Honors Program article

Colleges and Universities A-Z Swarthmore College
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<p>Big front page article on the Swarthmore Honors program and the outside examiners today on the front page of the Philly Inquirer:</p>

<p>Outside</a> experts test Swarthmore's elite | Philadelphia Inquirer | 05/29/2009</p>

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"I'm not aware of anything quite like that," said Robert Spurrier, secretary of the National Collegiate Honors Council and director of the honors college at Oklahoma State University. He likes the idea as long as examiners are prepared.</p>

<p>Indeed, the examiners review the syllabi and design questions for the written exams, which are vetted by Swarthmore faculty to be sure the material was covered in class.</p>

<p>Modeled after Oxford
The approach, started by Swarthmore's seventh president, Frank Aydelotte, in 1922, was modeled after the system at Oxford, where Aydelotte was a Rhodes scholar. At the time, Swarthmore was known more for football than academics, and Aydelotte wanted to change that, along with replacing big lectures with small-group, interactive teaching.</p>

<p>The idea? Swarthmore students should be able to withstand evaluation and discuss their fields with any expert in the world, said Craig Williamson, an English-literature professor and coordinator of the program.</p>

<p>The process is high-pressure and as ambitious as many graduate programs.

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<p>Good advertising:</p>

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"It would be very scary for me to teach a course and then have someone who has never been part of my teaching experience come in and administer an exam on my students," said examiner John Scofield, a physics and astronomy professor at Oberlin.</p>

<p>Swarthmore faculty, however, say that bringing in a wide array of academics is very good public relations. A number of examiners then send their children to Swarthmore.

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<p>BTW, congratulations to Lauren Stokes, who I believe was a one-time College Confidential member. She is one of 14 students graduating with Highest Honors, according to the article. Look up her feature articles on the Daily Gazette site sometime. She has written some outstanding articles researching Swarthmore history over recent decades.</p>

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<p>I think Lauren’s mother was a more active CC member than she was. But she received a Dean’s Award and Highest Honors. </p>

<p>[Lauren</a> Stokes :: The Daily Gazette](<a href=“http://daily.swarthmore.edu/author/lstokes/]Lauren”>http://daily.swarthmore.edu/author/lstokes/)</p>

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<p>One of the key reasons S chose to attend Swat was because of the honors program. He knew with his intended major that grad school would be in his future & the honors program would be great preparation for that. He found the written exams relatively stressful (he doesn’t tend to stress out about school anyway), but really enjoyed his oral exams…with some of the examiners, it was just like having a conversation.</p>

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<p>The Honors Program at Swarthmore is what convinced my S to apply ED to Swat. He’s just finishing up his second year of a Ph.D. program at UChicago, and says that the honors seminars at Swat were filled with brighter students and more engaging discussions than he’s found so far at Chicago. I’m sure that one day he’d love to go back to Swat to be an Honors Examiner.</p>

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<p>I still have nightmares about the Honors Exams, like the man quoted in the article. Mine goes like this: it’s present day. I’m told I have six weeks to study. But I can’t find my notebooks. So I go to my parents’ house to look for them. But my Mom threw them out. I’m screwed. Then I wake up. Breathe easily.</p>

<p>Still, wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. It sets you up to deal with anything the work place or grad school wants to throw your way.</p>

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<p>Thanks, Arador. I couldn’t remember if it was Lauren or her mom. </p>

<p>You two have both made the Daily Gazette a must read over the years. Have a blast tomorrow. Pick out a real pretty rose to pin on your gown before heading over to the ampitheater! Hope the fireworks on Parrish Beach were fun tonight.</p>

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<p>Sheesh, Miles—thanks alot! It was a really great weekend–I’m just sorry we didn’t have more time to linger and visit with people, but we had to get son off to the train.
Congratulations to you and best of luck with your wonderful new opportunity! You’ll love your new city (not saying, in case it’s a secret). I also hope you and L (and others) follow through on that other post-Swat venture.
I will hie myself off to the Olin boards now, but reserve the right to check in here now and then, OK? Gotta see how the new President is doing, etc. Wow–time flies…</p>

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<p>I am very interested in the Honors Program, it was one of the main reasons i applied so its always good to hear those who excelled in it get recognition!</p>