Pavlis Honors College Updates
Jean Kampe (Provost's Office) will be the Pavlis Honors College's new dean starting July 1.
At that time, Kampe’s title will become associate provost for undergraduate education and dean of the Pavlis Honors College as a reflection of her new role.
Despite taking on some new duties, Kampe will continue to facilitate implementation of Michigan Tech’s undergraduate curriculum and ensure ongoing compliance with the University’s regional accreditor (Higher Learning Commission) while also supporting ongoing growth in the Pavlis Honors College. In the future, Kampe plans to work closely with members of the Education for the 21st Century Tech Forward group and others to test and implement improvements to the University’s first-year and general education offerings.
“Jean has been instrumental in preparing the campus for our October 2021 visit by the Higher Learning Commission,” said Provost Jackie Huntoon. “I know that once the visit is completed, she and I look forward to supporting the campus’s efforts to enhance and continually update the undergraduate learning experience for Michigan Tech’s students.”
When the Pavlis Honors College was established in 2014, the founding donor, Frank Pavlis, made it clear that he intended his gift to enable as many students as possible to access the “high-impact practices” that foster academic, career and personal success.
At the time, most universities' honors programs were only open to students with exceptional academic records and financial resources. That meant access to a transformative, high-impact, educational experience was only available to a select group of students. Pavlis wanted to change that — and through his gift, he helped Michigan Tech make it possible for all students to have an honors-level experience.
The College's former dean, Lorelle Meadows, actualized the honors-for-all model during her nearly seven years of leadership. Meadows designed Michigan Tech’s honors programming based on the self-authorship principles of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle. Today, Michigan Tech’s honors experience allows all undergraduate students the opportunity to actively plan their personal future by developing skills that augment learning gained in other settings.
Since Meadows' retirement in February, Adrienne Minerick (CC) as been serving as the interim dean. In that role, she has continued to champion the model of honors-for-all through self-driven student growth. She also promoted the work of the Tech Forward Education for the 21st Century group, led by Mary Raber (EF) with support and collaboration from many others.
Minerick and Raber will transition away from the Pavlis Honors College on July 1 to assume new roles at Michigan Tech.
“Both Adrienne and Mary, as well as Lorelle before them, have worked to create a unique honors experience at Michigan Tech," said Huntoon. "Students are excited about their work with the Honors College, and projected enrollments in the Honors Pathway program are anticipated to reach an all-time high for fall 2021."
"As Adrienne and Mary move to the College of Engineering, they will have opportunities to share the knowledge and experiences gained while serving in leadership roles in the Pavlis Honors College,” Huntoon concluded.