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SELF- DESIGNED HONORS EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROJECT PROPOSAL

Proposals are held to high standards. Each of these elements must be included in your proposal and project:
1. Abstract:
Provide a detailed overview of this project so that a reader with no background on this topic would fully understand
your project goals and what you intend to learn. If you are proposing a global studies experience, provide an itinerary.
What does the project entail and why is it personally meaningful?
Describe the extent of your time commitment (planning, executing, and reflecting). Your experience should be
equivalent to a 3-credit hour honors seminar. While the quality of the experience and your ability to meet learning
outcomes are most important, you should engage in at least 75-90 hours of direct contact and/or preparation, research,
and reflection. Describe both the quantity and quality of your time commitment to this experience.
2. Connection to Learning Outcomes within an Honors Thematic Area:
Your project should result in substantial learning through which you make progress towards meeting specific learning
outcomes within the thematic area. You must explicitly choose (i.e., copy and paste) 2-3 honors learning outcomes
associated with the thematic area (see page 2 for the complete list of learning outcomes). List 2-3 honors learning
outcomes that you will make progress towards achieving as a result of your project. Then, explain how your actions
related to the project will help you meet the learning outcomes you identified. Provide specific examples.
3. Connection to Goals and Academic Theories (This is a two-part prompt):
A. Your project must be related to your development (personal, academic, and/or professional goals). How does
this project contribute to your future personal, academic and/or professional goals?
B. You are expected to connect academic theories or readings to your experiential learning work. Your proposal
should identify several theories or readings you plan to explore in your project. Name 2-3 specific theories and/or
readings you will use to prepare or gain background knowledge for your project. Explain how/why you chose your
resources and how they will inform your project. Provide citations, as appropriate. Your self-designed project
advisor(s) can lend their expertise and help you brainstorm relevant resources.
4. Initiative, Independence, and/or Creativity:
Your project must include a unique/independent/creative contribution and some aspect(s) of the project must be selfinitiated. What is your unique contribution to this project? What skills, ideas, or previous experiences do you bring to
the table? How is your involvement unique as compared to other participants? How have you demonstrated initiative?
5. Reflection:
Reflection leads to higher-level conceptual learning and can take many forms (e.g., journals, lab notebooks, blogs,
sketchbooks). Reflection is not merely a summation of activities completed and opinions formed; rather, it should be
thoughtful, integrative, substantive, and well-crafted. Your project must have an active reflective component. How will
you actively reflect on your learning throughout the experience? Describe the format for reflection and what you will
reflect upon (i.e., provide a list of reflection questions).
Additionally, in order for a project to be considered completed:
You must write and submit a reflective essay through the honors database within one month of project
completion (more details available on the UHP website).
You must document the experience in your learning portfolio.
6. Dissemination:
Your experience and learning must be shared with others publically (e.g., presentations to student groups, poster
display, websites, published papers/articles, video compilations, scrapbooks). With whom and how will you share what
you learned/created with others in a public forum? Why is the specific audience you chosen relevant?
7. Project Advisor(s):
Projects must involve the guidance of a faculty/staff member, mentor, supervisor, or other person with whom you can
develop a base of knowledge. Your project advisor should provide their expertise to assist you with the development
and execution of your project. Who will help you conceptualize this project and provide you with support? Provide the
name, title, contact information, and a statement explaining the expertise of each advisor. Note: This will not be your
honors advisor or another student.
8. Budget:
A budget is not required. To request an honors grant to support this project, provide an itemized budget listing all of
your project-related expenses and evidence to back up your estimates. To request grant funding for unpaid research or
an unpaid internship, please list the total number of hours you will work per week and the total number of weeks. If you
plan to receive funding from other sources, please indicate that in your budget. Grant funding is impacted by the
quality of your proposal.

HONORS EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROJECT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Your project should result in substantial learning through which you make progress towards meeting 2-3 of the learning
outcomes for an Honors Thematic Area. Your proposal must focus on one thematic area; choose one that best fits your goals.
Learning Outcomes for the Community Engagement Theme:
Possesses awareness of purpose of service, including need for reciprocity, understanding of social issues, and ability to see
those issues from multiple perspectives.
Recognizes how public policies and practices, and power and privilege, have an influence on social issues. Explores ways to
alter public policy and/or identify solutions.
Relates, communicates, and works effectively with others towards sustainable social change.
Participates in community and understands own role as citizen of community.
Learning Outcomes for the Creative Arts Theme (adapted from AAC&U Creative Thinking VALUE Rubric):
Acquires or further develops competencies within a particular creative domain.
Possesses ability to define the creative problem; ability to frame and develop a problem statement and appropriate
methodology.
Possess a well-developed awareness of theories and methods in the field.
Demonstrates/takes appropriate risk in successfully completing project (going beyond original parameters of assignment,
introducing new materials and forms, tackling controversial topics, advocating unpopular ideas or solutions, etc.).
Possesses ability to embrace contradictions and integrate alternate, divergent, or contradictory perspectives.
Possesses ability to think innovatively.
Connects, synthesizes, and transforms ideas.
Learning Outcomes for the Global Studies Theme:
Possess global literacy, including knowledge of geography, history, current world issues and similarities and differences
among cultures
Recognize the interdependence of world economies, political systems and the environment
Interact with individuals from different cultures and express a sensitivity, appreciation and respect for the complex range of
experiences of diverse peoples
Participate in a global society and understand the role of a global citizen
Note: If you are planning a self-designed travel experience, you must include a detailed itinerary. You are required to attend a
pre-departure orientation session with UC International Programs if your honors experiential learning project involves
international travel. It is your responsibility to schedule a session with UC International. At minimum, your time abroad should
be at least 1 week. Proposals for experiences with less than 1 week of travel will not be approved.
Additionally, the Student Travel Policy restricts UC sponsored- travel to countries under a U.S. Department of State Travel
Warning. Those who wish to visit a country with a travel warning may download and complete a Travel Exemption Form.
Students traveling without a faculty or staff leader must individually request an exemption. Faculty or staff leading a group of
students must complete a request on behalf of the entire group.
The University Honors Program cannot approve any travel to a country with a US Department of State Travel Warning until
after the a travel exemption is granted by the International Travel Overview Committee. This means that we cannot allow you
to count this travel as an honors experience nor can we give you a grant if the ITOC does not approve travel.
Learning Outcomes for the Leadership Theme:
Possesses knowledge of various leadership theories and identifies with the characteristics of leadership
Identifies the various characteristics of a leader in a given situation/role
Has the ability to relate, communicate and work effectively with peers
Develops a vision of the future and acknowledges the impact of decisions (as applicable to the individual and affiliated
organizations)
Learning Outcomes for the Research Theme:
Ability to frame and develop the research project question or problem.
Possess a well-developed awareness of literature in the field.
Formulate a theory, problem, or hypothesis for the proposed research project that is based on the literature review.
Ability to identify and apply appropriate methodologies to design research study, and collect and analyze data.
Disseminate the research results and knowledge gained.

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Demonstrate awareness of key weakness/limitations of the research and provide guidance on the most important and fruitful
directions for future research on this topic.
Ability to think beyond the just completed research and articulate how your world view has been impacted by the experience.

HONORS EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROJECT PROPOSAL FORM

Complete this proposal prior to your projects start date and upload it in the UHP Database
(https://webapps.uc.edu/uchonorsstudent). Create a project (Add a new record) in the Tracking Project tab and then
upload your proposal document as an attachment. The deadline for submitting proposals is on the 5th of each month.
While the quality of the proposal is most important, strong proposals are typically 3-4 pages in length (single-spaced).
Please maintain the proposal format.
Basic Information
Full Name: Martin Stallworth
UC Email: [email protected]
College: College of Allied Health Sciences
Major: Health Sciences
Title of Project: Service Learning at Good Samaritan Hospital
Thematic Area (choose only one): Community Engagement
Expected Project Start Date: January 19, 2015
Expected Project End Date: May 2, 2015
Project Information
1. Provide a detailed abstract of your proposed honors experiential learning project.
My self-designed learning proposal will cover the thematic area of community engagement. I plan on providing
community service by volunteering at the Good Samaritan Hospital nearby campus. The goal I want to achieve is
gaining valuable experience in the fast paced hospital setting. This experience could also help me decide what I
would want to specialize in or it could even lead me decide to no longer pursue this major. One of my positions
would be that of an encourager on the inpatient nursing floors. This position would involve a lot of hands on with
patients and families, enabling them to be active in their care, answering questions, and discussing fall prevention
in hospital and home. This position also involves a lot of interaction with hospital staff which will make my
transition into the hospital smoother while giving me experience in working with peers in the same workplace as
myself. This project would take up around 84 hours.

Clearly and thoroughly address how each of the following elements will be exhibited in your work:
2. Connection to Learning Outcomes within the Honors Thematic Area (identified above)

Possesses awareness of purpose of service, including need for reciprocity, understanding of social issues, and
ability to see those issues from multiple perspectives:
One learning outcome of community engagement that my project would connect with is my knowledge of the
purpose of the service. One of the issues that patients have with doctors and other employees at hospitals is that
they believe doctors do not spend enough time getting to know them and making them feel comfortable in the
hospital. They feel like the doctor is not intimate enough and treats them as if they were just another patient. As an
encourager my job would be to make the family and patient more comfortable by conversing with them and
getting filling them in on how they can contribute to the treatment of their family member.

Relates, communicates, and works effectively with others towards sustainable social change:
Another learning outcome for community engagement that connects with my project is working with others
towards sustainable social change. This project will involve a lot of interaction with the staff of the hospital which
means my ability to communicate and work with them effectively is absolutely necessary for my positon. This
level of interaction with the staff of the hospital will allow me to assist them in their goal of making the hospital a
comfortable place for all of its patients and erase the stigma that hospitals only want money and do not care about
the well-being of the patient.

Participates in community and understands own role as citizen of community:

I understand my role as a citizen of this community is to represent this community and help improve it for the
future. My duties in the hospital will help improve the community by starting with its health care. I believe my
specific position deals more with mental health which is important because if a patient is not where they need to
be mentally then it will become harder for them to get to where they want to be physically if they are dealing with
some type of ailment.

3. Connection to Goals and Academic Theories (include reference list, as appropriate)

A. My goal since early in my childhood was to become a doctor so that I could have a major impact on
the lives of others. This project would bring me closer to my personal and professional goal of
becoming a doctor. It will help me attain valuable hospital experience that I will be able to put on my
application once its time to apply for medical schools. It will also provide me with references for my
medical school application and future jobs once I have completed that stage. I will also learn some of
the nuances that will help me become a more successful doctor in my future.
B. One theory that will help me prepare for volunteering in general is, We make a living by what we
get, but we make a life by what we give. This is a quote from Winston Churchill and it was
interpreted to mean, That people derive from helping others (Widjaja 4). I chose this source
because she provided good insight on why people decide to help others and broke down the reasons
why I want to volunteer.
4. Initiative, Independence, and/or Creativity
I am a firm believer in the idea that a great sense of humor can make even the most uncomfortable situations
bearable. Many patients find themselves uncomfortable in a hospital setting for a long period of time. My
contribution to the project will be to relate to the different patients and staff to the hospital by using my sense of
humor to put a smile on their face and make the environment more comfortable for everyone involved. I will also
relate more to the patient by talking about many different topics that could possibly take their mind away from the
fact that they are in a hospital.

5. Reflection
I will actively reflect on my experience through journal writings after each day that I volunteer. One reflection
question that I could discuss in my journal entry would be, Can you picture yourself performing the tasks you
did todays for the rest of your life? Another reflection question that I could include is, how did your work today
push you further toward your goal of becoming a doctor? These would be examples of the types of questions I
would use to reflect on my experience.

6. Dissemination
My experience will be accessible to almost anyone but more than likely will only be seen by UC staff and
students, or future medical students interested in hospital work. I will share my experience online through my
honors portfolio on weebly.com. The audience that I have chosen is relevant because my work could help
someone in the UC community or any other college decided whether or not they would be interested in taking up
a career in medicine.

7. Project Advisor(s)

My project advisor will be Shanna Hansen, the Volunteer Services Coordinator at Good Samaritan Hospital.
Office: 513 862 2374
Fax 513 862 493
She would be an excellent advisor for this project because she will have information about my progress in the
hospital and she is someone who will not have a biased opinion towards me. She will also be able to give me tips
in successful student learning at the hospital and how I can use the resources I gain at the hospital to aid me in the
future.
8. Budget (if applicable)
This service learning project will not require a budget.