The Schedler Honors College hosted its annual Welcome Week luncheon Aug. 19, providing students the opportunity to mingle with peers and professors. 

According to UCA’s website, Schedler Honors College is known for its interdisciplinary curriculum and its commitment to diversity and inclusion. 

Bo Blew, associate director of recruitment and student programming for the Honors College, said, “The college has always been really focused on community” and the annual welcome banquet acts “as a way for students to kind of come together and have a meal… because on Welcome Week you can’t get everyone in one room.”

The banquet is a keystone event of the fall retreat. This year, events for the retreat included mentor games, “brave space” lectures, academic sessions, college tours and a free trip to the Woolly Hollow State Park in Greenbrier where students were encouraged to swim, kayak and hike to make friends with fellow incoming honor students.

After getting to know each other, students were asked to participate in the annual welcome banquet to connect with faculty, professors, pedagogical assistants and other honors students while being offered food catered by staff from the UCA Christian Cafeteria. 

Faculty, staff and upperclassmen shared their thoughts about the honors college.

Freshman Kiely Thomas said she applied to the Honors College because she wanted to be a part of a community “with fellow-minded students.” 

She said she liked the interdisciplinary learning the Honors College offers and that UCA in general “provides so many opportunities” and “makes sure everything is fair and that every student is treated properly and that they have accommodations.”

Freshman Adam Littel said he first applied to the college for the opportunity it presented him.

“The help from people in there is going to be the best thing for me,” Littel said. “Because they’re in honors, they’re all driven academically.” 

Anthropology and performance studies professor Adam Frank also attended the banquet.

Frank said, “Sharing food together is an important ritual for people, especially when they don’t know each other.” 

Frank said he is famous in the honors college for having his students participate in improvisation activities as a part of the class structure. 

Frank said students undergo a rough learning phase, but ultimately open up and appreciate the exercises as the semester progresses.