November 10, 2025
Newsletter link: https://mailchi.mp/28bb305a2956/this-week-in-honors
We welcome our intrepid explorers back from San Diego this week. If you know someone who went, ask them about their trip!
Retaliaturkey Action and Seasonal Solidarity
In our last newsletter, I mentioned the explosion of Christmas decor while the leaves are still gloriously red, orange, and yellow across campus. In celebration of the harvest season of thankfulness before winter, I put out the call for a bit of retaliaturkey action. (Thank you, Jon Coulson for that brilliant term!) I was delighted by the response.
As always, your creativity, joy, and willingness to play along with my silliness are always more than appreciated.
Click the image for the larger version.
~V
- Life of the Mind
- This Week in Honors
- Advising Announcements
- Service Announcements
- Self-Care
- HSA
- Neat Stuff
Life of the Mind
On to serious things! Or more serious? We have two upcoming events for the Life of the Mind series that are guaranteed to be entertaining and thought provoking.
10 Films Every Honors Student Should Watch: Faculty Face-Off
10 films, 10 honors profs, 5 minutes each to convince a panel of honors students that their film is essential viewing, and all of it in an irreverent competition where you get to give the grade. Door prizes and excellent snacks!
Time Correction: Wednesday, November 12 at 4:30 pm in ADW 1104. (Add to calendar) 
AI, Automated Futures, and the Technopolitics of Education in the Algorithmic Age
Which is simultaneously daunting and intriguing to me. Actually, that's kind of how I feel about AI in general. We have AI; we can't go back. Explore how AI is not just automating work, but influencing the way we think, learn, and live.
Time and Location Correction: Tuesday, November 18 at 4:30pm in SE 3126. (Add to calendar)
This Week in Honors
The usual suspects.
Learning Lounges
Gaggle
De-Stress Thursday will be movie night. Wicked? Maybe?
Advising Announcements
We're changing how you show up for your appointment and walk-ins. From now on, DO NOT GO DIRECTLY TO YOUR ADVISOR'S OFFICE. Check in at the front desk, and have a seat in our glorious new reception area. - FYI Meagan has updated appointment hours on Starfish.
- Deadline to drop class(es) to receive WP/WF Grade, Friday, Nov 14
Must have Instructor and Advisor permission to drop class(es). Part of Term: Full Term (FT), Pharmacy - Deadline to drop class(es) to receive W-Grade, Friday, Nov 14
No Instructor permission required to drop class(es). Part of Term: General - Second 8wks, Accelerated Online - Term 2, Nurs - Term 2
Service Announcements
- The Ethics Bowl approaches! The actual event is January 31, 2026, but there will be many service opportunities in preparation as well: An orientation to what Ethics Bowl is, supporting practices with each of the four schools participating this round, and a dry run training session to get familiar with some of the technology that supports match-running and score-keeping. Sound interesting? For more information, contact Tori Walters.
- Reminder: Service Hours should now be reported through Suitable for all honors students.
- Go to the Suitable app or website.
- Tap the three-lines icon, bottom right or at the website, check the left-side menu for "Forms"
- Go to "Forms"
- Look for the service hours form, and select.
- Follow the directions to submit.
- Once a month, we offer a chance to earn suitable points by submitting service hours through the "Activities" section. It's titled "[Month] Service Hours" and it will take you to the same form you use for regular service submissions, just by way of a points activity. For questions, please contact vhovers@siue.edu.
Health Hacks
At this time of year, temperatures drop and stressors tend to rise. Everyday tasks can begin to snowball and overwhelm us. Here in Honors, we love to push ourselves, but are you taking care of yourself? Here are some wellness hacks for the overachiever in you as we approach the final stretch!!
Honors Student Association
Needing service hours? Feeling the urge to craft? You're in luck! HSA's 3rd community meeting is also a service opportunity! On Tuesday, November 18th, 6-8 pm, come make cards for senior citizens, while also watching the movie you all voted for on Instagram (@siuehsa) and drinking hot chocolate! While basic crafting supplies will be provided, feel free to bring more fun stuff—like stickers, stamps, etc.!
Neat Stuff
- Jon Coulson's (of Retaliaturkey Action fame) Honors class sponsored the Cougar Mini-Cupboard in the library for the rest of the semester, and they're excited to decorate and contribute to it. Jon is extending that invite to you, our JMHP family, both because of our strong volition to support our community, and because the need is going to be greater than normal this month as SNAP benefits have been politicized/delayed. Just in October, the Cougar Cupboards distributed over 3,300 pounds of food! Anyone interesting in contributing can contribute their canned goods, individually wrapped snacks, unopened peanut butter, cups of noodles or mac’n’cheese, and more directly to the box near the vending machines on the lower level of the Lovejoy Library.
- Open to all majors! Join the Criminal Justice Studies department for a trip to Greece this summer, May 17-28, 2026. More info here: https://siue.studioabroad.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgramAngular&id=12108
