December Graduates Credit the Honors College for Preparing them for Life Beyond Baylor

November 29, 2023
December 2023 Graduates

As graduation approaches, seniors Emma Merrill, Robbie Ridder, Kaitlyn Vana, and Anna Louise Wages share how their time in the Honors College impacted and prepared them for the future.

Emma Merrill, Baylor Interdisciplinary Core

What aspects of the BIC do you feel had the most significant impact on your academic and personal growth?

My BIC rhetoric classes absolutely impacted my academic growth. In high school, I had always received good grades on my essays. My first rhetoric essay is the first time I can remember receiving a "B" on any essay. At first, I was ready to blow it off as Dr. Ballard (my professor) being overly critical, but the feedback was so thorough it made me pause. I read through it and realized there was a whole other level of writing I had never seen before. His remarks showed me not only what I could achieve but that he believed in me enough to achieve them. He changed my entire perspective. 

How do you think your experience in the BIC has shaped your critical thinking skills and worldview?

BIC was my secret weapon for my major classes in psychology. Sometimes psychology professors would mention an important figure and I would already be deeply familiar with their work because I had read entire publications from them in BIC. Because I had gone deeper than a textbook understanding, I was not only able to contribute more to class discussions, but it also was a lifesaver during finals season. Not a day goes by where I'm not applying something that I learned in BIC. My world is broader because BIC gave me the ability to see things I would never have seen before.

Were there any particular professors or courses that stood out to you? How did they contribute to your academic journey?

The most important class I ever took was Memoir and Meaning with Dr. Darren Middleton. He has a knack for directing and elevating student conversations in a way that makes every student feel seen but also encourages us to see outside of ourselves. Through lived experiences in the memoirs we're reading or the stories peers shared in class, I got a taste of what metanoia can do to enrich a human life. He taught me the difference between an education that curves inward and an education that curves outward. 

In what ways did the Honors College/BIC prepare you for life beyond academia, whether it be in terms of critical thinking skills, communication, or other areas?

Thinking interdisciplinarily has been the best foundation I could've asked for in Data Science.  I once had a project to improve algorithms for EV charging infrastructure. Loads of people with far more experience and technical skills just couldn't crack it. As I looked over the matrix, I realized that it reminded me of a duBois ethnography I had read for class. I applied a few more algorithms based on a theory he had posed, and it ended up solving our problem completely. BIC showed me how to solve problems creatively in my everyday life. I apply the skills I gained in my classes every day.

What are your post-graduation plans?

I am pursuing a master's in data science at the University of Chicago.

Robbie Ridder, Honors Program

What aspects of the Honors Program do you feel had the most significant impact on your academic and personal growth?

Of all the classes I took at Baylor, Medieval Great Texts with Dr. Sarah-Jane Murray had the greatest impact on my faith. Dr. Murray taught us that, even in literature that is not explicitly Christian, we can learn more about God and God's will for people by examining the life lessons conveyed in stories. My thesis also contributed meaningfully to my academic and personal growth at Baylor. Conducting empirical research, writing an APA-style manuscript, and submitting my thesis for publication at a peer-reviewed journal was an exciting experience that taught me statistical analysis strategies, effective research writing skills, humility in receiving feedback, and patience.

How do you think your experience in the Honors Program has shaped your critical thinking skills and worldview?

The Honors Program reminds me of what it means to study liberal arts. In the Honors Program, we explored other worldviews generously, unafraid to truly consider alternative perspectives. The Honors Program encourages us to dabble in a bit of this and a bit of that, all the while synthesizing what we learn into one cohesive narrative. My experience in the Honors College has enabled me to feel comfortable with uncertainty; we do not need all of the answers, but we do need curiosity to motivate meaningful engagement with the world around us.

Were there any particular professors or courses that stood out to you? How did they contribute to your academic journey?

I thought I knew how to read before coming to college, but Dr. Sarah-Jane Murray taught me how to really read. We didn't just learn Dante's narrative; we journeyed alongside him. We didn't just hear the legends of the Round Table; we sword-fought beside the knights. We were not passive observers of Thomas Aquinas' disputations; we actively debated with him. Transcending simple "class participation," Sarah-Jane's Medieval Great Texts course suspended reality, if only for an hour and a quarter over Zoom, and introduced us to other worlds.

How did the Honors College/Honors Program community contribute to your sense of belonging at Baylor? Did you find a supportive network of peers and mentors within the program?

The Honors College circle is a vibrant community of scholars who exhibit high levels of passion for their studies. Within the program, the academic advising staff made me feel valuable and capable by treating me like an adult and giving me the freedom to pave my own path at Baylor.

What are your post-graduation plans?

In the semester following graduation, I will work as a full-time post-baccalaureate research assistant in Dr. Schnitker's Science of Virtues Lab while I wait for my wife to finish her undergraduate degree. Afterward, I hope to pursue my Ph.D. in clinical psychology at another institution.

Kaitlyn Vana, Honors Program


What aspects of the Honors Program do you feel had the most significant impact on your academic and personal growth?

The most impactful aspect of the program in my academic and personal journey at Baylor were the Honors Colloquiums during my sophomore year. One of the colloquiums I attended was "Christianity, Feminism, and Gender," which culminated in an essay in which we had to apply ideas and thoughts from one of the authors from the colloquium to women's representation in media or literature. I ended up comparing Dorothy L Sayers with a Croatian author, Slavenka Drakulic, who writes about the experience of women under Communism. This was an intersection I had never explored before or even thought about exploring, but it formed the foundation for my interest in the topic and instigated a chain of events that led me to my current Honors thesis topic and later theme for my Truman policy and application. 

How do you think your experience in the Honors Program has shaped your critical thinking skills and worldview?

I have always been interested in a wide range of topics and fields, and I would say the Honors College most impacted me by teaching me how to facilitate that interest. The collaborative discussions and readings from courses like Great Texts were most impactful in shaping my critical thinking skills and worldview since Honors Program participants come from a variety of diverse academic backgrounds. Ultimately it was participation in the Honors Program that emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary approaches on an undergraduate level, and consequently, I was able to marry my Slavic studies and mathematics background in a unique way. 

In what ways did the Honors College/HP prepare you for life beyond academia, whether it be in terms of critical thinking skills, communication, or other areas?

As a result of the Honors College, I can communicate and think critically about my ideas and thoughts much more effectively and efficiently than I would have without related coursework like Great Texts, colloquiums, and thesis workshops. I ultimately hope to one day work as an Air Force Foreign Area Officer, and the skills I have cultivated while participating in the Honors College have formed a perfect foundation for me to work towards that goal. 

What are your post-graduation plans?

When I graduate in December, I'll be commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the Air Force. I was recently selected for the helicopter training pipeline, but before that, I'll spend a year or two in a master's program. I'm hoping to study abroad in the UK or domestically with the Truman Scholarship. 

Anna Louise Wages, University Scholar


How do you think your experience in University Scholars has shaped your critical thinking skills and worldview?

The University Scholars Reading List and Exit Interview compel students to contemplate the world and its complexities. By engaging with numerous great texts, I had the opportunity to glean insights from some of the most accomplished and celebrated thinkers and writers from history. These individuals have significantly influenced global politics, social dynamics, and economic landscapes. Consequently, immersing myself in the diverse worldviews of these authors led to the challenge, refinement, and strengthening of my own perspectives.

Were there any particular professors or courses that stood out to you? How did they contribute to your academic journey?

My very first professor of Great Texts was Dr. William Weaver, and I must admit that the class initially felt quite intimidating. However, Dr. Weaver's exceptional qualities, including his patience, expertise, and genuine desire for his students to engage thoughtfully with the texts, had a profound impact on me. Over time, Dr. Weaver also became my thesis advisor, and once again, his patience, expertise, and enthusiasm for my success significantly enhanced my experience during the thesis process, making it both enjoyable and highly beneficial.

In what ways did the Honors College/University Scholars prepare you for life beyond academia, whether it be in terms of critical thinking skills, communication, or other areas?

University Scholars and the Honors College provided me with the opportunity to craft a truly distinctive college experience that was centered on what would ultimately prove most advantageous for my future. My college journey would have been significantly less enriching without my involvement in the University Scholars program. Through experiences like the Reading List and Exit Interview, the Honors Thesis, Great Texts, and PPE, I acquired invaluable skills in critical thinking, thoughtful reading, proficient writing, diligent studying, and pushing my limits beyond what I believed possible. I will forever sing the praises of Baylor University's Honors College, and in particular, the University Scholars program. 

What are your post-graduation plans?

I am going to be the Assistant Director of External Relations at the Federalist Society for Law & Public Policy Studies in Washington, DC. I have plans to return to graduate school in the future, but I am very excited to live and work in our nation’s capital for a bit!