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DR. FLOYD F. KOCH HONORS COLLEGE

2014-2015

The Honors College Annual Report is designed as an overview of data collected

throughout the academic year of activities in the Honors College.

DR. FLOYD F. KOCH HONORS COLLEGE 2014-2015

DR. FLOYD F. KOCH HONORS

COLLEGE 2014-2015

SNAPSHOT OF THE HONORS COLLEGE – PALM BEACH STATE COLLEGE

Table of Contents

Welcome and Mission ...................................................................................................... 1

Demographics .................................................................................................................. 2

Scholarships ..................................................................................................................... 3

Community Involvement .................................................................................................. 5

Learning ......................................................................................................................... 10

Graduation ..................................................................................................................... 13

Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 14

Attachments ................................................................................................................... 15

Produced by:

Palm Beach State College

Academic Affairs

Prepared by: Marcella Montesinos, M.S, Manager – Honors College

Palm Beach State College


Page 1

FROM THE HONORS COLLEGE MANAGER

Dear Friends of the Dr. Floyd F. Koch Honors College:

I am pleased to present this annual report highlighting the successes of the Dr. Floyd F. Koch Honors College for the

2014-2015 academic year.

This academic year began with an interim Honors College Manager, Ms. Cynthia Demitruk, while I was on maternity

leave. Ms. Demitruk guided the honor college till my return in late October 2014.

Upon my return, the Honors College has strived to recruit new students through innovative ways and our goal to retain

our students till graduation. The first strategy was to provide access to students interested in the honors college but

were not sure if they were able to commit towards a Gold or Silver Honors College track. Through discussions with the

Honors Advisory Board and the approval by Dr. Ginger Pedersen, Interim Academic Affairs Vice President, we

implemented a process to allow a student who meets the same eligibility requirements of an honors student to take an

honors course. Our goal is for students to become committed after taking an honors course and fully apply to the

program.

The second strategy involved working to secure an additional scholarship to all current honors students. In January

2015, Palm Beach State College created the Honors College Scholarship, which will be available to our honors students

in fall 2015. The scholarship will award those students who are in good standing, full time, and currently taking an

honors course. Our goal is to provide an additional benefit to students who are committed to rigorous academics.

Finally, through encouragement and guidance, the Honors College made a historic milestone by having two Honors

College graduates, Patricia Medina and Ana Guevara, receive the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship. This

scholarship awards only 90 students in the nation with up to $40,000 annually to complete their bachelor’s degree. Our

hope is to continue to guide students to increase the number of students applying and receiving transfer scholarships.

As we move forward for the upcoming year, we see exciting opportunities to continue grow the Dr. Floyd F. Koch

Honors College.

Marcella A. Montesinos

MISSION OF THE DR. FLOYD F. KOCH HONORS COLLEGE IN KEEPING WITH THE MISSION OF

PALM BEACH STATE COLLEGE THE PURPOSE OF THE HONORS COLLEGE IS TO PROVIDE A

CHALLENGING AND SUPPORTIVE ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH STUDENTS ARE

ENCOURAGED TO THINK CRITICALLY, DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP, AND DEVELOP ETHICAL

STANDARDS. HONORS PURSUES AN INTERACTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE WHERE STUDENTS

ACQUIRE A CREATIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF CONCEPTS IN AN

INTERDISCIPLINARY AND GLOBAL CONTEXT. PALM BEACH STATE HONORS STUDENTS AND

FACULTY SHARE A COMMITMENT AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY THAT EXTENDS BEYOND THE

CLASSROOM TO LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES.


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DEMOGRAPHICS

HONORS ENROLLMENT

Honors currently serves 424 students college wide a 2% decrease from

435 in 2013-2014. The enrollment of Honors students is expected to

increase with the additional strategies that have been implemented in

for 2015-2016. We continue to ensure that new faculty are sought and

a variety of courses are offered each semester. This academic year, the

Honors Advisory Board approved the development of Honors

Introduction to the College Experience. The courses will be taught in

the 2015-2016 academic year.

Table 1- Demographics

CURRENT STUDENTS

Students enrolled in the Honors College: 424

The median age of students’ college-wide in the Honors College: 20

Average Honors student GPA: 3.75

Average class size of Honors courses: 9.8

RACE AND ETHNICITY COLLEGEWIDE OF HONORS STUDENTS

http://image.yaymicro.com/rz_1210x1210/0/173/economic-graph-173cf2.jpg


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SCHOLARSHIPS

The Honors College awarded 71 Honors students scholarships totaling $45,350 in

the 2014-2015 academic year. There are currently three types of scholarships

offered to Honors students: Palm Beach State Honors scholarship, Presidential

Scholar/Honors Book Stipend scholarship, and the Dr. Floyd F. Koch Honors

College scholarship. Honors scholarships are offered in the fall and spring semester.

All honors students are encouraged to apply for the scholarships throughout the year.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

The Dr. Floyd F. Koch Honors College students have provided 1,595 hours of service to the Palm Beach County

community. Students are asked to volunteer a minimum of 5 hours at an organization on or off campus.

Not Reported, 25, 6%

Asian, 25, 6%

Black or African

American, 70, 17%

White, 153, 36%

Hispanic or Latino,

136, 32%

Native American, 1,

0%

Pacific Islander, 0,

0% Two or more races,

14, 3%

Honors Students/Race and Ethnicity College Wide

2014/2015 AY


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Table 3 lists the hours donated to the community as well as Palm Beach State College.

Table 3- Honors Points/Service Hours Donated by Honors Students

Community Partner Hours Donated Acreage Flags for the Cure 5

Adopt-A-Family 3

Adopt-A-Highway 7

Allstar Martial Arts Academy 4

American Cancer Society 20

American Foundation of Suicide Prevention 15

American German Club 12

American Red Cross 4

Amigos do Bem 5

Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge 17

Aspira 4

Belle Glade Life Center 5

Berkshire Elementary School 5

Bethesda Memorial Hospital 47

Boca Helping Hands 9.5

Boca Raton Police Department 39

Boca West Medical Center 5

Bouncing Beyond Boundaries 11

Caridad Center 10

Christ Fellowship Church 10

Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church 1

De George Academy for Performing Arts 21

Delray Full Service Center 6

Diamond View Elementary School 2

Disability Insurance Law Group 32

Dudley Retirement Community Clubhouse 5

Everglades Angels Dog Rescue 5

Feed Belle Glade 2

Florida Atlantic University 9

Florida Science Center and Aquarium 30

FoodTown Supermarket 12

FoundCare Health Center 8

Fraternal Order of Police 15

Furry Friends Adoption Clinic 3

Gardens School of Technology 4

Girl Scouts of the USA 3


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Table 3- Honors Points/Service Hours Donated by Honors Students Grassroots Voter Outreach 23.5

Habitat for Humanity 10

Highland Elementary School 10

Jack the Bike Man 50

John I. Leonard High School 5

Jupiter Beach Clean Up 18

Justin Bartlett Animal Rescue 2

Kretzer Piano Music Foundation 5

Lake Worth Beach Clean Up 27.5

Lake Worth Ocean Rescue 40

Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County 41

LifeNet 4 Families 27

Mediterranean Festival 14

Mediterranean 6.5

Morse Life Health System 5

National Kidney Foundation 10

National Supermarket Association 5

Neighborhood Resource Center 21

New Way International Ministry 8

Oasis of Love Baptist Church 4

Oasis Rehabilitation Center 2.5

Olympic Heights High School 16

Operation 300 5

Paint Your Heart Out 31.5

Palm Beach Buddhist Community 31

Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control 3

Palm Beach County Convention Center 41.5

Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management

4

Palm Beach County Main Library 28

Palm Beach State College, On Campus Service 363.25

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society 13

Psi Beta Honor Society 7

Quota International of Boca 2

Quantum House 5

Restore Coffee Roasters 30

Royal Palm Beach High School 15

Sand Shifters Beach Clean Up 5

Sea Angels Green Beach Clean Up 3.5

Sea Star Initiative 9.5


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Table 3- Honors Points/Service Hours Donated by Honors Students Short Stacks Restaurant 3

Solid Waste Authority 4

South Florida Fairgrounds 21

Stand UP Foundation 5

Sunfest Music Festival 5

Sunshine Park Academy 19

Surfers for Autism 23

Susan G. Komen for the Cure 7

The Great American Cleanup 4

The Gymnastics Revolution 19.5

The Volen Center 24.25

The Women's Breast and Heart Initiative 5

Tri-County Humane Society 5

United States Navy Seals 7

United Way of America 8

Verde Elementary School 4

Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center 35

VITAS 22

Watson B. Duncan Middle School 6

Wellington Recreation Center 18

West Boynton Park 1.5

Wynnebrook Elementary School 5

LEARNING

The Honors College currently provides students with an option to obtain

Honors credit by adding an additional component to their non-honors class if

an honors course is not possible for them to take. The Honors Project is

designed to go above and beyond the classroom, with professors mentoring

Honors students throughout the semester. In 2014-2015 there was a total of 77

Honors Projects completed. The professor earns $125 for each approved

project.

GRADUATION


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TRACKS TO RECEIVE HONORS DISTINCTION:

There are two tracks students can pursue to graduate with Honors

Distinction: Honors Silver or Honors Gold. There are different guidelines

and requirements for each track.

Honors Silver:

Complete 12 credit hours honors work (any combination of honors classes or honors project contracts);

Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5;

Earn at least a B in each honors class or honorized class.

Earn at least 20 points on the Honors Point System.

Honors Gold:

Complete 21 total credit hours of honors work, of which

1. 3 credit hours must be IDH2105, “Knowledge Through the Ages”;

2. No more that 6 credit hours can be in honors projects;

Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5;

Earn at least a B in each honors class or honorized class;

Earn at least 40 points on the Honors Point System.

The Honors College has a separate graduation application so that we can verify that the student has met all

requirements to be noted on their transcript. Table 6 demonstrates the number of honors graduates.

Table 5– Honors Graduates

Fall 2014 Honors Graduates : 11

Silver Track = 9

Gold Track = 2

Spring 2015 Honors Graduates : 59

Silver Track = 32

Gold Track = 28

http://www.palmbeachstate.edu/Documents/Honors/HonorsPointSystem.pdf

http://www.palmbeachstate.edu/Documents/Honors/HonorsPointSystem.pdf


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CONCLUSION

The Honors College is funded from the College through Academic Affairs and

Student Services in 2014-2015. The Student Services funds allowed the Student

Advisory Council to host fellowship events throughout the year, and also provided

the opportunity to send students to showcase their research this year at the 2015

Florida Collegiate Honors Council Conference hosted by Miami Dade College.

Academic Affairs funds provide faculty and the Honors College Manager to travel

for recruitment events outside the college, purchase office materials for the Honors

College, and recruitment materials and displays.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT A GLANCE

Honors Introduction to the College Experience was presented to the Curriculum Committee and approved to

be part of the Honors Curriculum.

18 Presidential Honors College Scholars were accepted into the Honors College for the 2014-2015 Academic

year.

Honors students presented and attended the 2015 Florida Collegiate Honors Conference.

Closer working relationships were developed with Financial Aid to ensure additional scholarships for honors

students.

Three faculty members were identified to be Honors Faculty Liaisons for 2014-2015 Academic year: Anthony

Piccolino (Palm Beach Gardens), Rodney Dillon (Boca Raton), and Steve Brahlek (Lake Worth). Faculty

receive a release time to assist with honors.

Two Honors College students were awarded the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship.

MAJOR GOALS FOR 2015-2016

Forge a better relationship with the Wilkes Honors College at Florida Atlantic University and continue the

MOU that allows our honors students to have automatic acceptance.

Improve of Policies and Procedures to better the Honors College.

Seek innovative ways to promote the Honors College with the support of Student Service.

Request a proper staffing for the Honors College by providing at minimum an Honors College administrative

assistant. Currently, the Honors College is staffed by a District Wide Honors College Manager and two

student assistants. Academic Affairs has provided faculty liaisons with 9 point release time.

See a proper budget for the Honors College.


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ATTACHMENTS:


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Honors Graduates Surveys

Summer 2015


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# Answer

Response % 1 take some time off

0 0% 2 transfer to a university

8 80% 3 work

0 0% 4 other (please specify)

2 20%

Total

10 100%

Text Response University of Florida Stetson University New College of Florida

# Answer

Response % 1 Yes (please specify)

2 67% 2 No

1 33%

Total

3 100%

# Answer

Response %

1 Yes

3 100%

2 No

0 0%

Total

3 100%

# Answer

Response %

1 Yes

5 100%

2 No

0 0%

Total

5 100%

# Answer

Response %

1 1 - not happy

0 0% 2 2

0 0% 3 3

1 20% 4 4

1 20% 5 5 - very happy

3 60%

Total

5 100%

1. Now that you have graduated from Palm Beach State with Honors College distinction,

will you:

2. Which university do you plan to attend? (please specify)

3. Did you receive a scholarship to attend a university? If yes, which scholarship did

you receive?

4. Do you believe the Dr. Floyd F. Koch Honors College distinction helped you obtain

admission to your university program of choice?

5. Would you recommend the Dr. Floyd F. Koch Honors College to incoming students

at Palm Beach State?

6. On a scale 1 - 5 with1 being not happy and 5 being very happy, how was your

experience as an Honors College student?


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9. May we contact you for more information on your experience with Honors at Palm

Beach State?(If yes, make sure you’ve filled out your name and address at the bottom of

this form)

Text Response More activities to do since we need to have the points The college needs to dedicate staffing to the FFK Honors college to give it credence. One person cannot (no matter how hard she tries) make a program into a successful college. Personnel and resources must be invested to make a succesful program. It is not fair to try to use the shoestring approach. It is unfair to the students as well as the college staff.

# Answer

Response %

1 Yes

5 100% 2 No

0 0%

Total

5 100%

# Answer

Response % 1 Yes

3 75% 2 No

1 25%

Total

4 100%

7. In the following space, please make any comments you wish regarding the Dr. Floyd

F. Koch Honors College at Palm Beach State.

8. Do we have your permission to use your comments for Honors marketing purposes?


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