Dr. Kathleen Hunzer described the structure of the UWRF Honors Program and how it prepares students for life beyond college. Her overview was followed by a talk by Madelyn Retzlaff, an Honors Program student who earned some of her Honors volunteer hours by building a webpage for Jumpstart To Literacy. The presentation, as well as the work she did for Jumpstart, connects to her Marketing Communications major.
Honors Program students must perform volunteer hours that help the community. Since Rotary supports Jumpstart to Literacy, the work to create the website was very much appreciated.
Because the university saw that the Student Honors Program was not working as they wanted, UWRF completely revamped the program under Dr. Hunzer's leadership. With the old program, students struggled to find the classes they needed to take in order to stay in the Honors Program, and transfer students could not be admitted to the Honors Program. Under the new version the students had to choose courses in five core competencies, but not specific courses; and transfer students could enter the program. The motto was DO BETTER, NOT MORE. Students needed a 27 ACT or a 3.75 or be in the top 10% of their class to be admitted. Each year 120-150 students enter the Honors Program. The average GPA is 3.81. During any year there are 500 students in the Honors Program across the four classes.
About Kathleen Hunzer: Dr. Hunzer directs the Honors Program on campus as well as two of UWRF's premier scholarships: Falcon Scholars and Chancellor’s Scholars. Prior to this administrative position, she was a professor of English focusing on writing, rhetoric, film, women’s studies, and disability studies.
About the Student: Madelyn Retzlaff is a senior Marketing Communications major from Appleton, WI. In addition to her volunteering to build the webpage, she most recently was one of our volunteer Peer Academic Leaders who acted as a mentor for students from our College of Arts and Sciences whose GPAs were low, putting them at risk of having to leave college.