Select Page

With University of Wisconsin Oshkosh students heading back to campus in about three weeks, we’re sharing updates from our deans about what’s in store for the fall 2020 semester amid the pandemic. Honors College Dean Laurence Carlin gives advice and offers the latest details about new instructors and courses offered for the 2020-21 academic year.

Laurence Carlin

What did faculty members and staff in your college learn about teaching online this past spring that may inform how hybrid or online classes will be conducted in the fall?
Our Honors instructors reported often that our Honors students are impressively resilient. Students stayed fully engaged when it came to online discussions and activities. I think it showed our instructors that even in an online class, one can still foster that sense of community and a high-impact educational experience so crucial to Honors education. I’m certain this is informing their approach as they prepare for the fall, for they know that there is every reason to be optimistic about their classes no matter what the semester brings.

Describe how faculty members in your college are preparing for the fall semester?
Honors instructors talk to each other a lot! We share ideas, successes and things that were not so successful. We’re planning a number of online meetings this summer to discuss teaching in the fall. It is a wonderful teaching community.

What’s new in your college for fall 2020?
This year we will graduate the first four-year class of The Honors College at UW Oshkosh. We opened our doors in fall 2017 to the class of 2021. We have grown every year. We graduated more students last year than ever in our history, and we welcome our largest freshmen class ever this fall. We also have new Honors study-abroad programs to France and Scotland this year. We’re excited that Alicia Johnson, the director of the Women’s Center, will teach a new Honors seminar, “Gender and Sports,” and we’re also excited about our new classes, including a new team-taught seminar, “Science, Ecosophy and Well Being.”

What advice would you give students who may perhaps be on the fence about starting college or returning during this time?

My advice is this: Come to UW Oshkosh and experience our impressively supportive community. I would tell them that at UW Oshkosh you are part of a community of people that cares deeply about student success and works very hard to attain it. While there are challenges these days, we are meeting those challenges, and our students are succeeding. I believe our students are going to have a great fall semester, one that will make returning to school very rewarding.

What are some of your own personal thoughts/goals about returning in the fall?
We are looking forward to celebrating our four-year anniversary! We are convinced we can not only deliver high-impact classes, but also celebrate as we should. Last May, we held a live Honors College graduation for spring 2020 graduates. It was so much fun, and there was so much energy. That convinced us that despite these challenging times, we can still make great memories. I’m looking forward to celebrating the success of Honors education at UW Oshkosh—even in a pandemic!

Learn more: