By Michelle Blaschek (Class of 2007) ACES James Scholar, Honors Council Member, and 2006 President of the ACES James Scholar Media Team. Reprinted from Cursus Honorum VI:4 (November 2005)
This photo of President White appears courtesy of the Office of the President, with special thanks to Kate Metz, Executive Assistant to the President. To learn about President White's recent book on hegemontology, please visit http://www.thenatureofleadership.com/.
The College of ACES is one of the most outstanding colleges within the University. It has achieved many celebrated accomplishments and continues to strive for excellence every day. Being James Scholars within ACES, you are obviously aware of these achievements; however, the new President of our University, Dr. B. Joseph White, has also taken notice.
When speaking with President White, we first discussed his feelings toward ACES. He stated that not only is ACES a very renowned college, but it has also maintained this excellence for a long time and has become a “cornerstone program” within the University. He then went on to praise the wonderful faculty who are involved in the college and their strong commitment to maintaining its excellence. Going beyond ACES, I began asking him about his feelings toward our Honors Program. President White stated that this is a good program that allows students to create more opportunities for themselves. He pointed out that although not every student in the college can participate, it is an opportunity that is always open to them.
Delving further into the Honors Program, we then discussed the Undergraduate Research Project that is necessary for students to engage in during their time with the program. President White states that this University is made for these types of projects and that it would be a shame to go to school here for four years and never take part in one. He encourages all students to reach out to a faculty member or take a class where a serious research project is offered. He also points out that along with our many faculty members, emeriti faculty members would be more than willing to take on a student to guide in a research project. Essentially, he tells us that there is no excuse for not having this valuable experience.
Undergraduate projects are important in helping every student decide on a career path, along with classes offered within the College of ACES that can help to prepare you for future plans. President White states that because students have to make many major decisions like deciding between graduate school, a career, or other options, there is a need for these types of classes that allow students to really benefit from them and the good counseling they provide. He also states, however, that it is necessary for the students to take the initiative and get advice from those who are knowledgeable. He tells us that the help is there – we just have to be willing to seek it out.
To sum up our interview, I asked President White what direction he felt the College of ACES was moving in. He stated that he has a lot of confidence in the future of our college, since it is so strong and well known, and because the community has such close ties with it. When addressing the students, he states that he hopes they feel good about their University and the wonderful professors who teach them. He finished by saying,
"I hope they feel they are getting a good education and enjoying it, and I hope they will choose to be lifelong supporters of the U of I in every way."