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Immersive class documenting history of Honors College

<p>The Honors College provides distinctive learning experiences for students of high academic promise. Every year, approximately 340 new students enter the program.<strong> Rachel Ellis, DN</strong></p>

The Honors College provides distinctive learning experiences for students of high academic promise. Every year, approximately 340 new students enter the program. Rachel Ellis, DN

Students and faculty in one immersive learning course have come together to honor the 60th anniversary of the Honors College with a project. 

Dr. Michael Doyle and graduate assistant Nathan Rivers are supervising ten students of different majors to interview alumni and past administration of the Honors College. Their goal is to compile a historical record of Ball State’s Honors College, something that does not exist today. 

Melissa Kraman, a student interviewer involved with the project, says the work being done by her and her classmates is important. 

“Oral history is so critical to society. We need to continue to record and gather the memories of people before they leave this earth,” said Kraman. 

Each student will conduct three two-hour interviews which will be posted on Ball State’s Digital Media Repository as a valuable resource for posterity. Students and faculty hope to show the evolution of the Honors College and how it influenced individuals throughout the years. 

One alumnus, Dr. Scott B. Saxman, hopes the stories of each alumni help guide students as they continue their academic career here at Ball State. 

“If it helps students or potential students make choices for themselves for things that work for themselves, then I think it would have been successful,” said Saxman.

The immersive learning project has taught students the importance of conversation and allowed them to listen and learn to the mistakes and triumphs of those before them. Their findings of the project will be presented at Ball State’s Mid-Eastern Honors Association Conference from April 5-7.