vern – University Honors Program Blog

5 Reasons the Vern Spelling Bee Will Blow Your Mind

November 9, 2013Events, Featured

The MVC’s epic spelling bee is in a matter of days (Wednesday, 11/13 at 8pm in Post Hall) and it’s crazy. Here are five reasons why you’ll actually want to go to this spelling bee.

1) The competitors are called “Tributes,” and there are 2 from each “District.”

This definitely isn’t going to be a regular spelling bee.

2) Tricks, traps, subterfuge, and sabotage are required to win. It’s not just spelling.

Wait, what?

3) There’s a thing called a “Cornucopia” and tributes use items in it against each other.

Some items let tributes force competitors to spell their word, some items can be used for protection. Some give immunity, and one item makes a tribute spell their word backward.

4) Just by showing up, you could help a tribute win the game.

Did we forget to mention sponsor gifts? There are sponsor gifts. Districts with the biggest audience get sponsor gifts that let their tributes re-do a question.

5) There are 2 Honors districts. These Honors tributes need you to be there.

From District Dor: Emily Long and Katie Formosi. From District Jacob: Shelly Sharma and Allen Allen.

Find out if your friend is a tribute, and then go get (free) tickets to support them. They’re actually going to need your help.

The Vern: Student Friendly Space

September 10, 2012Uncategorized

The GW Hatchet weighed in on ways to make the Vern a more student friendly place. What do you think?
From the article:

If the University wants to encourage more students to take advantage of the Vern, it could emphasize the versatility of its dual-campus model and work to make it attractive, not just for prospective students and freshmen, but for upperclassmen as well.

That editorial goes on to list specific suggestions, like increased dining options and senior dean’s seminars. It also noted that the recent rebranding effort, which seems to emphasize the Foggy Bottom location, missed out on the opportunity to advance the many benefits of a dual campus model.
The UHP, of course, has offices in both Foggy Bottom and Mt. Vernon, as well as an official living community in West Hall where about 50% of our freshmen choose to live. We’re making good use of the dual-campus model, and we know there are already many benefits to living and taking classes at MVC. To name a few: students who live on the campus get priority registration for any class held on MVC; classes tend to be smaller thanks to there being few massive lecture halls; and the rooms in West (many of which allow you a private bedroom) are cheaper than the majority of all other upper-classmen residence halls.
What do you think? Is there more that GW (or even just the UHP) could do to help make the Vern a more student friendly place? Or do you reject the question out of hand, and say that the Vern already is student friendly?

What's the Deal with the Dual Campus?

August 27, 2012Uncategorized

This year, the UHP is spearheading the Dual Campus Model. What does that mean?
We’re in two places! We have offices on the Mt. Vernon Campus AND in Foggy Bottom. Find us at Ames Suite 101 (MVC) or 714 21st Street NW (FoBo).

We tried this approach first. — Just like Dr. Manhattan, we’re in two places!

But not at the same time! (At least not individually.) For now, you can find Catherine at MVC on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and in Foggy Bottom on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Liz will be at MVC on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and in Foggy Bottom on Tuesdays and Thursdays. (Don’t worry, it’s easily navigable when making an appointment.)

Dr. Lizhuttan — It turned out that photoshopping them blue didn’t actually give them the power to be in two places at once. So, not just like Dr. Manhattan afterall.

Honors faculty live with us now! Well, they still have homes that they go to (we’re pretty sure), but their offices are now in the same place as staff. We know, we know: we’re already working on getting a reality-style sitcom deal with pretty much every major network so people can enjoy our dynamic. We’ll let you know about that too.