THE AMPERSAND - University of Illinois at Chicago · Ervin; and Julieanna Richardson, the founder of The HistoryMakers, the nation’s largest African American video oral history

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One of the first things that stands out about UIC senior Kerry Gawne when meeting her is her perpetual enthusiasm, which carries over to her education and involvement outside the classroom. A German major with minors in art history, English, and history, Gawne has a plethora of experiences and credentials. These qualifications helped her win a scholarship from the national German honor society, Delta Phi Alpha—the only one awarded in the nation. The scholarship is awarded on the basis of overall academic merit and the advancement and dedication of the student to the study of the German language and culture. Gawne will use the scholarship provision towards her continuing studies at Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany where she will begin a Master’s program in European history this fall.

Gawne spoke eagerly of the study abroad program she was a part of this previous summer in Berlin, Germany. She described her schedule during the month-long program organized by the UIC Department of Germanic Studies and hosted by the Humboldt University in Berlin: her mornings consisted of language instruction; during the afternoon and evenings Gawne and her classmates went on unique cultural excursions that other tourists wouldn’t be privy to—including watching films, visiting flea markets, and attending lectures about specific sites and regions. Another aspect of the program that Gawne relished was the fact that she had roommates from Prague and Paris, with whom she made lifelong friendships.

In addition to studying abroad, Gawne has also been substantially involved with student organizations during her four years at UIC. She is currently the secretary and treasurer of the Student Centers Board and has been involved with Trade Winds, an organization through which students can mentor international students and make cross-cultural connections. She has also previously conducted research with Dr. David M. Sokol, Professor Emeritus of Art History, on the works of the German expressionist artist Otto Neumann. Cataloging the name, dimensions, and medium of each of the artist’s pieces were among the duties Gawne was assigned during her research experience. Additionally, she was a YP4 (Young People For) Fellow during her junior year, which she describes as “a year-long national fellowship for progressive youth leadership [rooted] in the ideals of social justice and being agents of change in our local communities.”

The scholarship Gawne has received from Delta Phi Alpha will be an investment toward her postgraduate education which, in turn, will be an asset for her long-term goals. Gawne is interested in pursuing a career devoted to cross-cultural communication and someday wants to start a nonprofit organization dedicated to conflict resolution between ethnic groups, focusing on bridging gaps and helping people learn about other cultures. Advice she would give her peers would be to embrace diversity and interact with people from different backgrounds to gain new perspectives on life and develop a sense of empathy for others.

THE AMPERSANDVolume 7 Issue 4 february 2014

Auf Wiedersehen!UIC Senior Sets Her Sights on Germany

Table of Contents

2 Note from Dean Bottoms2 Upcoming Events, Deadlines3 Freshman Friend3 Record High Applications to the Honors College4 Athlete Focus 4 Parent Corner4 HCAB Update5 Studying Abroad on a Gilman Scholarship5 Focus on Faculty6 Student Org: Pre-Law Society6 UIC Competes for the Hult Prize7 A Foster Child’s VIP List7 Honors College Research Symposium8 Lounge Talk

Pa g e 6Pa g e 5

Shirt Raffle

Pa g e 7Pa g e 4

Athlete FocusStudy Abroad: Gilman

Scholarship Pre-Law Society

Pa g e 6

by Shreya Thakkar l Freshman, Biochemistry

Kerry Gawne

Honors College Research Symposium

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Welcome to the Spring semester, especially to our newest students and Faculty Fellows! We are looking forward to a number of events this Spring, not least of which is the 21st Annual Honors College Ball on Saturday, March 1st. In addition, we have an exciting line-up for our Honors Leadership Lecture Series, including Scott Dikkers, the founder of The Onion; 28th Ward Alderman Jason Ervin; and Julieanna Richardson, the founder of The HistoryMakers, the nation’s largest African American video oral history collection.

We are in the midst of new freshman recruitment and admissions season—a record-breaking 4,000 prospective students have initiated applications to the Honors College, competing for a total of 400 seats next fall. Clearly, now more than ever, the “value added” of the UIC Honors experience is being recognized.

As you will see in this Ampersand, Honors College students are developing innovative ideas through research, exploring the world through study abroad, and excelling as student athletes. For example, Rahul Patel’s team of UIC students was selected from 10,000 teams as a regional finalist for the Clinton Global Initiative Hult Prize Challenge. They will compete soon for $1 million to implement their proposed solution for alleviating chronic diseases for impoverished people. These kinds of engaging experiences, combined with advising and mentoring from faculty and staff, allow Honors College students to succeed in every way.

I could not be more proud of Honors College student, staff, and Faculty Fellow accomplishments, and I’m happy to report that these accomplishments do not go unnoticed. For example, I recently made a well-received presentation to the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, which you can watch at this web link (starting around counter #191): http://www.uis.edu/informationtechnologyservices/iss/webcasting/

Thanks to all of you for making these things possible!

Bette L. BottomsDean and Vice Provost for Undergraduate AffairsProfessor of Psychology

a note fromDean BottomsDear Honors Community,

Events and DeadlinesOSSP: British Scholarship Info SessionFebruary 27, 2014 @ 3:00 PM2550 University Hall

Chicago Signature Honors Program: Alvin Ailey American Dance TheaterFebruary 28, 2014 @ 7:30 PMChicago Auditorium Theater

21st Annual Honors College BallMarch 1, 2014 @ 6:00 PMHoliday Inn-Mart Plaza

Leadership Lecture Series: Inspiring and Motivating Followers with Alderman Jason ErvinMarch 4, 2014 @ 9:30 AM121 Burnham Hall

Honors Capstone Abstract WorkshopMarch 6, 2014 @ 4:00PM508 Student Center East

OSSP: British Scholarships & Fulbright Info SessionMarch 7, 2014 @ 12:00PM121 Burnham Hall

Honors Capstone Presentation WorkshopMarch 13, 2014 @ 12:00 PM508 Student Center East

OSSP: British Scholarship Info SessionMarch 18, 2014 @ 12:00 PM2550 University Hall

OSSP: PUSH Excel WorkshopMarch 19, 2014AAAN LRC

Honors Capstone Hands-On Presentation WorkshopMarch 21, 2014 @ 1:00PM508 Student Center East

US-UK Fulbright Summer InstitutesFebruary 27 or March 6

Scholarship Association AwardsFebruary 28

College of LAS ScholarshipsFebruary 28

Fulbright National Geographic Storytelling FellowshipFebruary 28

Gilman Scholarships for Study AbroadMarch 4

Honors College Study Abroad ScholarshipsMarch 21

Riddle Prize for Oustanding SeniorsMarch 28

Contact [email protected] for more information!

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Dear Freshman Friendby Ricardo Ramirez l Freshman, Computer Science

You have successfully made it through your first semester of college! Now that we have all officially settled in after break, it is time to not only reflect on our college experiences so far, but also to look forward to making every semester better than the previous one.

Keep in mind that your GPA is not fixed. A good GPA can quickly tumble down if it is not maintained with daily doses of hard work and studying. Or, if your GPA was not as high as you hoped last semester, you still have time to bring it up this semester. If you are looking for some extra support in your classes this semester, seek out help from our fellow Honors College peers—you can find tutoring right at Burnham Hall!

Personally, I focused most of my energy on my academics last semester and did not participate in as many student organizations as I had hoped. However, now that I feel more adjusted to college I hope to be more involved in Honors College student organizations. For example, I recently attended my first Project ESTEEM meeting with many other Honors College students. I hope to make a difference by teaching science to youth with this group. This organization—among others in the Honors College—is welcoming new members to join them this spring semester, so consider attending a meeting to decide if it is right for you. On a different note, the Honors College Ball is quickly approaching! I hope you have your ticket and are ready to dance the night away to relieve some of the stress of the semester!

Although it is months away, it is never too early to start thinking about summer opportunities. While it is nice to take a break from classes, start looking out for potential study abroad or internship opportunities. With Honors College announcement emails, you will always be the first to know about new opportunities in the Honors College.

-A Fellow Freshman

Honors College Hits Record High for Applicationsby Tania Alvarado l Sophomore, Political Science

Brian Ward, assistant director of admissions for the UIC Honors College, has been incredibly busy this semester reviewing applications. This year the College recorded about 4,500 initiated applications for the Fall 2014 semester alone—more than double last year’s numbers!

For the second year in a row, prospective students can now apply to UIC and the Honors College directly through The Common Application. Ward believes that the increased promotion of the Honors College as well as the convenience of The Common Application is why the jump in applications has been so significant. Previously, students had to apply to UIC and then to the Honors College through the UIC website. This new system makes it easier for prospective students because many already fill out The Common Application when applying to other universities, and being able to apply to the Honors College while filling out the general UIC admission application is an added convenience.

Regardless of the increasing application numbers, the College will still maintain a first-year student class of approximately 400 students, maintaining the feel of a smaller college community within the large university. All applications are reviewed holistically,

and strong applicants are invited to campus for an in-person interview. Students who work as admissions assistants during interview events observe that the overall process has remained the same. Every single student still receives the same personalized attention as other students have had in the past, a testament to the close-knit community that is the Honors College.

The rise in applications means the Honors College will have a larger pool of excellent candidates to choose from for its incoming freshman class. This record-breaking increase in applications shows one thing for certain: the UIC Honors College is a great program to be a part of and more people than ever are realizing it!

Dean Bette Bottoms addresses prospective students before their Honors College interviews.

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Athlete Focus: The Business of Baseballby Renee Ronzone l Junior, Anthropology

Being both a member of the Honors College and a college sports athlete is no simple task, but Honors College freshman Gabe Dwyer makes it look easy. In addition to having played baseball since kindergarten, Dwyer was an AP student in high school who dreamed of playing collegiate baseball and excelling in academics. When asked about his priorities, Dwyer replies determinedly: “I’m here to get my degree—that’s my first focus.”

Dwyer is currently an accounting major who has an interest in business. For him, joining the Honors College and taking more challenging courses was a natural extension of the AP classes he took in high school. The extra commitment does not seem to faze him. An independent and self-motivated student, he believes that, “I do better when I play sports because I have a certain timeslot for homework and studying every day. If I didn’t [have that], I would just be lazy and procrastinate.” He adds that he used to struggle with time management as a freshman in high school—something that motivated him to work hard to stay on top of his commitments.

Dwyer is excited about the baseball season, which started February 14th. As the beginning of the season draws nearer, practice is two to three hours every day. “It’s a grind,” he said of the early mornings and long days devoted to practice. “But it pays off. You love the sport.” When asked his favorite aspect of playing baseball, Dwyer replied that, “I’m a catcher so I’m involved in every play. I like being a part of every play. It’s very mental; you have to be focused a hundred percent on it.” Being involved in every play creates an accountability that translates well to school and life. Even though this is his first year, Dwyer is already thinking ahead to the future. He is rising to the challenge, demonstrating his ability to commit to being both an exceptional baseball player as well as a dedicated Honors College student.

Gabe DwyerPhoto by Scott Margolin

As Maria’s parents, we feel honored and grateful that she is part of the Honors College student community at UIC. The many resources and enriching experiences available through this program have allowed Maria to excel not only as a student

and future physician, but also as a person. Many of Maria’s experiences – from Medicina Scholars, to serving as an Ampersand Editor, to spending a summer in the Chicago Academic Medicine Program – were made possible, in one way or another, through the Honors College. We strongly believe that the commitment of Dean Bottoms and her staff to ensure the success of these students truly sets this unique program apart.

Sonia and Dil ip NakhasiParents of Maria Nakhasi

Sophomore, Neuroscience Major

Pa r e n t C o r n e r

H C A B U p d a t eAs winter comes to an end, the Honors College Ball is fast approaching! Tickets are sold out and HCAB is expecting students, faculty, and staff from across UIC. The theme will be “The Pyramids of Paradise”, with music provided by A Shah Entertainment. This year, HCAB has raised more funds than ever for the Ball and will be awarding $1000 scholarships to two successful Honors College students. Everyone is very excited for March 1st and we hope to see you at the Ball!

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With today’s economy, it is easy to overlook opportunities like studying abroad. Many students may wonder who has the time or budget to visit another country for an entire semester. Fortunately, there exists a scholarship that assists hard-working students from low-income families in paying for their study abroad experiences. The Gilman Program is invested in providing study abroad opportunities for traditionally underrepresented student groups with each award averaging $4,000. In order to be eligible for the Gilman Scholarship a student must demonstrate an excellent academic history and be a Federal Pell Grant recipient.

The Gilman Scholarship was the determining factor as to whether or not I could go abroad, and without it I would not have been able to spend my Fall 2013 semester in Barcelona, Spain conducting research on cross-cultural perspectives for the treatment of various mental illnesses. The lessons learned abroad are so incredibly valuable that no amount of credit hours can account for them. For example, we touched on theories of cultural relativism in my psychology classes and I was able to concretely put these theories into practice while interacting with locals on a day-to-day basis. It was the application of these concepts that made the lessons all the more effective and relevant to my future Capstone project.

With opportunities like the Gilman Scholarship, we are reminded that studying abroad is an experience that no student should feel excluded from. If you are interested in studying abroad there are a variety of scholarships available to all students, including through the Honors College. Visit the Study Abroad Office website for more details: http://www.uic.edu/depts/spec_prog/studyabroad/

Richard Stringham, M.D. is passionate about UIC and its students. As the Director of Medical Student Education and Assistant Professor of Clinical Family Medicine at the UIC College of Medicine, Dr. Stringham is focused on seeing students succeed and has been distinguished with multiple honors—including the UIC College of Medicine M-3 Golden Apple Award and the Council for Excellence in Teaching and Learning’s Teaching Recognition Program Award. Although he divides his time between caring for patients, teaching future doctors, and researching innovations in the field of medicine, Stringham is an educator at heart.

As the Director of Medical Student Education, Stringham has tips for Honors College students who are looking to become a part of the medical field. He encourages students to be “thorough communicators” and learn about other cultures in order to stay abreast of the continually changing facets of medicine. Stringham recently spoke to the Honors College’s Society of Future Physicians about the medical school process, answering questions and providing unique insight into the field. Sharing in the educational mission of the Honors College, he fosters the intellectual stimulation of the students and hopes to get more involved with the undergraduate population in the future.

While working with third year medical students in the College of Medicine, Dr. Stringham loves combining the “clinical and teaching aspects of medicine.” He finds it extremely gratifying to see medical students make connections between basic medical sciences and actual medical practice. When he is not practicing medicine or teaching, Stringham researches medical assessments and the psychological factors affecting participation in the evaluation process. He is interested in finding out why patients say “yes” or “no” to having a medical student see them in the clinical setting. Focused on building a brighter future for the medical field, Dr. Stringham exemplifies the duties of an educator.

by Adriana Perez l Junior, Psychology by Rafid Rahman l Freshman, Biology

The Gilman Scholarship: The Gateway to My Semester in Barcelona

Focus on Faculty:Dr. Richard Stringham

Adriana Perez celebrating at the Catalonia Independence Festival.

Dr. Richard Stringham

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The UIC Pre-Law Society has revamped its mission and is hoping to serve more students than ever. This student organization serves as a liaison between pre-law students and professionals in the legal field, including UIC alumni. PLS also provides students with information and resources regarding the

law school application process, internships, scholarships, and efficient LSAT preparation. PLS President and Honors College sophomore Cristian Nuno hopes to “make the Pre-Law Society a more accessible and supportive organization. [This has been] a dream of mine since my first day as a freshman here at UIC.”

Newly elected PLS executive board members are helping take this vision and create an impact among pre-law students. The ambitious students are focusing on fostering a community

for pre-law students while providing students with the resources they need to succeed. “Our main goal is to become an organization that UIC pre-law students can go to with confidence when they need help on the often complicated road to law school,” says Nuno.

PLS recently co-hosted the “LSAT Challenge” with Kaplan. This free event helped students determine their LSAT strengths and weaknesses while teaching effective study strategies. This semester PLS plans on hosting workshops, providing networking opportunities, inviting guest speakers, and visiting law schools.

Nuno believes the future of PLS will be very promising with the support and guidance of their faculty advisor, Professor Evan McKenzie. McKenzie is a licensed lawyer and a political science and law professor at UIC.

PLS is currently looking to recruit more members to take advantage of these opportunities. To join this organization or for more information regarding PLS, contact them at [email protected].

One of our most pressing global concerns right now is the cost of healthcare and what it means for those who cannot afford it. Millions of people around the world die from non-communicable diseases that could have been diagnosed and treated. Although these conditions are often thought of as a rural phenomenon, many people living in urban poverty cannot afford health treatment or care and there are few nonprofits available to work toward a solution for them. Motivated to solve this global problem, Honors College student Rahul Patel will join a UIC team of four other students in the annual competition for the Hult Prize on March 7-8th in San Francisco. The Hult Prize serves as an opportunity for aspiring students from universities across the nation to come together and solve serious issues faced by billions of people worldwide. The 2014 Hult Prize winner will be chosen by former President Bill Clinton on behalf of the Clinton Global Initiative, which encourages students to develop solutions to improve care for people living in impoverished urban areas worldwide.

Participants in the Hult Competition form teams of four to five people within their university and submit an application. After the first round of the competition narrowed the field from 10,000 to 300 teams, this year’s UIC team qualified for the regional competition in California. This is one of six regional competitions at which teams will give their presentations. One team will be

chosen from each of the regional competitions to move on to the final competition, which will be hosted by the Clinton Global Initiative’s annual meeting in September 2014. The winning team will receive $1,000,000 awarded by former President Clinton himself to implement their healthcare solutions and change the lives of people around the world.

The members of the UIC team, including Patel, will present their idea to implement health kiosks in urban areas where people cannot afford healthcare. Their idea—called “Qube”—will reflect a business model that aims to bring down the cost of healthcare as well as diagnose and treat non-communicable diseases more efficiently for people who cannot ordinarily afford treatment.

Honors College Dean Bette L. Bottoms stated proudly that, “to be among only 300 teams chosen from 10,000 who entered this worthwhile competition is extraordinary. But it is not unexpected—UIC students are every bit as prepared and creative as their competition from Stanford, Harvard, and other universities of historical prominence, but [are] far more engaged with and understanding of today’s socially significant problems, especially those that are health-related.” Best of luck to Rahul and the UIC team at the regional competition!

Pre-Law Society Makes Its Case

Redbox for Medicine: UIC Students Compete for the Annual Hult Prize

by Francisca Corona l Sophomore, English

by Shilpa Kolachina l Freshman, Bioengineering

The PLS e-board consists of four Honors College students who are looking to help make an impact.

Fill out this survey to enter a raFFle For an ampersand shirt!http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/57FRWNM

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At the annual Honors College Research Symposium—which was held this past fall on November 20th—twenty-six Honors College students presented their engaging projects. The presentations had eye-catching titles in a variety of disciplines; a few examples included: “History of the Solvability of Polynomial Equations by Radicals” by Eid Reem, “How to Break Tradition? Marketing Soccer in the U.S.” by Stefan Tabutov, and “Female Horror Villains and the Last Girl” by Morgan Valenzuela. One presenter, senior political science major Medzit Redzepi, exhibited a poster entitled “Macedonia’s Accession into the EU.” He reflected on his experience saying, “I think that it is fantastic that we get these opportunities to share our work with our peers and professors. [They] give good advice on future improvements and ask you really good questions that really open your mind.” Redzepi also noted that as a presenter he had the opportunity to view other students’ posters, which allowed him to meet new people and broaden his perspectives on different areas of study. Redzepi was grateful for the experience he gained from his presentation at the Fall Symposium. The event was also a great opportunity for students to see examples of undergraduate research in general and to obtain ideas for their own Capstone projects.

This spring the campus-wide Student Research Forum will highlight undergraduate, graduate, and professional student

research from diverse fields and disciplines. It will be held on April 8th, 2014 at the UIC Forum. The categories are Art/Design/Humanities, Business/Computer Science/Mathematics, Engineering/Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, and Social Sciences. Awards are given to top student research projects in each category as well as presentations that best display the spirit of sustainability. Honors College students are encouraged to participate again this year, as they have done in the past. At the Student Research Forum (SRF) last year, nearly three-fourths of the undergraduate student presenters and 12 of the 13 award winners were Honors College students.

Students who are interested in presenting at the Student Research Forum are encouraged to submit an abstract online prior to March 24th. All students are encouraged to learn about the many opportunities for undergraduate research and to explore ideas for future Honors Capstone projects by attending the Student Research Forum.

Honors College Research Symposiumby Simbiat Olayiwola l Senior, Biochemistry

Lauren Dickens presents her Capstone project at the Fall Research Symposium.

When children are asked who the most important people in their lives are, they are often quick to respond, “My parents!” As children grow, they develop a network of people whom they love and trust, with parents typically topping the list. But how might that response be different for children in the foster care system? Who would they consider the important people in their lives? These are the types of questions that drive the research of Taylor Duke, an Honors College junior majoring in psychology.

Duke has always been interested in working with children so she jumped at the chance to work with Dr. Sue Farruggia, a Visiting Research Assistant Professor in Psychology. Dr. Farruggia’s research focuses primarily on adolescents. For the past year, Duke has been analyzing over one hundred interviews of foster care adolescents. These interviews asked who foster care youth considered to be the very important people (VIPs) in their lives. She studies the interviews for

key themes—for example, a plan to go to college or get a job— and uses the information to assess how these VIPs have affected the adolescents’ lives financially and emotionally. She found that generally adolescents in the foster care system have very positive relationships with their VIPs (foster parents, social workers, teachers, etc.). Duke believes that this information will help tremendously in understanding the relationships that foster care youth experience.

Because her findings offer such a unique insight, she will be delivering a presentation at a conference for the Society for Research on Adolescence in Austin, Texas on March 20, 2014. Fellow Honors College student Dulce Diaz will also attend the conference and will give a presentation entitled: “Honors College: Supporting Students to Succeed in University”. The conference spans an entire weekend and will feature displays from undergraduates like Duke and Diaz, as well as presentations from graduate students and professionals in the field. Duke also plans on submitting her work to the Journal of Adolescent Research, a peer-reviewed national science journal. She notes that her most impressive accomplishment so far is that she found a way to combine her research with topics that she is passionate about. “I have always loved working with children. [That’s] what I hope to do as a career,” Duke says. “I am so glad I got to do this project!”

A Foster Child’s VIP Listby Sagar Dommaraju l Freshman, Mathematics

Taylor Duke [above] will be delivering a presentation for the Society of Research on Adolescence

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Lounge Talk: Which Honors College Event is Your Favorite?

M i s s i o n S t a t e m e n tTo h i g h l i g h t t h e a c h i e v e m e n t s o f

H o n o r s C o l l e g e s t u d e n t s , s t a f f, a n d f a c u l t y, t o r e p o r t o n H o n o r s C o l l e g e e v e n t s , a n d t o p r o v i d e a f o r u m f o r

s t u d e n t s a n d f a c u l t y t o s h a r e i n t e r e s t i n g e x p e r i e n c e s a n d

o p i n i o n s , a l l f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f f o s t e r i n g a s e n s e o f c o m m u n i t y a n d

c e l e b r a t i n g d i v e r s i t y a m o n g t h e c o n s t i t u e n t s o f t h e H o n o r s C o l l e g e .

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T h e A m p e r s a n d B o a r dEDITOR-IN-CHIEFAvni Bavishi

EDITORSAlvin GeorgeHannah LeeSarah LeeMaria Nakhasi

L AYOUT EDITORSChristine LeeShreya Thakkar

WEBMASTERRahul Patel

GR ADUATE ASSISTANT & EDITORIAL ADVISORLeigh Hellman

HONORS COLLEGE STAFF ADVISORSara Mehta

FACULT Y ADVISORSProfessor Chris MessengerAssociate Dean Sara F. Hall

by Alvin George l Sophomore, BIochemistry

Stop and take a break! Without a doubt, the life of an Honors College student is inundated with exams, deadlines, and extracurricular activities. However, it is important to remember that the College provides various events throughout the fall and spring semesters for students to enjoy. Most students polled indicated that the Honors College Ball, held this year on March 1st, is their favorite event. Many enjoyed exploring the large variety of cultural and educational excursions provided by Chicago Signature Honors Programming. Others appreciated the HCAB Faculty-Student Luncheons held every semester; the next one is on April 9th. Whatever it is you enjoy the most, be sure to take advantage of these opportunities!