The Honors College Newsletter - Issue 4

Welcome to the fourth issue of Honorable Mentions for the '25-26 school year! Honorable Mentions is our monthly newsletter that will catch you up on some of the important developments within the Honors College.

This newsletter is written by honors fellow Abby Comstock.

Liberty Mutual Event 

On February 10th, there will be an Honors-exclusive career conference with Liberty Mutual. The conference will take place between 12-6pm, in the Allen House Gallery. The event will include resume reviews  and a Spring Career Fair prep workshop. 

Visual International Relations Project

Dr. Patrick James from the University of Southern California is hosting a workshop on February 17th from 3:30 to 6:15pm in the Allen House’s Gallery on a technique he designed to create a graphic representation of complex works known as VIRP, the Visual International Relations Project. 

VIRP-ing helps readers break down complex ideas by turning them into organized visual diagrams. This approach helps learners better understand how major concepts and arguments connect by presenting them in a clear, structured format. 

During this workshop, students will get a crash course on how to create these graphic representations diagrams. After reading an article in advance, students will work in groups to complete a representative diagram of the text before finalizing it together.  

Completed diagrams are uploaded to the project’s website and added to its ever-growing, searchable database. Each diagram follows the same rules, therefore any text within the database, regardless of the discipline, can be understood in a matter of minutes rather than hours. It is the budding solution to the ‘academic Tower of Babel’: the never-ending stream of academic publications. In the words of Dr. James, “If you don’t like the VIRP, then you must create something like it, but better.”  

Study Abroad in Ghana 

UMass Lowell offers honors students a unique study abroad opportunity in Ghana. Led by faculty member Professor Emeritus Robert Giles and Dean of the Honors College Jenifer Whitten-Woodring, students get to experience Winneba, Ghana, in a comprehensive, hands-on way.  

Recent graduate Elliot Johnson shared his experience having participated in the program for the second year in a row, describing this year as equally exploratory and mission-focused as last year’s. Despite prior research and planning, he said his first trip was wonderfully disorienting. However, that set the stage for the second trip.  

Elliot was able to reconnect with friends he had made the year before, witness the evolution of the program, and interact on a deeper level with his surroundings. He saw firsthand the effect of donations, discovering the progress of children who previously received books and supplies from donor Professor Emeritus Jesse Heines, while watching fellow honors student Christian O’Connell pitch the creation of an observatory to the Winneba University of Education.  

The partnership between UMass Lowell and the Winneba University of Education allows students and faculty from both universities to benefit from and thrive alongside each other.  

Elliot’s passion for the program is clear, underscoring just how impactful the trip has been. “Students have as much of an impact on Ghana as Ghana has on students,” he said. “The program is constantly evolving.” 

Showcase Your Suitable Badges on LinkedIn 

Honors students who earn badges through Suitable are building valuable skills and experiences that can also strengthen their professional presence. Many students do not realize that Suitable badges can be added directly to LinkedIn, allowing them to highlight their accomplishments to potential employers and graduate programs while further developing professional connections. 

Students earn badges in the Honors College through Self-Empowerment, Community and Global Engagement, Professional Development, and the Lowell Passport, which recognizes meaningful involvement with the city of Lowell. Sharing these achievements on LinkedIn can help demonstrate your initiative and growth beyond academic coursework. 

Adding badges is simple. Log into Suitable and open the “Completed” section of your dashboard. Select a badge and use the share option to add it to your LinkedIn profile. The process only takes a few moments. 

Continuing to engage with Suitable helps you track your progress while building a professional profile that better reflects your Honors experience. 

HIP Spotlight: Amel Popovac 

Amel Popovac is the Honors College’s new graduate student Honors Informational Peer (HIP), rejoining the team after being a HIP as an undergraduate. He is currently getting his Master’s in Chemistry and holds a Bachelor's degree in Applied Biomedical Science.  

Amel’s goal is to help students feel understood, as well as to inspire them to get to know themselves better and dig deeper into their true passions.  

HIPs are a valuable resource for our Honors College students. They are available to assist you during Honors After Hours, which runs from 5-9pm, Monday through Thursday.  

“We’re all students,” Amel said. “We have each other’s backs.” 

Honors After Hours 

Honors After Hours is a time for Honors students to connect, socialize, and study. To participate in Honors After Hours, stop by the Allen House between 5pm and 9pm, Monday through Thursday. The cozy environment of the Allen House, its comfortable chairs, and the refreshments on hand make it an ideal place to study or unwind. Honors Informational Peers (HIPs) are on hand to answer questions may have. To meet with the HIPs, simply head to the second floor and walk past the front desk. As an Honors student, the Allen House is your home away from home!