Henderson, Tennessee — (March 13, 2024) — Members of the Freed-Hardeman University Honors Council recently participated in the Tennessee Collegiate Honors Council 2024 Annual Conference on February 9 and 10. During the event, students presented diverse topics and engaged in learning opportunities from fellow scholars. Notably, FHU students clinched first place trivia trophy, and did so with very few errors, according to Matthew Kuhl, a senior biochemistry major. ‘The hosts told us we only missed three questions,’ he said, adding that the team made the most out of the experience.”
The conference, hosted by Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee, attracted honors programs from various prestigious schools across the state, including Middle Tennessee State University, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and the host institution, Lincoln Memorial University.
The annual event serves as a prime platform for highlighting student excellence, according to Dr. Jenny Johnson, dean of the Honors College. “Making presentations in a setting like this offers numerous benefits,” Johnson explained. “One tangible advantage is the significant boost it provides to a graduate school application.”
Kuhl and junior biology major Dan Chang presented on their creative decision-making process from their time as social club secretaries. These roles required creating weekly comedic videos, and the experience turned into a unique presentation on how to be funny. And Emma Robison, a senior English major, presentation was inspired by an assignment last fall in a Special Topics in Literature class. “My presentation was titled ‘Jane Austen as a Game Creator: A Gameplay Analysis of “Pride and Prejudice” and “Emma.”’ I was able to take basic romantic elements and put them into a gameplay analogy. I even met someone at the event who may be able to help me eventually get it published,” Robison said.
Junior biochemistry major Addie O’Brian gained insights from additional presentations on Zeta functions, a mathematical function important in number theory and analysis. She also found value in the Tennessee Environmental Council’s research presentation about pollinator species in the state.
The mission of Freed-Hardeman University is to help students develop their God-given talents for His glory by empowering them with an education that integrates Christian faith, scholarship and service. With locations in Henderson and Memphis, FHU offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist and doctoral degrees.