George F. Whitworth Honors Program

Category: News

Salwa Mehreen

My project, MisMatch, started from a real-life frustration — how much time and energy it takes just to pick an outfit. Research shows that people spend around 102 hours a year deciding what to wear (Marks & Spencer), and about 50% of Americans say it’s the most stressful part of getting ready for an event (Trunk Club). At the same time, the fast fashion industry produces around 92 million tons of textile waste each year (UNEP), most of which ends up in landfills. I wanted to create something that helped people in their everyday lives while also promoting more sustainable habits.

Melinda Mullet

Aging Americans and their caregivers should have easy access to dignifying end-of-life care. The rapid increase in the 65+ population requires policy innovation in current Medicare regulation concerning hospice. Coordinated, intentional efforts between government and private sector providers, insurance navigators, community organizations, and houses of worship are also needed to change public attitudes towards hospice care, encourage referrals, increase uptake, and offer emotional, psychological, and spiritual support.

Jude Ruetschle

Broadly speaking, our world tends to see religion as a sort of ‘meaning-making’ device. In faith, one is able to carve divine order into the chaos and fragmentation of the human experience. This makes faith a vehicle for hope—for settling the existential realization that nothing in our lives makes sense. The premise of this project, however, challenges that assumption: What if grasping after order and unity is not a source, but an obstruction to our ability to embrace life?

Jillian Whiting

Ultimately, my project seeks to foster a more informed healthcare environment. One in which researchers, healthcare professionals, and patients are better equipped to navigate the unique complexities of women’s health.

Dylan Richardson

Our climate policy framework is largely built on two significant bills: the 2019 Clean Energy Transition Act, which commits the state to greenhouse gas emission-free electricity generation, and the Climate Commitment Act, which implements a carbon tax and emissions trading scheme. While the CCA and CETA are essential steps, any policy framework inevitably leaves out certain local concerns. My research explores one way that these policies leave out the Spokane area, particularly in the context of our unique geologic history. The Spokane Valley–Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer is particularly vulnerable to contaminated runoff.

Cassidy Franklin

My project exists to bring glory to God and honor His creative design for men and women by mirroring the literary structure of Christine de Pizan’s The Book of the City of Ladies. In this piece of creative nonfiction, the symbolic building of a Protestant church—beautiful, unadorned, and rooted in Scripture—serves as the framework for showcasing the biblical femininity of six extraordinary women from the Protestant Reformation.

Caleb McGever

A good magazine thrives off of good writing, good design, good photos, and good direction. However, in addition to the talent required to pull off these difficult qualifiers, a good magazine requires consistent policy to ensure the quality and consistency of its work. Additionally, written policy is important for providing transparency, which is a vital element of journalistic writing.

Ally McAfee

Growing up, the bookshelves in my home were always bursting with picture books, and many of them still are, even as the novels pile up on every surface for lack of room. I have long enjoyed reading, and credit my books with my interest in learning. This project came about as an attempt to make this love for reading and learning accessible to more people.

Elimu Community Light – TZ

Honors Political Science student, Nyah Hill, spends Spring 2025 in Tanzania learning everything she can about her home away from home.

Fall 2025 Honors Course Offerings

The Honors Course Offerings for Fall 2025!