Campus Engagement
SIUE’s verdant campus is home to a vast array of organizations and resources for students to explore their interests while progressing toward their academic and professional goals. While these opportunities are available to all SIUE students, honors students have a higher rate of selection and utilization than the general student population. Some of the most popular co-curricular activities among honors students include:
- Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA), which involves a student creating an original body of research or art, alone or in a small team, guided by a partnered faculty member. From the analysis of synthetic chemical compounds found in local topsoil to the creation of a sculpture offering commentary on social justice, these efforts result in the advancement of domain-specific knowledge that can be leveraged for things like admission into competitive graduate school programs or professional firms. Faculty searching for URCA Assistants consistently turn to honors students as favorable candidates because of their capacity for critical thinking and creativity, as well as their ability to work independently and persistently.
- Study abroad trips are a way for honors students as a way to gain worldly experiences by submerging themselves within foreign cultures while taking courses that count toward degree completion. Working with advisors within the honors program and the Office of International Affairs, all honors students, regardless of academic major, have the option to study abroad. Programs of varying length–from two weeks to an academic year–are available.
- The Cougar Connector Program currently serves all first-year students at SIUE by providing them with upperclass students who act as ambassadors to the campus and its resources. This program was originally created by and for honors students, who then scaled up the program to accommodate all first-year students.
- The Kimmel Student Involvement Center offers a breadth of programs for leadership development and educational enrichment. A variety of programs are available, lasting from one day to one year, empowering students with leadership and innovation skills and experiences. Through the Kimmel Student Involvement Center, students are also able to create student-led organizations covering a broad range of personal and professional interests, from skydiving and juggling to professional societies in pharmacy, nursing, and the like.
