Barrett Honors College is attempting to solve the Polytechnic mystery: which comes first, honors students or programs and resources to lure them to a campus?
Barrett humanities and arts faculty member Lenore Brady is attempting to recruit, teach, advise and develop programming activities to create a Polytechnic Barrett experience similar to the honors college on the Tempe campus.
Some Polytechnic students are finding they can get the opportunities they desire from Barrett by working with Brady to create new programs and activities.
Mechanical engineering sophomore Jeremiah White and two fellow Barrett sophomores took the first step to creating a Barrett community by establishing the Barrett Club at Poly, a student-led, University recognized club.
Encouraged by Brady, White and his friends designed the club to provide networking, activities and a sense of community and connection for the 41 Polytechnic Barrett students.
The club plans to provide social activities for Barrett students and develop a sense of community at the Polytechnic campus for honors students.
The first activity for Barrett Students at the Polytechnic campus will be a Halloween party on Nov. 1 in the Student Union.
“I encouraged students in my Human Event class to think of cohering as a group and starting to feel a sense of community,” Brady said.
The Human Event course is an honors class all Barrett freshman are required to take.
In the past, Brady has attempted to bring Barrett students together by conducting workshops, information sessions and activities and supplying free food to students. Many of the events were unattended by students, however.
Brady said she hopes the club will improve her efforts by spreading news about Barrett activities through word-of-mouth.
“I don’t think e-mail works anymore,” Brady said. “I think word of mouth is the most powerful way to get students to come to an event, or join a club.”
Psychology freshman Kassandra Johnson said she is glad the club is starting, allowing students to develop a new program that fits the needs of the students.
“I think it’s cool to be involved in something new,” Johnson said. “We can shape this to fit Poly. At Tempe, Barrett programs are already set in stone — there’s not much room for new student ideas.”
Brady hopes a main focus on the club will be community and campus outreach.
“I want to see students get involved at a hands-on level, where they can affect some change in Barrett at Poly,” Brady said.
This school year, members want to accomplish goals like making the club visible on campus, having at least one activity per month for students and doing community service projects through the House of Refuge East, a transitional housing service for Mesa’s homeless and domestic violence victims.
Brady said the club is important for Barrett students because it will provide networking opportunities and peer support between students.
Club meetings are on the first Monday of each month at 9 p.m. in the Student Union conference room and are open to all Polytechnic Barrett students.
“If students start seeing themselves as Barrett students out here, my hope is that it [the club] will turn into an infectious idea, and everyone will want to be part of it,” Brady said.
Reach the reporter at afleisha@asu.edu.
