Adrianna Waack - Finance and Global Supply Chain, 2021
I participated in the Detroit Fellows tutoring program, which allowed me to volunteer teaching first graders how to read at an elementary school just five minutes away from campus! It is an experience I will never forget, and I am grateful for the impact I had on the kids, as well as the impact they had on me.
Your name, major and prospective year of graduation
Adrianna Waack, Finance and Global Supply Chain, 2021
What are you involved in that you would like featured in Honors publications/website?
Swimming
How has Honors prepared you for your accomplishments?
Freshman year in the Honors College is challenging and new. By new, I mean concepts that you've never heard of or thought of before. Also, a new way of researching and writing papers. I learned how to look at something from so many different angles, and that allowed me to actually fully understand complex ideas. The writing assignments that are assigned during freshman year broadened my horizons and taught me a new style of writing. Not only did I improve upon my writing skills, but what I was learning was relevant and interesting. I remember writing a paper about assisted outpatient treatment in cities, and specifically in Detroit, and that's something that I would have never learned about if not for the Honors College, as I am a finance major. Besides all the information that is learned, I am so excited to have "Irvin D. Reid Honors College" on my resume and to graduate with honors. It is something special that sets honors students apart from the rest!
What makes Honors at WSU unique?
Aside from WSU being located in Midtown, just a two minute car ride away from downtown Detroit, the Honors College is extremely unique in that it focuses on four pillars, one for each year of a student's undergraduate career. For second year students, it is recommended that the service learning credits are fulfilled, which focuses on community service. Being located in Detroit, there are plenty of opportunities, and it is great that WSU is giving back to the city. I participated in the Detroit Fellows tutoring program, which allowed me to volunteer teaching first graders how to read at an elementary school just five minutes away from campus! It is an experience I will never forget, and I am grateful for the impact I had on the kids, as well as the impact they had on me.
What's your most memorable experience in Honors?
By far my most memorable experience in Honors was the Detroit Fellows tutoring program. For 12 weeks, seven hours a week, I tutored six first graders in reading. I gained a lot of patience, but also love for these children. Their reading skills varied, and so did their success with me over the 12 weeks, but I can truly say I made a connection with each of the kids and really got to know them. The program allows for one-on-one tutoring, which simply cannot happen in a classroom with 20-30 children and one teacher. The students felt more comfortable in a private setting, and were able to learn at their own pace and with different techniques from others. I recommend this to everyone in the honors college!
What class or professor has shaped you the most and how?
HON PS 1010 consisted of a semester building up to write one, huge paper on an issue that each student wanted to fix. Professor Martin encouraged us to dig deep and think in a complex way that I had never done before. The final product was rewarding!