HONOR 1010: Ideas that Matter is a course in which students first explore the Honors program. Throughout this two-semester course, students engage with one another, with diverse content, and with two peer mentors and a senior mentor.
Ideas that Matter
With the goal of strengthening student connection and engagement, the Honors College developed the ‘Intro to Honors’ course, HONOR 1010, or better known as Ideas that Matter. This course focuses on facilitating classroom discussions, connecting students with resources across campus, and having students become more acquainted with Honors College faculty.
Liam Hammons, the Program Manager for First-Year Learning Communities at the Honors College, said, “Honors students come from every walk of life in a variety of majors, including law, pre-med, business, and psychology. If you are interested in the program, there is a place for you.”
The Ideas that Matter course also creates opportunities for student leadership within the classroom. At the end of each fall semester, students can apply to become a peer mentor, where their role is to teach, facilitate, and engage students within their course with the support of an Honors faculty advisor. But who are these peer mentors, and what do they do?
Who are Peer Mentors?
Peer mentors are upper-division Honors students who are responsible for leading discussions, creating connections, and developing lesson plans. The peer mentors have the unique opportunity to truly lead a college seminar. Max Lepore, a recent graduate, commented that he grew to be a “better leader, communicator, and co-worker” through the experience and will use these polished skills in the fall when he attends law school.
Student Perspective
Being a first-year honors student can feel overwhelming; however, with this class, many students report feeling supported by not only the program but also their peers who are experiencing similar feelings of uncertainty. Many expressed their love of their discussions and debates that are not only allowed but encouraged within the classroom environment.
Reese Vandyke, one of the honors students enrolled in the course, said, “My favorite discussion was the ‘banana discussion’ where we talked about the genetic diversity of bananas, which turned into a silly debate about bananas as a whole.”
Another student, Tommy Kohn, revealed his appreciation for the tight-knit community. He said, “I enjoy the community aspect of it the most. It feels like a different type of college experience rather than large lecture halls of over 200 students.” He goes on to talk about the classroom dynamic, “I also like how Karleton [senior mentor] watches the peer mentors and provides input on how they can improve. It feels like a holistic learning environment where the peer mentors teach us, and he teaches them.”
As Honors continues to change and evolve, it is clear that the Ideas that Matter program fosters a sense of student community in the Honors College. If you are a student interested in Honors, expect to live with a strong network filled with support and diversity. “There is never a dull moment,” said Karleton Munn.
Get Involved:
For honors students interested in working as peer mentors, the most important thing to do is apply. Second-year mentor Mya Dunlap says, “You never know how much you can grow and learn from an opportunity unless you open the door.” The current mentors are confident that anyone can be a leader, and everyone has the opportunity to flourish in HONOR 1010: Ideas that Matter.
Applications for the peer mentor position open in November with hiring in the spring! Reach out to your Honors advisors (here) for more information, or visit the course catalog for details on the course.
Aspen Delis and McKenna Hall | Journalism Interns, University of Utah Honors College