October 27, 2016
Five Honors Northeast sophomores and two faculty members recently represented Northeast Texas Community College at†the 51st Meeting of the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) in Seattle, October 12-15.†NTCC is the only community college to have presented†scholarly works†at the NCHC continuously since 2008, and has the only program in the nation, university or otherwise, to have featured four of its group projects†in the last four years.†
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NCHC committees select proposals to present on the basis of appeal, previous awards and scholarly promise. Making the cut for NTCC were five previous award winners: Melody Mott, who won Caldwell and Smallwood Awards of Texas for her work on Japanese-Texan relations; Cailee Davidson, a winner of a McGraw-Hill Award, for her work on Texas Governor, Pappy O? Daniel; William Jones, a recipient of a 2016 Great Plains Honors Council Poster Award for his work on quasi-criminality; Emmalea Shaw, a winner of a Caldwell Award for her work on integration in Northeast Texas; and Kassandra Martinez, a winner of NTCC?s premiere Bonnie Spencer Award for her work on the great Northeast Texan populist orator, Cyclone Davis.
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"Some of our students are initially surprised by our emphasis on conceptualization and thesis-based research. But the amazing thing is, in time, they 'get it' and they can grasp the central art of scholarship," Dr. Andrew Yox, Honors Director, said. "They also have a rare opportunity here at NTCC to present†at†national†honors†conferences, usually dominated by university juniors and seniors.†This is one of many ways that Honors Northeast uniquely prepares students to perform at a high level academically."
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Members of Honors Northeast presented their own panel in a Saturday morning session attended by representatives of many colleges and universities. The session featured NTCC?s Caldwell-Award winning film on Ma and Pa Ferguson, the couple who both served as Texas governors in the interwar period of the early 20th century. Leaders in honors have routinely elevated the NTCC honors film for inclusion in the yearly program for its team-making potential, and for the creative outlets and citations afforded to students who participate.
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In preparation for the conference, NTCC Scholars presented their work before a small group of supporters†at at luncheon October 5. An anonymous friend of honors contributed $500, providing $100 of spending money for each of the NTCC students who attended the Seattle conference.† Dr. Mary Hearron, who accompanied the students on the trip, also provided funds for a special meal along the waterfront at Ivar?s Restaurant.†The NTCC group toured the Pike Place Market, the headquarters of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Space Needle where they had a Friday lunch.
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Both Drs. Hearron and Yox agreed that this year?s sophomore scholars made the best film presentation for NTCC, ever.† Many of the Friends of Honors were also very impressed after hearing this year?s group.† No other NTCC student group has gone to a national honors meeting before with more scholarly cash awards (six), and with more essays that already have been accepted for publication (three).
