Welcome Letter

Welcome to the Honors College at Bowling Green State University.  My name is Dr. Heath Diehl, and I am a faculty member in the Honors College.

The Honors tradition at BGSU spans forty years and remains firmly committed to creating a community of scholars by providing opportunities for intellectual and personal growth in a unique environment that supports curiosity, exploration, and thoughtfulness. As a member of the Honors College, you will be expected to challenge your pre-existing beliefs, to think creatively, and to engage meaningfully with a community of like-minded individuals.

As a faculty member who has taught Honors courses for nearly two decades, I am writing this letter to offer some advice that I think not only will help prepare you for your Honors experience, but also will make that experience more meaningful across your years at BGSU.  If you plan to be a part of the Honors College in the Fall, we just ask you to complete the Honors Acceptance Agreement.

Let’s begin with the proverbial elephant in the room: namely, we’re living in difficult times that likely make this moment of transition from high school to college even more daunting, challenging, and scary. While none of us can completely take away the fear or the anxiety that you assign to our current circumstances, you can use the critical thinking skills that we emphasize within the Honors College to help you more effectively navigate these difficult and scary times.

Sometimes critical thinking is nothing more than using your “common sense.” Heed the advice (or, the mandates) of experts. Think (but don’t worry) about what you can control, and let go of those things that are outside of your immediate control. Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others. (Exercise the Golden Rule, in other words.) This may not be “rocket science,” but it will allow you to live in a more grounded way through these uncertain times.

Be mindful of the information you consume and share. Most of us are anxious about what tomorrow (or, the next day) might bring. We don’t want to exacerbate these fears and anxieties by spreading misinformation. Check the credibility and reliability of your sources—we certainly have the time on our hands to do so! Ask questions and arm yourself with knowledge. Engage (albeit at a distance) with others in an intellectual community.

Know when to stop critically thinking, remove yourself from the larger world, and just recharge your own batteries.

When I reflect on what sets Honors students apart from non-Honors students, the difference often is not how “smart” the students are, as I have encountered many highly intelligent students who opt not to be part of the Honors College. Neither is it that Honors students get better grades than non-Honors students, as, again, I have experienced many non-Honors students who earn high marks in their coursework, as well as many Honors students who earn good (but not exemplary) marks in their courses. What, for me, sets Honors students apart from the pack is a particular approach to their education, one that is characterized by four distinct behaviors.

First, successful Honors students exhibit an unwavering commitment to intellectual curiosity both within and outside of the classroom. Our students place a high priority on asking thoughtful and thought-provoking questions, and exhibit not simply a willingness, but a need to travel down rabbit holes (metaphorically-speaking, of course) and pursue answers to those questions regardless of how long that journey might take, or where it eventually might lead. Our students, in short, do not just tick boxes, but they are pioneers in their own educational journeys.

Second, successful Honors students are brave in word and deed. Of course, we won’t ask you to train in Defense Against the Dark Arts and embark on a quest to defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. (Not everyone can be a Hermione, after all!) But we will ask you to take risks, to be vulnerable, to be audacious, and always to push yourself outside of your current comfort zone in order to grapple with new people, places, ideas, and belief systems. In Honors, we believe that true learning can begin only once you’ve stepped into the unknown and embraced the uncomfortable.

Third, successful Honors students model integrity in their interactions with the world around them. Our students demonstrate a marked commitment to identifying their core values and exploring how those values drive and shape their experiences in the everyday. Our students place equal emphasis on classroom performance and character development and strive across their education to be fair, respectful, and valuable members of the communities of which they are part.

And finally, successful Honors students view their education as a journey of self-discovery. Our expectation is not that the Honors experience will completely transform you as an individual, fundamentally altering your core values and your belief systems in radical ways between your first semester on campus and graduation day. Mind you, some of our students do experience this kind of dramatic transformation. But more often our students simply gain a sense of clarity about and confidence in who they are, what they value, and where they fit in the world. Our hope for you is that, upon graduation, you will leave BGSU a self-assured, albeit humble, global citizen who is able to make reasoned, responsible, and thoughtful decisions regarding everything from which movie you want to see on any given weekend to which political candidates you will support in an upcoming election.

After reviewing your application, we believe you have the skills to enrich our community of scholars with your own unique viewpoint. We hope you will join us this fall in the Honors College.  We ask all incoming Honors students to virtually sign the Honors College Acceptance Agreement by May 1.  If you have more questions about the Honors College, or would like to talk to a current Honors student, reach out to us honors@bgsu.edu.

Sincerely,

Dr. Heath A. Diehl, Senior Lecturer

Department of English & Honors College