Vaishali Devarakonda, a sophomore at Penn State Brandywine, fondly remembers her first exposure to the Cooper honors program through a field trip to Eastern State Penitentiary.
“At first, my thoughts about the trip were ‘why am I going to a prison?’ but as the trip went on, it was so interesting to learn more about mass incarceration in such an interactive way. I learned from that trip that there are many things bigger than myself or my world. Cooper recognizes that fact and makes sure that every student does as well.”
Indeed, the Honors Program intends to expand the worldview of each student, but doing so requires a commitment to excellence. “I’ve always been the type to push myself to test my limits, and naturally, the Cooper Honors Program seemed like a way that I could challenge myself to grow while still enjoying the college student lifestyle. After I got into the program, I am still willing to push myself to grow academically, but I am also willing to go the extra mile to network and put myself in the spotlight through opportunities like research projects or student profiles.”
Vaishali, majoring in Data Sciences, values the insight the honors program affords its students, whether it is in the form of community outreach, field trips, or the way classes encourage experimentation in learning.
“Typically, I tend to look at the big picture when doing anything. However, my math courses challenged me to think about situations more slowly and logically. It took some time before I forced myself to go through problems one step at a time, but eventually, I was able to get the answer quicker than I did before.”
There is some confusion and apprehension to becoming an Honors student that many find daunting. Vaishali sympathizes with such views, but finds them to be largely unfounded. “Contrary to popular belief, Honors coursework isn’t necessarily ‘harder.’ It’s a more involved version of a regular for-credit course. I am constantly pushed to think more deeply about certain topics and challenge myself to understand different points of view.”
One might imagine a more involved curriculum and rigorous academic requirements might deprive students of the college life, but Vaishali disagrees. “Even though I am an Honors student, I still have time for growing as an individual. This could be through internships, spending time with friends, or learning about a subject or issue I am passionate about.”
Indeed, the obligations the program demands of its students, such as attending honors events, requires hard-working learners like Vaishali to “think a little more about time management, but ultimately, (they) help me to become a well-rounded individual. From a more academic standpoint, requirements of a 3.4 GPA and an honors thesis seem unattainable, but they are! Because of the many academic resources available to me in the Honors program, such as a wonderful team of faculty and like-minded students, I can go to anyone to help me reach, or surpass, these expectations. While the Honors program pushes me to work harder, its faculty understands that academics are not the only thing that forms its student body, and these requirements reflect that.”
Many honors courses make an impact on a student’s learning experience at Penn State, teaching skills they will use for years to come.
“Intro to Freshman Composition taught me how to effectively communicate my findings and opinions on paper and how to effectively research specific topics. Honors courses that keep the same group of students together are very helpful with fostering a growth mindset. Although each student is connected through the Honors program, each student has their own ideas and their own methods of going through certain problems, and that in turn can help with the collective growth of the Honors student body.”
Vaishali commends the professors who make the program so rewarding. “The Honors faculty has an understanding that learning is very individualized, and takes different methods of learning in every class to help each student understand the subject matter more effectively. This has helped me immensely in subjects that I struggled in during high school, such as math or public speaking.”
The connections made in the Honors program are invaluable to students as they look forward to the future. “One of the biggest benefits of the Cooper Honors program is that it provides you with many connections with current students, alumni, people from academia, and businesses. Ultimately, these connections will help me grow through anything I do, whether that be starting a new club, getting a new job, or just finding a study buddy,” Vaishali says. “Through events like the Socratic Symposium, Cooper also puts me in touch with people who share my goals. We may have differing viewpoints, but our ultimate goal is to gain as much knowledge as we can. That brings us closer together.”