Honors JA/SP 2027 Course Catalogue
Take a look at all the Honors Program has to offer this Jan term and Spring!
October 29, 2026
Take a look at all the Honors Program has to offer this Jan term and Spring!
On October 14th, Jon Meacham visited Whitworth at President McQuilken’s 2026 Presidential Leadership Forum, this year hosted at the Fox Theatre. I attended his evening talk at the Fox called, “American Struggle: Democracy, Dissent, and the Pursuit of a More Perfect Union,” a nod to the title of his most recent book published earlier this year.
Some people go to the lake, some people pick up extra shifts, and some spend hours tanning in the sun. Me? I spend my summer Saturdays attending regional festivals and parades with the Spokane Lilac Festival.
The KSPS PBS micro-internship is focused on their online educational content. PBS has a learning platform called PBS LearningMedia where any station from across the country can upload lessons, videos, and teaching tools for free use by teachers and students. KSPS is one of the stations that contributes material, but they’ve become increasingly aware that the material currently up isn’t as robust as it could be.
On October 14th, Jon Meacham visited Whitworth at President McQuilken’s 2026 Presidential Leadership Forum, this year hosted at the Fox Theatre. I attended his evening talk at the Fox called, “American Struggle: Democracy, Dissent, and the Pursuit of a More Perfect Union,” a nod to the title of his most recent book published earlier this year.
The KSPS PBS micro-internship is focused on their online educational content. PBS has a learning platform called PBS LearningMedia where any station from across the country can upload lessons, videos, and teaching tools for free use by teachers and students. KSPS is one of the stations that contributes material, but they’ve become increasingly aware that the material currently up isn’t as robust as it could be.
We are proud to announce that micro-internships, mentors, and upcoming professionalization events now have a home on the Whitworth Launch website. This site hosts the applications and internship postings, connecting you directly with the people who want to give you a job.
Fall 26 Speakers Jon Meacham Meghan Sullivan Dr. Robert George Dr. Cornel West October 14th: Jon Meacham “American Struggle: Democracy, Dissent, and the Pursuit of
Kyle Marquez spent his summer interning with the Department of Agriculture, specifically the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Washington.
Whitworth’s Office of Church Engagement runs the Summer Fellowship Program, which places students with churches, camps, and nonprofits nationwide.
Honors Sophomore Completes Pre-Law Internship Abby Ruffcorn, political science major and Whitworth Class of 2027, shares about her internship at a local law firm:
I’ve always considered it a blessing to have been raised in an environment that exposed me to different types of peoples and cultures. I am
Some people go to the lake, some people pick up extra shifts, and some spend hours tanning in the sun. Me? I spend my summer Saturdays attending regional festivals and parades with the Spokane Lilac Festival.
The KSPS PBS micro-internship is focused on their online educational content. PBS has a learning platform called PBS LearningMedia where any station from across the country can upload lessons, videos, and teaching tools for free use by teachers and students. KSPS is one of the stations that contributes material, but they’ve become increasingly aware that the material currently up isn’t as robust as it could be.
The Whitworth Sigma Tau Delta Chapter wins a grant to support the Spokane Books to Prisoners branch, and organization fostering love of reading and education to those who are incarcerated.
Noran Khalil is an Honors Bioinformatics senior working closely with Dr. Measor in the microdevices lab. Khalil has presented her research at several large conferences in the U.S.
Over the summer of 2023, Kate Vaccaro undertook an intensive 4-week program at Oxford University, one of the most prestigious universities in the world.
Going to Oxford had always been one of Kate’s dreams. “As a person who loves academics, the richness of learning there has always been appealing,” she said.
Our time spent in the Holy Land was rich with fellowship and joy, and highlighted the beauty of diversity in which God connects with his children. Beyond the spiritual encounters we had, there was an enlightenment of knowledge and understanding that came from the Biblical sites we saw, guides we were molded by, and the history we became familiar with during fall of 2022.
For Jan Term 2023, a group of freshmen Honors students travelled to Italy. Read about their journey through the Doge Palace and exploration of it’s historic and artistic value.
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.
Observing patterns within the current healthcare system sparked the foundation of this project. While many rural communities possess strong local support networks, these systems are not substitutes for trained healthcare professionals and are limited in the level of care they can provide. As a student preparing to enter a field directly connected to rural healthcare delivery in Southeast Alaska, I felt compelled to deepen my understanding of these challenges. By doing so, I hope to return home as an entry-level OT better equipped to contribute meaningfully to ongoing efforts to improve care.
Trilights is an interactive video game that focuses on character and storytelling, aiming to present a new synthesis between the literary and the ludomechanical (game-playing). As an interdisciplinary project, Trilights allows a further exploration of the possibilities of creative writing, acoustic arts, artistic expression, and well-designed programming.
My honors project addresses this gap by developing a sign language translator application, functioning similarly to Google Translate. The app features a keyboard that displays ASL signs as images, allowing users to either select signs directly to communicate in sign language or type words normally and have them translated into the corresponding signs. This application is built with one goal in mind: to ensure that every person, regardless of hearing ability, can communicate effectively and with dignity.
My project investigates the third place problem, a topic which has recently gained traction online in gen z communities as we try to gain some adult social life once leaving school. Third places are defined as space outside of home (1st place) and work/school (2nd place) in which individuals spend a large portion of time socializing and connecting with their community. The traditional sense of the phrase requires that third place be free to access, easy to access, and full of opportunities for social connection with those both similar and opposite to you. This topic has always interested me and I am a strong advocate for people having fulfilling social lives outside of family and outside of obligation. Considering my future career path, I focused my project on third places and youth, specifically. My project begins by investigating the reasons for the decline in third spaces in the 21st century due to cultural shifts, technological developments, and even legal constraints. Then, I present why the lack of these spaces is detrimental, particularly to youth populations ages 12-17, when it is so easy to disappear into online spaces instead. My research concludes by offering up some examples of ideal solutions for youth populations and their guardians, considering accessibility and safety concerns that many guardians have about sending children to third places. With proper support and engagement the youth programs and non-profits which offer third space solutions could be the key to maintaining the social health of younger generations despite the many barriers to finding community.