First of six stories
By Rick Vacek | April 8, 2024
Dr. Donal Skinner likes to ask prospective Hobson Wildenthal Honors College students a simple question:
“Why would you want to do Honors?”
If they’re not sure, the Honors College dean has a ready answer.
“Honors allows students to really realize their fullest potential and makes them think about things in a different way,” he said. “It can really help open their minds, and I’ve seen this firsthand.”
He has seen it in two ways during his 15 months at The University of Texas at Dallas.
First, research:
“The possibilities here are just unparalleled, in my experience. We prize undergraduate research in general. Many universities would say that, but I think few have a culture in the faculty of taking undergrads into their labs. It’s almost an expectation here – they’re seen as a real bonus. And if they’re Honors students, they’re seen as a special bonus.”
Second, in his view, is a bonus that goes a long way to attract students: the emphasis on trips overseas to study.
“The other thing that drew me to UTD was a deep commitment to the international side,” he said. “I have a vision in Honors that every student will have an international experience.”
Students can readily see Skinner’s vision in his weekly newsletter, which regularly contains news about research and studying abroad. And then his budget, set by the Office of the Provost, underlines it that much more.
“Dean Skinner has opened a lot more opportunities for us,” neuroscience senior Aditi Manjrekar said. “Because of the stipends he’s allotting for these opportunities, a lot of students are able to take hold of them. I’m sure lots of people wouldn’t be able to study abroad or do research over the summer and be able to pay for the housing if they didn’t have that stipend.”
The ultimate payoff: They can find valuable experiences on campus, in the community, across the state, in the nation’s capital and around the world. Just about everywhere, really.
The “why” is right there for the taking.
It shouldn’t take long for visitors to the newly redesigned Honors College website to see the multitude of programs and opportunities, particularly in research and studying abroad.
Neuroscience sophomore Giana Abraham noted how easy it is to get involved in research thanks to three offerings:
Skinner’s newsletter frequently features a list of professors looking for research help during the summer.
Ethan Conner, a math and physics junior, said URAP helped him get a project fully funded with Dr. Stephen E. McKeown, assistant professor of mathematical sciences.
Opportunities for international study, as well as elsewhere in the United States, are available through the Office of Distinguished Scholarships and Study Abroad, a partnership with the Office of International Education.
Skinner credits Dr. Juan E. González, dean of graduate education, vice provost for global engagement and the Francis S. Johnson Chair for Graduate Education, and Sara Spiegler, director of the Office of International Education, for their assistance in arranging the popular Maymester Programs and Summer Programs – opportunities for a shorter stretch of study overseas.
Manjrekar took advantage of the Study Abroad stipends to go to Seville, Spain, in May 2023. This year, she’s headed to London and Scotland.
Those are the types of stories that delight Skinner the most.
“Both of these – the research side and the international side – require deep commitments from the provost and the president,” he said. “I genuinely feel this university has the leadership that recognizes the value of those things in terms of making a student’s resume just glow.
“I could have all these dreams and aspirations, but you have to have a very committed and visionary leadership to make those kinds of things possible. UTD is making this affordable for all.”
Incoming students in the Honors College tend to be just as committed as the University.
“The majority of them are just very driven with their academics and their future plans,” said Josh Kreuter, an Honors program specialist since 2019. “It’s interesting, the difference you see now – they have to have a plan. Freshmen coming in already know what they’re going to be doing in four, five, six years, and they base their academics around that.”
Thus, Kreuter’s advice to them usually centers around the basics of academics – keeping track of their hours and class requirements. But he has seen something else during Honors activities:
“When I’ve asked students to help another student, I’ve never had a student say they’re too busy.”
That attitude was reflected when current students were asked what they would tell younger counterparts considering the Honors College.
“I think there are a lot of people who are in the Honors program but don’t read the emails or take advantage of the opportunities we have,” Manjrekar said. “I would tell people, ‘Use them rather than let them pass by and then find out in your senior year, ‘Oh, that’s something I could have done.’ Be active and get where you want to be.”
Abraham emphasized the social standpoint: “How much you put in is what you’re going to get out. There are a lot of things that people don’t realize until they get involved. If you find your community by getting involved in clubs and getting involved in activities, you’ll make lifelong friends. You’ll get to hang out with them and have meaningful experiences.”
Then there’s the overarching goal: a career. That brings us to yet another benefit of UT Dallas and the Honors College – connections to top-quality internships.
After working at two internships last year, one in the medical field and the other in the arts and design world, biology junior Samar Ahmed discovered that her heart is in becoming a doctor rather than going into medical illustration.
“I feel like if I didn’t push myself to get those real-world experiences, I wouldn’t have figured out that I don’t want to go into the arts for a career,” she said.
It’s yet another example of why that question Skinner asks prospective students is condensed and placed at the top of the Honors website:
Why Honors?
The answer: All of the above.
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