honorable mention newsletter_print_winter 2014

The Honorable MentionWinter 2015 Edition

Preparing Students for a Global Future

Inside this Issue:

Honorable Mention - WINTER 2015 Edition Page 1

Winter 2015

Page 5: Research Limelight

Page 6: Service Limelight

Page 7: Leadership LimelightPage 8: When You Study AbroadPage 9: The Honors Program Mission & Information

: Experience Honors! Summer Program

Page 4: Honors New Student Retreat

Towards the end of last July, as the campus was beginning the final countdown of weeks and days before the start of a new fall semester, I stood in a hillside village in the mountains of Guatemala thinking about contrasts. This village was a group of perhaps twenty makeshift shelters constructed from US AID tents and sheet metal, the result of the displacement of this indigenous Mayan community by a hurricane that had leveled their previous village almost five years before. About 100 yards away from the village, just down the hill so that the village looked constantly out onto it, sat a massive, immaculately astro-turfed soccer field that was recently built by the government. The empty field was encircled by a fence and locked gates—there was a fee for using it, and it was therefore inaccessible to the villagers who lived adjacent to it.

Contrasts like these—between the rudimentary and the grandiose, the permanent and the provisional–were a constant in Guatemala. Although every culture has these kinds of contrasts, they can be easier to see when we step into unfamiliar territory. This is one of the reasons why I am so excited to be starting a new Honors study abroad program to Guatemala and more generally why we encourage and help to fund students’ study abroad experiences. While the complexities of our own culture often go under our radar, those of other people and places rise to the forefront of our attention, helping us to engage in critical reflection, encouraging us to ask questions and listen to voices that might offer divergent views.

In a world where complexity is only growing and where problems are becoming more global, international experiences provide a context in which students can practice the kinds of thinking, experimenting, and communicating across contrasting viewpoints and realities that are going to be essential to their ability to take the reins of leading us all into the societies of tomorrow.

Amy Story, Director and Associate Professor of Philosophy

Page 3: Exploring Playhouse Square & Holden Arboretum

Page 1: Preparing Students for a Global Future

Page 10: Spring 2015 Events


The Experience Honors Summer Program was a five day, four night introduction to college offered for the first time by the Honors Program last July. The residential program hosted twelve high school juniors and seniors and offered a sampling of various aspects of the higher education environment. The students experimented with a variety of courses taught by BW faculty, including field work with Dr. Melampy examining the effects of deer over-population on native plant species, lab biology with Dr. Monroe examining DNA, and nature writing with Professor Madden. BW Admissions also spoke to the students about the college search and application process and students had the opportunity to write and revise a college admission essay. Additionally, students toured the Cleveland Museum of Art with Professor Michitsch, explored the Cleveland Botanical Gardens, and attended a concert at Wade Oval Wednesday.

Experience the Honors Summer Program!

This was a wonderful experience and I am so much more excited for what

college will bring!

Four students were able to attend the camp for free or for a reduced price through scholarships provided by the Honors Program, Diversity Affairs, and through funds raised by the our student group, the Honors Leadership Board. Due to this wide range of experiences, students expressed feeling significantly more confident in all areas of the college experience. We look forward to hosting this successful program again in July of 2015!

~Student Participant


Fall is one of the most beautiful times of the year, especially in Ohio. In October, we took a trip to Holden Arboretum in Kirtland to experience the breath-taking colors and admire the fall foliage. The living museum was created in 1931; it currently holds over 120,000 different types of plants and covers over 3,600 acres of land that is filled with gorgeous gardens, peaceful ponds and numerous hiking trails. Holden Arboretum serves as an example of the benefits that a sustainable and educational resource can have for its community.

The tour adventures through many of the arboretum’s treasured places and explains the importance of forests and gardens to the Greater Cleveland communities. Some students captured the beauty by snapping pictures; others just enjoyed wandering through the trails covered with fallen leaves. The crisp fall weather gave

students the opportunity to get out into nature and explore the natural beauty of this time of year.

The arboretum reminds everyone that each season has its beautiful moments. Experiences like this help our students pause from their busy schedules, enjoy the simplicity of taking in nature, and relive the childhood nostalgia that comes from playing in the leaves.

As part of the 2014 Fall Symposium Series, the Honors Program organized a walking tour of downtown Cleveland’s Playhouse Square and historic Euclid Avenue. This event united approximately seventy-five students, parents, and alumni together for a breezy Saturday morning in September. The tour was conducted by the Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corporation’s Take a Hike Tours. Playhouse Square is the second largest theatre complex in the United States and has been a cultural gem of Cleveland for the past 92 years. The district continues to grow and expand with the recent additions, which include the world’s largest crystal chandelier, retro 1920s Playhouse Square signage, and Star Plaza’s urban green space.

The Honors Symposium Series is a once-per-semester program that provides an opportunity for students, families, and alumni to engage together in intellectually stimulating experiences. Touring the Playhouse Square District encouraged us to consider Cleveland’s current revitalization in the context of its prominent history.

Honors students playing in the leaves

Honors students, parents & alumni tour the Playhouse Sq. District

Exploring the District of Playhouse Square

Hiking at Holden Arboretum

Students, parents, and alumni should keep an eye out for the invitation to our spring Symposium event: a tour of the Cleveland Public Library on Saturday, February 28. This beautiful 1920’s building is full of history and includes numerous murals, elaborately painted ceilings, and a new, high-tech wing where we will see the latest in 3-D printing in action.

and reflection. Each day saw groups of students involved in team-building activities such as canoeing, archery, a high ropes course, a low ropes course, and a 35 foot tall climbing wall. Quickly, bonds formed, friendships budded, and confidence bloomed. All throughout, peer mentors provided invaluable guidance, and ensured that our experience was perfect. The last night was marked by a talent show that showcased the uniqueness, promise, and gifts of so many diverse and interesting people. By the last night, mass sing-alongs became commonplace, sleep became a low priority, and time dwindled too quickly.

As the retreat came to an end and we headed back to BW to continue our new adventure, I already felt at home. While everybody else was loading boxes into their rooms and saying goodbye to their parents, Honors students were already immersed in a vibrant new assembly of intellect, talent, ambition, and authenticity. As my first semester at BW draws to a close, I look back on the retreat with fondness, thankfulness, and an appreciation for how much it helped to prepare the newest members of the Honors Program. Many of my friendships that were fostered there, still burn brightly. The retreat exemplifies what the Honors Program is…a community.


The Honors Program retreat was extraordinarily helpful in easing one of the largest transitions that a student will ever face…from the world of school buses, morning announcements, and assemblies to that of residence life, fifteen minute walks to class, and professors. On the first day of the retreat, I set off toward BW to turn the page on a new chapter. From the moment I arrived at my residence hall, Honors peer mentors stood smiling and ready to help me move in. During what could have been chaos, the peer mentors and Honors staff set my mind at ease with kind words, genuine welcomes, and hearty chuckles.

Throughout the retreat, we were placed into various small groups for meaningful conversation

Class of 2018 at

Honors Retreat

Our First-Year Retreat BY CAMERON CABOT ‘18

Honors Students enjoying a canoe ride

As the retreat came to an end and we headed back to BW to continue our new adventure,

I already felt at home.~Cameron Cabot

conducive spinal cord injury. If this drug is administered to the spinal system, it helps the system recover functions in a shorter amount of time. Ben is published in the academic journal Nature as a co-author with Dr. Bradley Lang and has another article accepted pending revision in Neuroscience.

After graduation, Ben intends to pursue a joint MD and PhD program that is geared towards biomedical research. He believes that utilizing both degrees will better allow him to provide a more holistic approach to both research and patient care. He has already been accepted to two programs and has interviews lined up with several more. Ben wants to create a direct impact on people and down the line he sees himself as a principal investigator performing research at a university and seeing patients in a clinic.

Ben stated, “I know a lot of ‘A’ students here and it is not necessary to attend a huge university with a big name; you want to go to a school where the faculty are invested in you. I would not have had the opportunities I have had if it weren’t for those close connections.”


Research Limelight Benjamin Brown ‘15

Benjamin Brown awaiting results in the Neuroscience Lab

Senior Benjamin Brown knew that he wanted to study neuroscience in high school, specifically so he could enter the medical field. So when it came time to choose a college or university to attend, Baldwin Wallace was towards the very top of that list. He stated that the neuroscience program at BW was well-established and that the price would be affordable for him.

Ben is currently a neuroscience and chemistry major with a minor in math and has been involved with research since his first year at BW. Ben advises, “When you first begin research, you go into a project and you have to learn that it is going to be tedious and you are going to fail. You have to get used to that and keep pushing forward. Don’t be discouraged by failure.”

Ben says that the Honors Program has helped him in two specific ways. The first is the hands-on experiences that the program provides through their unique courses and extracurricular offerings. Through taking the class, “Invisible Americans,” he was able to work one-on-one with the Lake Erie Native American Council to compile research on the culture of the tribes to make it more accessible for their children. Ben also states the funding that is available to Honors students makes a great difference, and allowed for him to help pay for lab equipment and present at conferences. It was at the Society for Neuroscience conference in San Diego that Ben met a research group from Case Western Reserve University, who soon after offered him a research internship.

At Case, Ben works with Jerry Silver, a national leader of spinal cord injury and various graduate students to develop a drug that will help fix

When you first begin research, you go into a project and you have to learn that it is going to be tedious and you are going to fail. You have to get used to that and keep pushing forward.

Don’t be discouraged by failure.~Benjamin Brown


Service Limelight Kristina DeGirolamo ‘16Junior Kristina DeGirolamo has been

around Baldwin Wallace University since she was a child. When it came time to choosing a school to attend, she recalls those moments of running around the Bonds Administration building as a child while visiting her mother who worked in University Relations. “At that time,” Kristina began, “the campus felt so foreign, and yet it felt like home to me.” It was that small community feel, where everyone knew each other’s names, that drew her to attend BW as a student. She also loved the idea of receiving a liberal arts education where she could become well-developed in a wide range of areas rather than just specializing in one.

Kristina, an English major with minors in education and Spanish, is involved in various ongoing service-related projects. Currently, she volunteers at Middleburg Heights Junior High School with students who are struggling in the classroom. She focuses her teaching on helping students see how the material can be applied to today’s world, specifically within their own lives.

Last year, as part of an Alternative Spring Break Trip, Kristina traveled to Biloxi, Mississippi to rebuild homes in the area, and this spring Kristina will be leading BW students on a trip to Parisburg, Virginia where they will work on the Appalachian Trail doing trail maintenance and invasive species removal. Their goal is to work with the environment and make it a better place, not just ecologically, but also in terms of safety. Kristina advocates, “Service is an opportunity that allows a person to engage with a community and actively work towards personal and societal growth.” Kristina has also coordinated Pink Ribbon philanthropy events for her sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, and serves as a peer mentor for the Honors Program.

The Honors Program has supported Kristina in that the required courses have helped her develop skills in cultural diversity, critical thinking, and research, which she

then applies to her own specialization. The greatest influence it has had on her is the sense of community that is instilled within the program, especially in the Honors Residence Hall. Kristina stated, “The Honors Program has given me the ability to work with students who are diverse and yet have a similar passion for education. It has allowed me to become more proactive in my college career and take advantage of opportunities in order to make it the most productive four years.”

After graduation Kristina hopes to find a position teaching high school English or with Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). In five years, she sees herself working towards a master’s degree in education, working in a classroom setting or in a community-based position. She plans to stay engaged with the community in which she lives and continue to be a part of its development process.

Kristina (middle-left) rebuilding homes in Biloxi, Mississppi

Service is an opportunity that allows a person to engage with a community and actively work towards personal and

societal growth.~Kristina DeGirolamo

Leadership Limelight


Senior Kevin Warman came to Baldwin Wallace University in 2011 with a strong interest in sustainability and strengthening the community’s approach to environmental issues. Raised in Strongsville, Ohio he is currently majoring in international studies, political science, and sustainability. His family has a long history with BW as both his great-grandfather and brother graduated from the university; his father also works for the university’s Building and Grounds department.

Aside from the academic programs that BW offers, Kevin also finds the university’s ties to history and values to be refreshing, haven stated that “BW is one of those schools that really birthed tradition.” He highlights BW’s history of serving and accepting diverse populations regardless of race and gender as one of the many demonstrations of what the institution stands to represent. That concern for social justice is what really drew him to this campus to begin his undergraduate career, and has served as a springboard for the many leadership roles that he has held in his time here.

While an honors student all through high school, Kevin did not join the Honors Program until spring semester of his freshman year, which came at the nomination of one of his professors. Since joining the Honors Program at BW, Kevin stated, “I have been given the opportunity to travel, perform research, and work closely with students. The three pillars [research, service, leadership] are really great for instilling a stronger sense of character.”

Kevin joined student government during his first semester at BW, serving on both the rules and sustainability committees. His junior year, he served as the student body Vice-President, and currently serves as student body President. During Kevin’s time at BW he has participated in service groups such as the Office of Community Outreach and Project Affinity, which is a social justice service program based in the greater Cleveland area. He has also participated as a fellow in BW’s own Center for Innovation and Growth (CIG).

After graduation, Kevin is considering joining the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps. He knows that one day he would like to return to the classroom as a student or teacher, and is considering graduate school programs in political science or international politics. When asked how Kevin would define leadership, he stated, “Leadership isn’t easy to define, and there is no one definition. To me, it means making an impact on something or someone and then in turn, inspiring others to take on new leadership roles or opportunities.”

Student Body President Kevin Warman with VP Annette Fetter

KEVIN WARMAN ‘15

Leadership isn’t easy to define, and there is no one definition. To me, it means making an impact on something or someone and then in turn, inspiring others to take on new leadership roles

or opportunities.~Kevin Warman

Since returning, I often think about the coolest things I did in Europe, like running on the track in Olympia, Greece, seeing the spot where Caesar died in Rome, taking a gondola ride in Venice, eating dinner at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich, having the Mona Lisa smile at me, or seeing new, innovative theatre in London. I was incredibly fortunate to go through each one these experiences and in the best possible ways, they changed me, made me see the world as this vibrant, dazzling place. The moments where I said thank you to the waiter in Italian, or tried a new food, only to find out I loved it, have in some ways transformed me into a citizen of the world.

Studying abroad is an incredible opportunity to discover more about who you are as a person and how you fit into the world. You see things that you spent hours learning about, you remember why they are important, and you continue to remember it long after you have planted your feet back on American soil. You don’t end a study abroad trip; you may physically leave the country, but you carry with you moments that will forever impact you for the better.


Why wake up in your own bed, when you can wake up in a flurry of sheets in Athens, or Rome or Paris? When I went on the Seminar in Europe trip last spring, I did just that. In classes before the trip I felt a thrill because I was learning about things I would be seeing, in real life with my own two eyes, within weeks. I rolled into the airport that day, a bundle of excitement, to see the lobby filled with the smiling faces from my class, sitting in chairs and on floor tiles, waiting, just as we had been doing for months for what people kept telling us would be, perhaps, the coolest trip of our lives. We just didn’t know then how right those people were.

When people come back from a trip to Europe, they often say, “Europe is so old.” What I think they mean when they say that is that in the shadow of the Eiffel tower, the Parthenon, Westminster Abbey, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, or Neuschwanstein Castle, you get a sense of all the people who have stood there before you. Suddenly, it’s not just you at a place, instead it’s you as a part of this place’s long history, just a blink in the life of these works and places.

Sydney Crago at the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy

When You Study AbroadBY SYDNEY CRAGO ‘16

Sydney in front of Parliament in England

Studying abroad is an incredible opportunity to discover more about who you are as a person and how

you fit into the world.~Sydney Crago

Support the Honors Program

The Honors Program MissionThe Baldwin Wallace Honors Program embraces

a philosophy of education grounded in the ideas of American philosopher John Dewey. Dewey envisioned education not as a preparation for some future activity or profession but as the very height of living an engaged and social life. Education at its best is interdisciplinary and experiential and aims to create relevant and transformational experiences that challenge worldviews and encourage intellectual exploration.

Following Dewey, the Honors Program strives for a learning environment both inside and outside the classroom that engages the whole student, seeks to connect theoretical ideas to real-world applications, fosters independent thinking, and brings students together into a community of scholars. We achieve these aims through the pillars of student-directed research, service, and leadership development.

The Baldwin Wallace Honors Program seeks to educate the whole student through providing educational experiences that allow a student to be engaged with interdisciplinary approaches and hands-on application. With direct access to the Cleveland community and now abroad in Guatemala, opportunities for student success are endless. The Honors Program offers financial support to all of our students for high-impact experiences such as study abroad, alternative break service trips, travel to conferences for presenting research, and for the purchase of research supplies.

With generous investments from donors like you, the Honors Program can further expand its effort to create lasting partnerships both near and far for our students to gain practical, real-world experiences and forge new relationships with the community and its members. If you are interested in supporting the Honors Program and its mission, please contact us by email at [email protected] or call us at 440-826-2242.

Honors Chemistry Cooking Class in action


Spring 2015 Calendar of Events

Senior Reading DinnerSunday, Feb. 22 | 6pm | President Helmer’s House

Spring Symposium Series: Explore the Cleveland Public LibrarySaturday, Feb. 28 | 10:30pm-12:30pm

Leadership and Career Development WorkshopSaturday, Mar. 21 | 9am-12pm | Strosacker Union

Super Senior Saturday: Experience HonorsSaturday, Mar. 28 | 1pm-5pm | Student Activities Center

Mid-East Honors Association Annual ConferenceSaturday, Apr.11–12 | Kent State University

Ovation Pinning CeremonyThursday, Apr. 30 | TBD | TBD

Presidents’ Day Honors ExplorationMonday, Feb. 16 | 12pm | Center for Innovation & Growth

Cleveland Public Library Downtown Branch

End of Year CelebrationFriday, Apr. 24 | TBD | TBD

President Helmer leading Ovation Pinning Ceremony


[email protected] | (440) 826-2242 | bw.edu/academics/honors

Honors ProgramBaldwin Wallace Unviersity275 Eastland RoadBerea, OH 44017

Follow us:@BWHonors

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