Kyle Marquez, a second year who is double-majoring in political science and theology, decided to take HN 300 in fall of 2022. 

HN 300 is one of the few core classes that every Honors student at Whitworth must take. This course, titled “The Motivated Project”, is aimed at walking with students to help them create an individual project using design thinking principles, interdisciplinary connections, and project management. At the end of this course, each student has a proposal unique to them that sets up what they want their project to be for HN 400. 

When Kyle started the class, he wasn’t really sure what project he wanted to develop a proposal for, and he didn’t have a whole lot of expectations for the class. However, he was excited to see where the class would take him, and to develop an impactful project that would actually apply to the real world. 

In its current state, Kyle’s proposal is currently to make an on-campus group that will be involved in anti-human trafficking efforts. In order to do this he plans on doing on-campus advocacy work, fundraising to support his efforts, and connecting the Whitworth group to local organizations in Spokane who are currently fighting human trafficking. 

Kyle remembers that it “took time to iron out the details of what the project would look like.” Although he wasn’t quite sure what would happen going in, he was able to speak with Erica Salkin, the HN 300 professor, and Bert Emerson, the Honors program director, regarding his project. He notes “they helped me narrow and specify my ambitious goals.” 

This project was chosen because of Kyle’s passion fighting and advocating against human trafficking. He currently is advocating with the Dressember Organization, which is a nonprofit that raises funds and awareness through advocates wearing dresses (or in Kyle’s case, a tie) through the month of December. 

Kyle will be presenting his completed project in the Spring of 2024, but he hopes this project will continue well past when he leaves Whitworth.

This project is directly aligned with the goals of Kyle’s future, as he hopes to work in the nonprofit world. “This should be a great start in planning and organizing grassroots advocacy,” he said. 

Although this project does have a specific focus, it also incorporates a very interdisciplinary aspect – the true heart of the Honors program. Kyle said he sees his proposal as a “truly interdisciplinary endeavor” in that it weaves in aspects for political science and theology to affect social change. 

Kyle recognizes the impact that the Honors program has had on him, both through this class and at large. He wanted to be a part of the Honors program so that he would be in a position to meet other students who are like him in that they “want to do amazing things and are high achievers.” He states, “I am really excited to see Honors as a whole have more of a platform to do amazing work, and to showcase it to a broader audience than just Whitworth. I am really excited to be a part of the amazing things that are happening now and will happen in the future, through Honors.”