{"id":3321,"date":"2012-11-02T08:53:35","date_gmt":"2012-11-02T12:53:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/greatminds\/?p=3321"},"modified":"2015-07-17T16:16:32","modified_gmt":"2015-07-17T16:16:32","slug":"a-new-way-to-go-above-and-beyond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/greatminds\/2012\/11\/02\/a-new-way-to-go-above-and-beyond\/","title":{"rendered":"Ultimate Honors"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Maggie Karrs researched potential colleges, she was already familiar with the University of Mary Washington. Her two older brothers, Jeremiah Karrs \u201909 and Christian Karrs \u201912, had raved about the school\u2019s small, interactive classes, its focus on honor and integrity and the multitude of undergraduate research and internship opportunities.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Maggie Karrs ’16 (center) is one of 73 students in UMW’s honors program<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This fall, she followed in her brothers\u2019 footsteps.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was probably slightly influenced to come to UMW because of my family connection, but I also love the atmosphere of the campus, and the school\u2019s great academic reputation,\u201d said Karrs\u201916.<\/p>\n

When she opened her acceptance letter to UMW last spring, she was surprised to find that she\u2019d be able to further her education in a different way than her brothers, as one of 73 students in the university\u2019s newly implemented honors program<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The creation of the honors program at UMW has become another way for students to enhance their learning experience and further their academic opportunities. As an honors student, participants are required to maintain a high GPA, attend co-curricular events throughout the year and take a certain number of honors-designated classes each semester.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe honors classes are designed to further develop students\u2019 academic and intellectual potential,\u201d said Professor of Chemistry Kelli Slunt, the director of the honors program.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Maggie Karrs ’16 (in white) is a member of UMW’s Ultimate Frisbee team<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Prospective freshmen were chosen for the honors program based on their high school GPA, test scores and the rigorousness of their high school curriculum. While the honors program is in the first year, Slunt is optimistic about the new program and sees growth and expansion in the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy hope is that the number of course offerings and opportunities for students will expand,\u201d Slunt said. \u201cIt\u2019ll be neat to see where it goes in the next couple of years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Associate Professor of English Gary Richards teaches \u201cSexualities in Southern Literature,\u201d the first honors freshman seminar ever offered at UMW.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy students are able to engage in a very mature, professional discussion,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Richards ramped up his seminar for the honors program, adding a research component and strengthening the workload.<\/p>\n

Karrs, one of the 15 students in Richards\u2019 seminar, appreciates the energetic learning environment.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe definitely have a very engaged and active class,\u201d Karrs said. \u201cIt\u2019s good to meet other students who like to challenge themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Outside of the honors classroom, Karrs has wasted no time getting involved on campus. She practices with the Ultimate Frisbee team three times a week and is a member of hall council for her residence hall.<\/p>\n

\u201cI definitely feel like I\u2019m part of the university community,\u201d Karrs said. \u201cThe difference between an honors freshman and a regular freshman isn\u2019t really that different.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Story by Julia Davis \u201815
\nPhotos by Kimmie Barkley ’14
\n<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New academic program gives students the chance to reach above and beyond.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":63,"featured_media":18986,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"umw_cb_additional_links":[[]],"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_advisory_expires_time":"","_advisory_meta_include":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[46,47],"class_list":{"0":"post-3321","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-show","8":"tag-admissions","9":"tag-alumni2016","10":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nUltimate Honors - Great Minds<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umw.edu\/greatminds\/2012\/11\/02\/a-new-way-to-go-above-and-beyond\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Julia Davis\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/2012\\\/11\\\/02\\\/a-new-way-to-go-above-and-beyond\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/2012\\\/11\\\/02\\\/a-new-way-to-go-above-and-beyond\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Julia Davis\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/04cecd6ea8db838499f522a0b6b6ee8d\"},\"headline\":\"Ultimate Honors\",\"datePublished\":\"2012-11-02T12:53:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2015-07-17T16:16:32+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/2012\\\/11\\\/02\\\/a-new-way-to-go-above-and-beyond\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":491,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/2012\\\/11\\\/02\\\/a-new-way-to-go-above-and-beyond\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/20\\\/2012\\\/11\\\/Maggie-Karrs1.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"admissions\",\"alumni2016\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Show on Great Minds\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/2012\\\/11\\\/02\\\/a-new-way-to-go-above-and-beyond\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/2012\\\/11\\\/02\\\/a-new-way-to-go-above-and-beyond\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.umw.edu\\\/greatminds\\\/2012\\\/11\\\/02\\\/a-new-way-to-go-above-and-beyond\\\/\",\"name\":\"Ultimate Honors - 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