Academic Research & Leadership Honors Program

Every field needs a leader. Every leader needs to be a problem solver.

In the Academic Research & Leadership Honors Program at Roberts Wesleyan College, you will learn to become a leader who can make decisions and solve problems based on available evidence.

You will develop the critical thinking, research, and leadership skills needed for your chosen field. Mentorships with a Rochester community professional in your area of interest and a Roberts’ faculty member will offer you the insights you need to develop into the leader you were made to be. You will then demonstrate your new abilities through an independent research project.

Mentorships

Gain new insights from leaders in your field of interest as you connect with a mentor working in the Greater Rochester Area. Also, you will select a faculty member to guide you through your final research project.

Research Project

Work with your faculty mentor throughout this 2-year program to meet regular milestones in this intensive research project. Your Honors Thesis and Presentation will be the culmination of this program and be your opportunity to demonstrate your new leadership skills and research capabilities.

Study with the President

Realize the importance of leadership in every industry in an exclusive course taught by Dr. Deana L. Porterfield, President of Roberts Wesleyan College and Northeastern Seminary. You will discover the critical importance of research-based decisions and how it informs effective leadership as you complete this course open only to students in the Academic Research & Leadership Honors Program.

What might you discover?

As a leader and researcher, you have the opportunity to become a subject matter expert as you identify and explore the challenges, opportunities, and tactics that will lead to success in your area of interest. Take a look at a sample of the projects of past Honors graduates.

Nursing Student Knowledge and Attitudes in an Older Adult Transition of Care Simulation | Amanda Cluck | Nursing

Amanda has a heart for care of older adults and was interested in knowing if a simulation with a patient actor would improve nursing student knowledge and skill in caring for the complexities of this population when they are transitioning from the hospital to rehab. Not all students have this opportunity in traditional clinical experiences. She measured knowledge and attitudes toward the older adult before and after the simulation and analyzed a transcript of the post simulation discussion. Amanda will be presenting the results of her study at a national nurse educator conference in May of 2017.

Accounting Smart: A Financial Guidebook for the Social Entrepreneur | Harmony Dionne | Accounting

Harmony discovered that most social entrepreneurs' businesses fail due to a lack of accounting knowledge. She wrote a “how to” accounting manual specifically for social entrepreneurs.

Unraveling Skin Cancer: Attacking HF-1a | Karen Case | Biology

Karen Case was studying the role of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha, a powerful transcription factor which turns on and off genes that control cell survival. She was testing the possibility that its temporary activation is important for the survival of normal skin cells injured by ultraviolet (UV) light, and that its continuous overproduction contributes to the formation of UV-induced skin cancers.

Human: A Photo Journey Definition | Ariel Bouffard | Communication

My project takes a communication theory-- the definition of man, and compares it with the creation of man in Genesis. That collision beautifully grasps the nature of humanity, and is represented artistically through a book of photographs and poetry.

Let’s Learn a Song: Enhancing Learning in the ESL Classroom through Music | RJ Eggleton | Music Education