attend all sessions.
The articles that are discussed can be found in the Foreign Policy Association’s Great Decisions briefing book. For a participant guide or for more details, contact Dessa Crum at iiss@jccc.edu.
- FBI job info session—2/25
Join FBI Kansas City for a virtual event directed toward those with diverse backgrounds who are interested in applying to the FBI. This event is hosted by the Diversity Agent Recruitment (DAR) Program and is your chance to learn about the FBI, the application process, and how you can serve your country.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R_2NAc6qgSA&feature=youtu.be
Stay in the Know…
- Coping with Depression: A Handbook for JCCC Students by Jill Konen, JCCC Counselor
- Important Campus COVID-19 Information
- All departments in Student Success and Engagement (plus Bursar and Bookstore) have an on-campus presence during regular hours of operation.
- Students who need equipment for online learning or who are experiencing food or housing insecurity or other hardships should contact the Student Basic Needs Center.
- See Student Resources for information about contacting admissions, financial aid, academic counseling and more.
- Reminder: If you develop symptoms of COVID-19, contact your health care provider.
- More JCCC information and resources are at edu/covid19
- For up-to-date details on the pandemic, see the Centers for Disease Control’s COVID-19 webpage
- Academic Resource Center
Located on the first floor of Billington Library, the Academic Resource Center is your one-stop shop for free tutoring and assistance for your credit classes. It has a large study area, a library assistant who will help you find where you need to go, and the new Stacks Cafe serving coffee and snacks. Services are still on a limited in-person basis, but you can get help online or via Zoom appointments. Each resource center has different options. Learn more by watching the following video: https://youtu.be/VEtS5QCSIZs
Need sources to keep up on local and national news? Did you know that your JCCC Library provides online access to the Kansas City Star, New York Times, Washington Post and more? Login to these resources with your MyJCCC username and student ID #.
Here are direct links to just a few:
- Exploratory Requirements List
- Please join us in wishing the following honors students a happy birthday this week!
February 1st Taia Sarazov
February 2nd Jessica Hernandez
February 5th Rachel Howard