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Honors Student Association

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Honors Student Association

The Honors Student Association is a student organization established specifically for students of the Honors College. We serve to promote fellowship among Honors students and faculty, encourage volunteerism, and most importantly, commit students to become active members of the Honors College community. The HSA officers meet every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Honors College, and hold three general meetings per semester as well as weekly events. We maintain an active Honors Student Association Facebook page for Honors students to stay up-to-date with HSA events.

Elizabeth Joyce, Co-President

photo of Elizabeth Joyce

Name: Elizabeth Joyce

Major: Electrical Engineering

Minor: Business

Hometown: Allen, TX

Hobbies/Interests:  Right now, I have the honor of working at the Radar Research Center where I get to fly lots of drones!  In my free time I enjoy playing volleyball and I am trying to get back into running.

Fun fact:  My dad owned a Baskin Robbins when I was younger

                                                                Contact: elizabeth.joyce@ou.edu

Abby Ball, Co-President

photo of Abby Ball

Major: Biology, Pre-Medicine

Minor: Chemistry, Spanish

Hometown: Bixby, OK

Hobbies/Interests: I really like cats and squishmallows and tend to be both a murder mystery and superhero fanatic!

Fun fact: I'm left handed except for using scissors. 

Email: ball.abigail@ou.edu

Mandinyara Kanhema, Social Media Coordinator


Major: Public Health 

Minor: Pre-Med and Biology

Hometown: Kwekwe, Zimbabwe

Hobbies/Interests: I love reading and taking long walks in nature. This includes hikes and jogs, anything that involves being surrounded by trees. In my free time, I also enjoy playing soccer.

Fun fact: When I was 11 years old, I got surgery to remoce a small rock from my ear. 

Contact: tadiwa.m.kanhema-1@ou.edu

Lane McCoy, Treasurer


Major: Microbiology, Pre-Med

Hometown: Tulsa, Oklahoma

Hobbies/Interests: I have always been told that I am a man of many interesting hobbies. I participate in a lot of physical activities such as running, boxing, and even fencing (yes, with swords). When I am not exercising, you can usually find me watching the stock market, checking out my Roth IRA, or struggling to fill out a W-2. While I may not be a very good financial analyst, I enjoy taking the time to get better. I also am a huge fan of botany and growing plants — I tend to a small garden I constructed in my family's yard. Finally, you will always catch me hanging out with my friends, where we participate in all kinds of activities.

Subah Chowdury, Outreach Coordinator


Major: Social Work and Biochemical Sciences 

Hometown: Queens, New York / OKC

Hobbies/Interests: I love doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, cooking, and watching shows! I'm also an avid Marvel and Spongebob fan. 

Fun fact: My longest dance was 30 minutes straight!

Jennifer Joyce, Programming Coordinator


Major: Accounting/MIS

Minor: Piano

Hometown: Allen, TX

Hobbies/Interests: Some people like to call me an old lady because i love to crochet and knit as well as play piano! I am also a huge movie fanatic and have seen every classic movie you can think of. 

Fun fact: I take tap dancing classes

Contact: jennifer.joyce@ou.edu

Lucy Westemeyer, Programming Coordinator


 Major: Biochemistry, Pre-Med 

Minor: Computer Science and Spanish

Hometown: Iowa City, IA 

Hobbies/Interests: I love to read and travel, and read books about traveling!

Fun fact: I've been to all 50 states 

Contact: lwestemeyer@ou.edu

Crystal Victoria Hollen, Outreach Coordinator


Major: Psychology 

Minor: Health and Excercise Science

Hometown: Norman, Oklahoma

Hobbies/Interests: I love a good cup of coffee and a mystery novel! If I could live in a bookstore, I would. I was a competitive swimmer for ten years, and I still love swimming in my free time. Right now, I work as a volunteer docent at the Sam Noble Museum on campus and I love every second of it. My plan after college is to get into a doctorate psychology program.

                                                                 Fun fact: I love learning 80s songs on the violin!

Pearl Daugaard, Programming Coordinator


Major: Neuroscience

Minor: Philosophy

Hometown: Rolla, Missouri

Hobbies/Interests: I love to lift weights, thrift, explore new cities, visit museums, study in coffee shops, and aggresively annotate my books! I'm also the Outreach Coordinator for Green Week, an Ethics Bowl competitor, and a Research Assistant at the Stephenson Life Sciences Center.

Fun fact: This year's struggle meal has been the Starkist Tuna Creation packets from Walmart and a piece of gum. 

                                                                Contact: pdaugard@ou.edu

Bogan Garcia, Program Coordinator

photo of Bogan Garcia

Major: Letters, Political Science and Pre-Law

Hometown: Harrah, Oklahoma

Hobbies/Interests: I am an avid hiker and lifelong lover of the outdoors. I am planning on pursuing contract law and am interested in the rights of individuals with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, and autism.

Fun fact: I once broke down in the Chihuahuan desert with no cell service and macgyvered my way out.

Every student enrolled in the Honors College at OU is automatically a member of the HSA. However, the title of "Active Member" is reserved for students who attend three meetings or events each semester. Active Members may run for officer positions in the spring.

1 - Help students graduate cum laude and realize their academic potential.

  • Provide students with the requirements to graduate with honors.
  • Help students with the reading and research program.
  • Help students find out about and join other honor and academic organizations.
  • Be a source of information for scholarship opportunities.
  • Direct students toward internship, mentor, and tutoring opportunities.

2 - Serve the academic community.

  • Participate in service projects.
  • Provide a forum for academic discussion.

3 - Participate in the governance of the Honors College.

  • Maintain a close relationship with the Honors College faculty and staff.
  • Facilitate communication between the Honors College and the honors class professors.
  • Foster creation and awareness of honors courses.
  • Assist in faculty hiring.

4 - Participate in the community of honors students.

  • Participate in campus activities.
  • Be active in the community of the Honors House.

The constitution of the H.S.A. is registered with the University of Oklahoma Student Association (UOSA). The constitution provides a framework for the organization. 

Article I. Purpose

The purpose of the University of Oklahoma Honor Student Association (H.S.A.) shall be to ensure student input into the programs and policies of the OU Honors College, to promote healthy debate and knowledge at the university, and to encourage its members to strive for academic excellence.

Article II. Membership

Every student enrolled in the Honors College at the University of Oklahoma is a member of H.S.A. With approval by a majority of H.S.A. officers, any student expressing interest in the OU Honors College shall be a member of the H.S.A.

Article III. Officers

Section 1. President

The President shall chair all H.S.A. meetings. The President shall also be responsible for submitting a budget, which must be approved by a majority of H.S.A. officers. The President has the authority to make financial decisions regarding expenditures under $30.00. The President also has the authority to make other decisions he or she deems necessary, provided he or she obtains a majority approval of H.S.A. officers at the following H.S.A. meeting. The president can also appoint an Executive Director if he or she so chooses.

Section 2. Vice-President

The Vice-President shall be responsible for contacting speakers, arranging events, and performing any other duties not delegated to other officers. The Vice-President shall also chair H.S.A. meetings in the absence of the President.

Section 3. Secretary

The Secretary shall be responsible for taking the minutes of every H.S.A. meeting and for keeping a current roster of all active H.S.A. members. The Secretary shall also chair H.S.A. meetings in the absence of both the President and the Vice- President.

Section 4. Treasurer

The Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial accounts of the H.S.A. The Treasurer shall also be responsible for keeping records of all H.S.A. income and expenditures. All expenditures exceeding $30.00 must have approval by a majority of H.S.A. officers.

Section 5. Executive Director

The Executive Director shall be responsible for overseeing the duties of the other officers under the President, and assisting the officers in their duties.

Article IV. Advisor

A voluntary advisor will be chosen from the Honors Program (College) faculty or staff. The current director of the Honors Program will become the first advisor when this constitution takes effect. In the event an advisor no longer wishes to continue in that capacity, a new advisor will be chosen at the next Honor Student Association officers' meeting.

Article V. Committees

Section 1. Executive Committee

An Executive Committee consisting of all officers shall meet whenever the President or a majority of officers deems necessary. This committee may make decisions by a majority vote, but a three-fourths majority of H.S.A. members present at any H.S.A. meeting may overturn any decision of the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Other Committees

The H.S.A. President may establish other committees, and appoint chairs to those committees, as he or she deems necessary. These committees shall have no decision-making power except that granted to them by the Executive Committee.

Article VI. Meetings

At least one meeting shall be called during each full month during the fall and spring semesters. All meetings shall be advertised at least forty-eight (48) hours before they are held. All H.S.A. meetings shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order, but a quorum will not be required to conduct business.

Article VII. Elections

Elections shall be held at the end of each spring semester. The positions of President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer will be filled during this election. Those H.S.A. members elected to these positions will serve one-year terms. In the event that one of these offices is vacated during the school year, a special election to fill those offices will be called within two (2) weeks of such vacation.

Article VIII. Impeachment

Any officer may be impeached and removed from office by a two-thirds majority of H.S.A. members present at any H.S.A. meeting, provided that charges against the officer be presented to him and be posted on the first floor in the Honors House for at least one (1) week prior to the meeting.

Article IX. Amendments

Amendments to this constitution must be approved by a two-thirds of H.S.A. members present at any H.S.A. meeting. Copies of the amendments must be posted on the first floor of the Honors House for at least one (1) week prior to the meeting.

Article X. Ratification

This constitution shall become effective upon ratification by two-thirds of H.S.A. members voting at the next H.S.A. meeting, and approval of U.O.S.A.