Beacon Magazine: Song Nai Rhee Honors Program – A Strong Academic Foundation

Written by Dr. Erin Mueller

I am delighted to be in my second year serving as the Program Director for the Song Nai Rhee Honors Program here at Bushnell University, where I am inspired to witness students pursue their passions and engage with their learning community. The Honors Program provides avenues to discover academic interests and deepen vocational exploration through self-designed and faculty-guided Honors contracts. Moreover, the Honors Program builds community through shared experiences and special events. It is an integral part of the fabric of Bushnell, and I am so excited to see it strengthen and grow in the years to come.

As the Director, I value collaborating with campus partners, including faculty, admissions, registrar, advising, financial aid, and marketing, among others, to increase our presence on campus. In the past year, we have created a new logo, grown the Honors scholarship competition, produced a brochure and various merchandise, and established a communication flow for recruitment and enrollment. Furthermore, we conferred three Honors degrees, which exceeded previous years and was an exciting accomplishment for the individual students and the larger Honors Program.

Moving forward, I am anticipating even more bright spots in the Honors Program. This fall, we have our inaugural Honors section of First Year Seminar, which will enrich the Honors experience right out of the gate. We will be adding a second scholarship competition next winter in order to reach later applicants with financial aid. We are more closely monitoring aspects of the Program with an eye to improvement, including expansion and reach, but also the quality of the Honors experience. Of course, we will continue to enjoy special events together, such as the delightful Honors banquets – true highlights each fall and spring.

I am very grateful to all those who have helped achieve past goals and continue to support the Song Nai Rhee Honors Program. More importantly, I appreciate all of the students who engage in the Honors community. It truly is an individually tailored experience, which is perhaps what I love most about its design. All are welcome to give it a try and choose their path, perhaps even leading to a Song Nai Rhee Honors degree.

Being a Song Nai Rhee Honors Scholar provided me with opportunities for deeper connections with faculty and the ability to explore areas of interest more fully than can be covered in class. Additionally, I was able to engage in a variety of engaging programming through the honors program that enhanced my college experience and created new friendships. The Honors Program allows you to create a unique path through your time at Bushnell and really feel connected to your studies on a whole different level.  – Jamison Hanson ’23, MBA ’24

Bushnell students and faculty celebrating student academic achievements at the annual Honors Convocation in May 2024