95 ACADEMICS In fall 2022, the Honors College established a new role for faculty members. Through the position of Honors Fellow, a selected faculty member was given the opportunity to work for the Honors College over the course of two years. Dr. Amy Qualls, associate professor of English, was the first to be hired for this position. Enabled by her position as Honors Fellow, Qualls took the initiative to pursue new projects that would bolster the experiences women had in the Honors College. “What I would like to see happen while I’m there is for our female students to feel drawn towards not just honors-level work, but also drawn towards a leadership role within the Honors College community,” Qualls said. “I’m at the very beginning stages of putting together what will ultimately be some kind of council or organization for female students who are members of the Honors College.” Qualls was first drawn to the job by the ability to further pursue intentional relationships with students, which she was well known for doing. Sophomore English major Jiana Manglicmot attested to Qualls’s intentionality. Dr. Amy Qualls joins the Honors College as an Honors Fellow. QUALITY CONVERSATION In a showcase of intentionality, junior Hannah Diles engages in a conversation with Amy Qualls. Diles and Qualls share a laugh in the Honors House. Photo by: Julianne Baker QUALLS IS QUALLIFIED “When she asks you ‘how are you?’ she really means it,” Manglicmot said. “She asks hoping that she can truly listen to you and act on that if need be.” Junior Rachael Bull was one of the many students whose lives Qualls invested in as an academic adviser. “No matter how busy her schedule is, she has always been willing to sit down with me over coffee and talk,” Bull said. “As I’ve shared with her my struggles with figuring out life and calling, she has always been ready with a great willingness to listen and offer her wisdom. I am deeply encouraged by the way she shows love for me and anyone willing to ask for her time.” With her new role as Honors Fellow, Qualls was excited to broaden the demographic of students she reached out to. “Right now most of the student relationships I have ... come from the English department,” Qualls said. “I’ll get so many students from a wide array of disciplines, and so that above anything else in the job description caught my eye.” Written by: Cora Freeman
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==