UMKC School of Law welcomes Juniors and Seniors interested in exploring law school courses or particular subject matter areas to enroll in courses that the faculty considers appropriate for undergraduates. Honors College students are eligible to receive Honors Credit for the courses. Up to six credits of graduate-level coursework may be counted toward the University Honors distinction. Click here for more information regarding this exciting opportunity.
Month: November 2018
Honors College Staff Spotlight: Enrico Mejia
What is your role in the Honors College?
I’m the Honors College’s one of two Office Assistants. I’m responsible for maintaining the website, processing student data/forms, giving you life advice when you should be talking to a psychiatrist. Most important of all – the phone.
How do you serve as a resource to students?
Honors students can come to me to know anything pertaining to their student data or if they wish to do a simple integrity check with it. Anything with regards to honors and thesis contracts, credit hours attained, or their student ID number, their data is a click away from me. Not to worry, I’m not part of an international conspiracy which entails the harvesting of human data for world domination ;).
How has being in the HC impacted your undergraduate experience?
Being in the Honors College has allowed me to expand my college education beyond the traditional classroom experience. Because of the Honors College, academic writing was something I never expected to be involved in, until I came up with an idea to fulfill a contract for a Discourse class. I thank the Honors College, its staff and students for creating the academic aura in this university which enables me to enjoy learning. On another note, I have a job to pay for student expenses because of the Honors College!
What are you studying, and what are you most excited about with your major?
I’m currently studying Accounting, although I plan on switching because there is not much writing in it to keep me happy. Soon, however, I will be majoring in Business Administration while I take Humanities classes on the side. All in all, I just want to get my degree and go to law school ASAP.
Do you have any exciting plans for the near future?
I ‘m going to hold off on calling it “exciting” until I’m close to it. I plan on attending UMKC’s School of Law and becoming an attorney based in Kansas City, specializing in criminal defense and civil rights litigation. So much “fun” and so much money to spend! I’d be happy if I can keep this job while I go to law school, that’s exciting. I’ll have to stop depending on my mom someday…soon.
Honors College Staff Spotlight: Alisa Carmichael
Honors College Executive Assistant, Alisa Carmichael, joined the Honors College earlier this semester.
- What is your current role in the Honors College?
“I am the Executive Assistant. My primary role is serving as an assistant to the dean. The assistant takes care of calendar scheduling, meetings, and budget-type things.”
- Are they any upcoming projects you are excited to partake in with the Honors College?
“I am still kind of learning my job and working together with Margo to set up our own procedures and processes. Different people have been in this position and had different ways of organizing their procedures. I’m in the position of creating my own process of doing things by looking back at what past assistants did.
I would love to see more students in our the lounge, though!”
- Where did you receive your educational background?
“I have a Bachelor’s in English and Music, basically a double degree, from Florida State University in Tallahassee. I also have a Master’s in Library Media from Western Kentucky University.”
- What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
“I enjoy spending time with my daughter and her family. She has two little boys and is expecting a little girl around Christmas. We have not lived close to them before, so I enjoy getting to see them on the weekends. In terms of my own hobbies, I enjoy working with yarn and crocheting. I’m currently in the process of setting up a sewing and craft room in my house. I also enjoy bird watching, cooking, and reading.”
- What is the best advice you would give to a college student?
“Get involved. Find your family on the college campus. Whatever your interest level is, connect with other people. Find friendships; those relationships will last a lifetime. Get out and experience what college life has to offer.”
Trekking Across Latin America: Felix Amparano
This past summer, Felix spent 10 weeks in South America. His trip began with 4 weeks of backpacking across Colombia and Ecuador with his good friend, and former Honors Ambassador, Drew Cox. Then, he concluded his trip with a UMKC faculty-led foreign exchange program in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Felix especially enjoyed his time abroad because it was his first experience of cultural immersion. Though he admits that backpacking was stressful and hectic at times, he is very grateful for the outside the classroom experience he acquired through crossing international borders, navigating cross-country buses, and functioning in a non-native culture.
Felix highly recommends studying abroad or dedicating undergraduate time to traveling abroad and experiencing new and different cultures. He suggests speaking with peers and professors that share common interests in travel to create an idea of an exemplary, personalized experience. For ideas about going abroad or to learn more about Felix’s travels, feel free to visit him in the Honors Ambassador office!