Honors Students Attend National Collegiate Honors Conference Honors student Madison Park earns 2 place nd in her division Northern State University had seven Honors students attend and compete at the National Collegiate Honors Conference held in San Diego in November. Northern students continue to excel at this highly competitive event! Madison Park earned second place in the pedagogy and education category of the student poster competition. Park’s research project, “How Generations of Teacher Education Impact Special Education Inclusion,” explores how generational differences in teacher education, along with social, technological and policy changes, affect inclusive practices in special education. “It was very exciting to present my research! It was a great experience to talk to other professors and students about my study and get their input on how I could improve my research and poster,” Park said. HONORS HIGHLIGHTS NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY FALL 2025 Pictured above (L to R): Dr. Hannah Walters, Honors Director, Stella Meier, Avery Kautz, Morgan Sheldon, Karli Klein, Madison Park, Abiah George, Chasity Lewis, and Laurie Kreber, Honors Coordinator
Honors Students Attend National Collegiate Honors Conference (cont. from pg. 1) The following Honors students also presented their research: Abiah George – “The Denial of ‘Homegrown Terrorism’: Bias, Rhetoric, and the Framing of Domestic Extremism” Avery Kautz – “Evolving Culture through Community Cookbooks: The Americanization of South Dakota” Chasity Lewis – “Breaking Barriers: Gender Stigma and Awareness in College Counseling Services” Karli Klein – “Molecular Detection of Haemogregarina spp. from Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) Blood” Morgan Sheldon – “Testing Moccasin Creek Using ICP-OES Water Analysis for Heavy Metal Contamination” Stella Meier – “Rhetorical Shields: The Shaping of Qualified Immunity by the United States Supreme Court” The conference featured keynote speakers Emily Calandrelli: The Space Gal and Tawakkol Karman: Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. There were also numerous breakout sessions and networking opportunities to attend. Exploring and learning about San Diego in ‘City as Text’
Congratulations to the Quiz Bowl winning team: No Citations Needed! Contestants enjoyed an evening of fun competition, popcorn, and laughs! Honors Mentors hosted campus events including: meal prep, koffee and keychains, resume and rose, a Guitar Hero competition, and a movie night. Fall Activities Mental Health Tree
Honors Program Alumni Spotlight Jakob Lund NSU Class of 2022 I graduated in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in sociology and two minors in criminal justice and legal studies. During my time at Northern, I had the pleasure of being involved in the Honors Program, Student Government, and Debate. I also worked in the Student Affairs Office. After graduating, I went to the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law where I had the privilege of being a member of the trial team. I graduated from law school this May, and I now am very grateful to be working at the Office of Public Advocates in Sioux Falls doing my dream job of criminal defense. I am learning under some very outstanding attorneys. My thesis topic was "Disinformation in an Informational Society." It was a sociology research paper that examined the rise of the internet, and how it has altered our political engagement and the political process. It was challenging and difficult writing 60 pages and organizing my thoughts. It seemed overwhelming when I was also trying to balance everything else in school and in life. Yet, it was fulfilling and worth all the effort because of how rewarding it was to see your unique idea evolve into something meaningful. My favorite memory in the Honors Program was going to the national conference. I thought it was amazing seeing all my classmates in action. It was also an opportunity to get to know the other students who I ordinarily did not talk to in school. We went to Disney World and it was a lot of fun connecting with everyone! My advice to current students is to slow down, take your time, and be present. Enjoy all the little moments in between the seemingly stressful ones. Oftentimes, the stress from school occupies the space of happiness, and you forget to be present. I encourage everyone to carve out room in their lives to take risks, try new things, and enjoy the journey. College is a place to discover your path, develop your beliefs, and reflect on your values. Embrace the uncertainty, and don't forget to put the pencil down sometimes and find a good work-life balance that works for you. Jakob is the first Honors Law Opportunity Program (HLOP) graduate! Congrats, Jakob!
Honors Out and About Honors Program staff handed out popcorn to NSU students, alumni, community members and faculty/staff during tailgating before the homecoming football game. Go Wolves! Honors student, Caramia Estes, helped greet students and shared her Honors experiences with those who attended Northern Bound Day. The Honors Club homecoming committee worked hard to put together a float for this year’s Gypsy Day Parade. The theme was “Wolves Through Time” and the float featured pictures from Honors Clubs through the years! An informational session was held regarding the Honors Law Opportunity Program (HLOP). Members from USD Knudson School of Law shared their experiences with high school and college students.
Author Loung Ung spoke at the Common Read Lecture on her book, First They Killed My Father Honors students attended the South Dakota Honors Showcase in Madison, SD. Internationally renowned author and advocate, Loung Ung, spoke at the annual Larry and Julie Poeppel Family Common Read Lecture on September 24. Ung’s book, First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers, is a memoir telling her survival of the Cambodian genocide. Attendees had the chance to hear Ung reflect on her life, the power of positivity, and lessons she has learned along the way. Audience members had the opportunity to ask questions and connect with Ung through a book signing event after the lecture. Honors students also enjoyed an afternoon lunch and Q&A session with Loung. The Common Read is Northern State University’s largest academic event, promoting intellectual growth and meaningful dialogue within the campus and Aberdeen community. The Common Read culminates with the Larry and Julie Poeppel Family Lecture, funded in part by the Poeppel Family endowment with additional support from the Marlene and Clayton Olson Endowment. Pictured above are Evelynn Carlson, Abiah George, Sami Hegge, and Honors Coordinator Laurie Kreber Abiah George presented her research to the group of SD Honors students.
Congrats! Honors student, Avery Kautz, was recognized by the Brown County Historical Society for her outstanding research paper submitted to their annual Historical Research and Writing contest. Avery received second place for her paper, “Divisive Unity: The 1964 New York World’s Fair.” When asked about the award, Avery said, “My paper was about the 1964 New York World's Fair and how the message of that fair was "Peace Through Understanding," but most of the fair represented the opposite. There were Civil Rights protests, Cold War messaging throughout, and even the companies that participated showed an increasingly consumerbased society.” Honors student, Maggie Kruger, was recently featured in the July/August edition of South Dakota Magazine for her involvement in NSU’s film program and athletics. She recently directed, shot, edited and acted in her short film Faileas. The project, completed in just one month, was created in preparation for a visit by Sean Covel, producer of Napoleon Dynamite, who spoke to the NSU film department and campus community about filmmaking and business. Maggie also wrote and performed an original poem for the film. The Honors Law Opportunity Program (HLOP) had it’s first graduate! Jakob Lund graduated from NSU in 2022 and from the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law in 2025. Jakob is one of several students who have been accepted into the program of collaboration between the 2 universities. HLOP is a competitive scholarship opportunity open to NSU Honors students from any major and offers guaranteed admission to the USD Knudson School of Law for 5 students annually. Well Done, Wolves!
Follow NSU Honors: nstatehonors Have questions or ideas? Dr. Hannah Walters, Honors Director hannah.walters@northern.edu Want to donate to the Honors Program? Scan the QR code and choose NSU Honors. Editor: Laurie Kreber, Honors Coordinator with assistance from the NSU Communications and Marketing Department The NSU Honors Program is celebrating students graduating In Honoribus this December. Congratulations to Avery Kautz and Stella Meier! Pictured are Regent Randy Frederick, Dr. Hannah Walters, Avery Kautz, Stella Meier and NSU Interim President Dr. Laurie Nichols.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzkyNTY=