8/19/2021
Dr. Ed Hally
Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Administration Ed Hally has been appointed to the position of Boone Honors Program (BHP) assistant director. He will serve alongside Professor of English Lana Whited, who has directed the program for the past 13 years.
“With a keen intellect and a heart for service, Ed Hally is an ideal candidate for honors education,” said Whited. “I am delighted about his appointment and grateful for his willingness to take on this new role.”
“I have a soft spot for honors programs, in general,” said Hally. “They were an important part of my own college career and development as a scholar.”
The BHP, an interdisciplinary program committed to challenging students, and the college campus as a whole, to strive for excellence, has continued to grow since its 2001 inception under the leadership of now-retired Dean of Arts and Humanities and Religion Professor David Howell. In May 2021, the program graduated 14 honors medallion recipients, its largest-ever group. This fall, BHP will welcome its largest entering class of 25 honors students. (An SAT score of at least 1200 and a GPA of at least 3.5 are required to join BHP as a Ferrum College freshman.)
Hally has worked closely with BHP for more than a decade, and has taught the introductory honors seminar (Honors 100) eight times. His role as BHP assistant director will evolve over time as the program’s needs are determined, but will mostly involve program assessment, mentorship, service on the BHP steering committee, and continuing to teach the Honors 100 seminar.
In 2020, Hally began directing the College’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), which seeks to engage the student body in ways that will lead to even more student success. He will continue directing the QEP as he navigates his new role as BHP assistant director.
“The students are the main reason to work so closely with the BHP,” said Hally. “The classes are always rewarding to teach because the students always surprise and impress me with their creativity, their talent, and their ability to work as a team.”
Read more about the Boone Honors Program.
Dorothy Carroll ’18 has been named the Virginias Collegiate Honors Council (VCHC) Honors Scholar of the Year. According to VCHC President John S. Sound, this is a unique honor bestowed on a student who has demonstrated extraordinary potential as an Honors Scholar, and who embodies the scholarship, character, and ambition associated historically with honors students and the VCHC.
As VCHC Honors Scholar of the Year, Dorothy will receive a $500 cash award/scholarship and a complimentary Southern Regional Honors Council (SRHC) Conference registration. She will be honored during the joint VCHC/SRHC Conference, which will be held April 5 – 7, 2018, in Washington, D. C. At the conference awards ceremony on Friday, April 6, Dorothy will give a talk highlighting her educational accomplishments, her future educational goals, and what it means to her to receive this award.
Dorothy, who is from Birmingham, AL, will graduate in May with a Political Science degree, with an emphasis in Democracy, Justice, and Civic Engagement. She is also a member of the Boone Honors Program.
“The Boone Honors Program has taught me hard work and dedication. It promotes academic excellence and leadership through its GPA requirements and enrichment projects. The program has provided me many opportunities with encouragement and support along the way, and I could not imagine my college experience without it,” said Dorothy, who plans to move to the D.C. area and work as a paralegal specialist after graduation in May.
About the Virginias Collegiate Honors Council: According to its website, the Virginias Collegiate Honors Council, now more than twenty five years old, joins universities, colleges, and community colleges throughout Virginia and West Virginia to support and enhance programs and activities to meet the needs of exceptionally talented and motivated students. (www.vchc.net)
