Honors Life at Whitworth

Recent:

More Than Just Language

When reading current or aged literature pieces, in Spanish, English, or any other language, the words we encounter in our readings can feel timeless or oddly foreign. The use of linguistic terms can tell the reader a lot – not just about the language itself, but about the period the piece was written in and how languages have evolved alongside their culture, class, and other impacting aspects.

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Britney Lewis

The stereotype of women apologizing more than men was tested by a psychology study which found that women apologized at higher frequencies. Yet, each gender apologized for an equal proportion of their offenses if it was recognized by them as a transgression (81% mean for men and women). My question was inspired by considering the compliment to an apology, forgiveness. If women engage with apology behavior at higher frequencies, whether or not a transgression has been fully realized, does this water down their engagement with relational repair? Conversely, does a lower frequency and a higher threshold for viewing a situation as apology-worthy influence greater levels of sincerity in the interpretation of forgiveness for men?

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Sera Wiesen

With the overturing of Roe V Wade came a plague of misinformation surrounding reproductive health. This led to medical practitioners and specialists being misinformed and fearing prosecution for providing lifesaving procedures on pregnant women. Reproductive healthcare doesn’t just involve abortion, it includes emergency care, about the right to survive a pregnancy. The misinformation flooding the system is making everything worse. State laws are murky and full of vague language state by state, leaving medical professionals unsure if they’d be prosecuted for providing necessary, lifesaving care for their patients. To me, it is wrong that in a first world country, people are left to suffer because of this misinformation. My goal is to bring light to proper information about abortion care even in the most restrictive states.

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Hannah Cordero-Johnson

Immigration has long been a contentious issue in the U.S., but recent years have seen increasingly negative public attitudes shaped by race, religion, politics, and nationalism. Notably, research shows that white evangelical Christians often support restrictive immigration policies—despite professing compassion and a biblical call to welcome the stranger. This study explores how those contradictions play out locally in Spokane, Washington, by centering the voices of immigrants and refugees and examining how race, religion, and legal status shape their resettlement experiences.

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Upcoming Opprotunities:

Spring Honors Lunch

The first Honors Lunch Network of the Spring semester focused on how to get internships and faculty research assistantships.

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Fall 2024 Showcase

Come admire Honors student research, final projects, and creative works in the HUB MPR from 5:30-7:00PM on Monday December 9th.

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Internships:

Jacqui’s Story

Hello! My name is Jacqui and I’m a junior in biology at Whitworth. I love working with plants and animals and I’m especially interested in horticulture and aquaculture. I’ve had the incredible opportunity to embark on an Honors internship semester at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. this fall term, and I’d like to share a little about my experience.

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Katie Lacayo

Whitworth University has many phenomenal students in the graduating class of 2019, including senior Katie Lacayo. Katie is majoring in English (Writing Track) and is

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On-Campus Spotlights:

Fall 2024 Showcase

Come admire Honors student research, final projects, and creative works in the HUB MPR from 5:30-7:00PM on Monday December 9th.

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Summer Fellowship Program

Whitworth’s Office of Church Engagement runs the Summer Fellowship Program, which places students with churches, camps, and nonprofits nationwide.

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Study Abroad:

The Museum of the Innocents: Jan Term in Italy

On our last day in Florence, Italy, the Honors group visited the Musuem of the Innocents, also known as the Hospital of the Innocents. A deeply emotional experience, the museum offered incredible insight as to what life might have been like for children whose families were unable to take care of them while the hospital was still in operation. Well-kept records and well-preserved artifacts were on display for all to see, telling tales of sorrowful loneliness and joyful reunions.

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A Day in the Life: Jan Term in Italy

During Jan Term 2023, a group of freshmen Honors students took a trip to Italy. Part of the trip was a day spent in the Academia followed by watching a game of football (soccer). Read about the experience written by two of the students on the trip.

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Research:

Zachary Brooks

In an era where over 15,000 self-help books are published in the United States each year, everyone seems to have two cents to share about how we can improve our lives. Despite these countless publications, each quick-fix or new mindfulness appears ephemeral. Self-help needs help.

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William Henke

Modern language has become violent in a way that abstracts our words from their actual meanings. Phrases like “slay” “break a leg” “you’re killing it” and many others reveal how violence has settled into quotidian linguistics. This reorientation towards violence desensitizes people to its larger social implications and promotes inadequate communication. Language that was once, and by dictionary definition still is, seen as violent or harmful is now utilized in neutral or even uplifting ways. Desensitization towards larger problems in society like gun violence, racism, global warming, etc. engenders an escalation of language in order to gain an appropriate reaction to said issues.

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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.

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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.

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