Rigorous Honors Program Prepares Students for More Challenges

Kalamazoo Valley Community College Honors Program Director Stephen Louisell is always pleased but not totally surprised that so many graduates of the program transfer to prestigious universities. He proudly recites the achievements of graduates, noting that the list of doctors, lawyers, research scientists and other noteworthy titles continues to grow.

The Honors Program is a reading and writing intensive learning community that aims to prepare graduates transfer to topnotch colleges and universities. Successful applicants are expected to graduate from Kalamazoo Valley Community College before they transfer.

“In the Honors Program we believe we provide education for the first two years of college that’s equal to a prestigious institution. The proof is in the quality of the institutions where our graduates transfer. Quite a few go on to Kalamazoo College and the University of Michigan,” Louisell said.

There are many benefits to being an Honors Program student including reimbursement of tuition and course fees at the in-district rate, learning with highly motivated peers, small classes with 20 or fewer students, preparation to transfer to challenging universities, mentoring and assistance with course selection, letters of recommendation upon graduation, and improved scholarship prospects at transfer institutions.

Paul Fazio and his wife Jennifer hadn’t considered Kalamazoo Valley as a college option for their children until they discovered the Honors Program. “I’m a Hope College graduate and my wife’s a Hope College graduate and we weren’t sure about a community college for our daughter Marley,” Fazio said. “Then we talked to Stephen Louisell about the Honors Program and discovered this hidden gem. It gives you a unique experience at a community college.”

Marley (Mara) Fazio graduated from Plainwell High School in 2014 and earned an associate of science degree in pre-med from Kalamazoo Valley before transferring to Western Michigan University. “I was hesitant about coming to Kalamazoo Valley,” she said. “All of my friends were going to big universities. Coming here was definitely worth it. I learned a lot and made a lot of friends. I’m really better off. I won’t be $40,000 in debt when I graduate with my Bachelor of Science degree.” She double majored in biomedical science and interdisciplinary health sciences and will graduate from WMU in December 2018. She plans to pursue a career in hospital administration.

Paul Fazio said his daughter’s Honors Program experience changed his mind about Kalamazoo Valley. “My whole perspective about community college has changed,” he said. “People become immediately condescending when you mention community college, but college is what you make of it and Kalamazoo Valley can be a great option in the formulation of a young person’s path. It can open the doors to more opportunities. If you work hard and you’re self-directed, it’s a wonderful investment in moving forward.”

The importance of critical thinking is at the heart of the Honors Program philosophy. Honors Program students spend a considerable number of hours each week preparing their assignments, Louisell noted. “The workload is equivalent to what is expected at selective liberal arts colleges.” No exceptions are made to program requirements, which specify weekly writing assignments, seven honors classes in English, the humanities and math, as well as 15 hours of community service each semester.

Students must apply to the program and provide a resume of their accomplishments, including community services, grade point average, official transcripts, ACT or SAT scores and evidence of their composition ability. Finalists are interviewed by the director and notified about the decision.

Honors Program instructors include Michael Keller, Kevin Dockerty, Nicole Bauman, and Scott Myers. In addition, Michael Raines and Tim Stebbins have been teaching mathematics to honors students for the past 14 years.

Honors Program student Betsy Kooistra plans to transfer to The King’s College in New York City to study politics, philosophy and economics when she graduates from Kalamazoo Valley in April. Kooistra was homeschooled and followed her brother Jesse who also enrolled in the Honors Program. “I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to spend two years figuring out what I was good at in an environment that pushed me to grow,” she said of the program. “While I’ve been a student here, I’ve been growing, learning and shaping my abilities.” She said she has appreciated being part of a learning community that both encourages and challenges its members.

Because of the experience, Kooistra said she is certain that she’s ready to move on. “I’m not scared of the writing and research I’m hearing about at four-year universities,” she said. “I’m confident in my ability to handle what they’re going to throw at me and my ability to take it to the next level.”

Honors Program student Josh Rumsey, a Plainwell High School graduate, has been accepted into the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, where he plans to major in engineering at the University of Michigan. He says the Honors Program has prepared him well for his studies at U of M. “The Honors Program courses were considerably more difficult than their regular counterparts. My non-honors program friends were often surprised to hear the amount of work I was doing compared to them, even though we were learning the same course material. This however is the greatest advantage the program has to offer. Not only have I achieved much throughout my attendance, but I have also learned the value of hard work. I firmly believe that this program has prepared me for success in my future endeavors, and to which I have much to be thankful for,” Rumsey said. “Throughout my experience in the program I have been surrounded by some of the brightest people I have ever met, students and faculty alike. In fact, I’d say that one of the greatest parts of the program is the peers that come with it. It’s a fantastic feeling to be involved in a community that encourages one another to succeed beyond what’s expected - to give 110% effort in everything we do. Spearheading it all is Steve Louisell, our biggest motivator for personal success. Mr. Louisell has helped me achieve more than I ever thought was possible, including admission to my dream school, the University of Michigan. I attribute much of my success to his wisdom and advice.”

For more information about the Honors Program at Kalamazoo Valley, go to www.kvcc.edu/campuslife/orgs/honors.

Photo: Honors Program student Josh Rumsey