The Honors College at Bluefield State requires ongoing extra-curricular enrichment as part of its rigorous enhanced education program. The following program outlines a flexible point system that enables Honors Scholars to realize the mission statement of the Honors College program while complementing their educational experience at Bluefield State University.
Ongoing participation in the Honors College will require the Honors Scholar to achieve annually twenty-five (25) Honors Points to be documented and submitted annually in an Honors College Extracurricular Enhancement form (in Excel) to the Honors College Director. These points may also be acquired through summer and intersession activities officially documented and reported to the Honors College by August 1 annually.
There will be six qualifying Honors Point categories. They are the following:
- Honors College Events and Colloquia;
- Intellectual Breadth and Depth;
- Local and Global Civic Engagement;
- Diversity and Intercultural Awareness;
- Academic and Professional Development; and
- Health and Well-Being.
Please note that events and points used for one category cannot also be counted for another category.
Each calendar year, Honors Scholars are required to complete a minimum of eight (8) points for Category 1: Honors College Events and Colloquia, six (6) points for Category 2: Local and Global Civic Engagement, and six (6) honors points for Category 3: Intellectual Breadth and Depth. The remaining ten points may be acquired from any category or qualifying activity. However, activities, events, or projects credited for one category may not also be credited simultaneously for another. Honors points are distinct, exclusive, and separate from credit hours for honors-enhanced coursework.
Awards, honors, inductions, scholarships, and participation in events must be documented or reported by a relevant authorized document, organizing official, ticket, presentation, or report. Ten-minute reports must be either presented visually (either live or recorded) using presentation software or written in expository prose in either MLA or APA style. These can and will serve as Honors College colloquia and events.
Throughout the year, Honors Scholars will keep and maintain an Honors College Portfolio of the events, awards, and activities they have accomplished throughout the year, as well as the points assigned to each. At the end of the academic year, or August 1st, students will submit their annual Honors Point Portfolio in a digital format to honors@bluefieldstate.edu. All relevant documents should be scanned or combined in a compressed archive (.zip) file. These documents must accompany a typewritten Portfolio Summary in which Honors Scholars summarize their activity and point equivalencies for the past year.
1. Honors College-Endorsed Events and Colloquia: (Annual Goal: Eight Honors Points)
Participate in an engaged intellectual living-learning community through shared learning experiences among faculty, staff, students, scholars, and professionals. Honors College-sponsored or partnered events will include periodic colloquia, events, lectures, and outings that support its Mission Statement. These may also include student-organized events or Honors Scholars’ presentations or performances. The points for these events will be determined based on their requirements and time commitments. Honors College will also award points for suggested events not organized by the Honors College or by the wider campus community.
2. Intellectual Breadth and Depth: (Annual Goal: Six Honors Points)
Foster intellectual breadth and depth in students through a broad but integrated educational program, one that joins reading, writing, research, critical thinking, and debate in the liberal arts and sciences or with the student’s specific discipline and focused program of study. Activities engaged in to earn points should not (have been) required for curricular coursework.
- Attend an extra-curricular debate, lecture, research presentation (live/virtual/streaming): (1 point)
- Attend a (live/virtual/streaming) tour or public museum, performance, creative space, installation, concert, art/music festival: (1 point)
- Report on a significant historical event and its broader social, political, or cultural impact: (2 points)
- Report or present one of the Intelligence Squared Debates and explain why you think the winner won and/or why you agree or disagree: (2 points)
- Report or present one of BFI’s 100 Greatest Films from world cinema after seeing it: (2 points)
- Report or present one of librarian Philip Ward’s 500 Greatest Books–or a portion of one—after reading it: (2 points)
- Report or present on a science documentary film or series and why you think its lessons are
significant to your health, environment, or worldview. (2 points) - Publicly perform, publish, or present a visual, filmic, musical, digital, dramatic, or literary work at an organized event: (2 points)
- Record and present an interview with professional artist, musician, creative, designer, or performer about their work: (2 points)
- Partake in an extra-curricular lab or research project under faculty supervision: (2 points)
3. Local and Global Civic Engagement (Annual Goal: Six Honors Points)
The student will seek to understand how social, economic, and political actions affect both local and global communities towards addressing problems and promoting communitarian well-being. The individual is an informed, open-minded, and responsible citizen who is attentive to improving the communities in which they live.
- Serve as a Residential Assistant or Honors College student representative for year: (8 points)
- Participation in and completion of the Soliya Program or Global Circles or other virtual learning activity (e.g., Collaborative Online International Learning): (5 points)
- Active ongoing participation in a non-athletic student, campus, or community organization for the academic year. A list can be found here: https://bluefieldstate.edu/community/activitiesorganizations: (3 points).
- Active ongoing participation in Gamma Beta Phi Public Service Honors Society or Alpha Chi
- Active participation and volunteer work in a civic organization (Rotary/Rotaract, Bluefield Union Mission, Bluefield Beautification Commission, Salvation Army, CASE West Virginia, Chamber of Commerce, church/religious organization, etc.): (1 point per hour of service contribution)
- Take a leadership or officer position in a campus organization or chartered national/international organization (e.g., Rotary, etc.) for the year (6 points).
- Volunteering on campus, or at a library, school, or athletic organization as a tutor, coach, or assistant: (1 point per hour of service contribution)
- Recognition or award for civic engagement: (3 points)
4. Diversity and Intercultural Awareness: (No Required Annual Goal)
The student will learn to value, respect, and learn from diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and religions. S/he demonstrates openness, inclusiveness, sensitivity, and the ability to interact respectfully with all people and understand others’ differences.
- Complete the Soliya Program: (5 points)
- Participation in the International Students Organization/Open House cultural event: (1 point)
- Participation in Big Blue Pride / LGBTQ Organization meeting or event: (1 point)
- Participation in African American History Month activities and programming (2 points)
- Reporting unique discoveries/experiences from international travel: (2 points)
- Internship, programming, activity, or service work in the Office of Student Affairs on equal opportunity,
- Active creation or participation in an event that promotes equal opportunity, equity, diversity, or
- Reporting attendance/witnessing/participating in a collective ritual or worship ceremony for a religion or religious sect significantly different from one’s own. (Report must compare and explain differences between religions/sects and their ritual worship): (2 points)
- Participation in a study abroad program (either virtual or at an international location; 5 points)
5. Academic and Professional Development: (No Required Annual Goal)
The student will engage in academic and professional development through research, presentations, scholarships, internships, study abroad, awards, organizational leadership, honor societies, and employment. (It does not include honors-enhanced credits or coursework.)
- Complete an extra-curricular professional internship, student/professional conference, or seminar. Ask your professors about internships in the area. More information on finding and applying for internships can be found here: internships.com and here (https://www.internshipfinder.com/): (5 points)
- Maintain ongoing part-time employment throughout the academic year: (5 points)
- Present/publish an extra-curricular debate, lecture, or research project: (3 points)
- Receive an academic award, scholarship, or fellowship, or be inducted into an honors society. More information on finding and applying for these can be found at fastweb.com: (3 points)
- Develop, maintain, grow, or change a small business or non-profit organization (5 points)
- Receive special recognition at a place of employment, such as Employee of the Month, Special Commendation, workplace promotion, etc: (2 points)
6. Health and Well-Being: (No Required Annual Goal)
The Honors Scholar seeks to maintain healthy mental, physical, financial, and emotional states, contributing to overall wellness for the student and public health.
- Documented active and ongoing participation in an official wellness program, sports team, or fitness class for the academic year: (4 points)
- Receive special recognition for athletic performance: (2 points)
- Teach a fitness course in a recognized sports or athletic facility: (1 point per class to 4 points)
- Participation in Suicide Awareness Organization or Suicide Awareness month activities: (2 points)