Required of all freshmen Honors Scholars
Teamwork and communication skills are integral to academic and career success. With this in mind, Honors Colloquium will focus on the development of communities and communication. The course will allow students to interact with and explore the various communities that comprise their world at UB. Once a week you will get together with the community of freshmen Honors Scholars and teaching assistants. You will also develop teamwork and leadership skills as you work within a small group of five students. The Community Service Project for the course encompasses the broader community of UB and the Western New York area. The course’s service-learning component will focus on the city of Buffalo and will include guest speakers as well as tours of the city itself.
The course will utilize Blackboard CourseInfo, a web-based program that allows students to access course information online and to communicate with their classmates, groups, and instructors via virtual classrooms, email and discussion boards. The course also aims to familiarize students with the UB technology systems as well as improve their search strategies and knowledge of the resources available in the University libraries.
Most of the course will center on the group Community Service Project. Working within small groups, students will select a community service project that is both service-oriented and issue-based. The project must demonstrate teamwork and provide service of approximately 15-20 hours PER PERSON to a worthy institution. In addition, each group will also research a substantial issue relating to the project. Near the end of the semester, the groups will present their project to the class with each group member speaking at these presentations.
Colloquium also serves in part as an ongoing orientation to University life. Consequently, the course will touch on several student issues, including campus resources, academic advisement, mentor/mentee relationships, and career development.