by Nick M. Huynh
Hello all! Before we begin, I would like to thank Jonathan and Michaela from the Honors Program Media Relations team for providing me with this opportunity to share with you my experiences as an Honors student. I would also like to thank those of you who are reading this blog post for your interest in learning something about me!
About Me
My name is Nick, and I am currently a high school senior at Mankato East, attending Minnesota State University, Mankato through the PSEO program. I joined the Honors Program late into my sophomore year of high school and decided to stay at Minnesota State Mankato for my undergraduate years, given my family’s legacy of producing graduates from this university. I will be graduating in Spring 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry. I have always been passionate about biological research concerning epigenetics, genomics, and molecular biology. For this reason, it is my long-term goal to pursue a Ph.D. in hopes of continuing research at a university and passing my knowledge on to others, whether that be my students and/or my colleagues.
My Experiences in the Honors Program
As a high school student participating in the Honors Program, I have had incredible experiences in my own professional development thus far. My first-year experience coursework emphasized self-reflection, and I have become much more self-aware of my strengths, goals, and capabilities. Under the guidance of Dr. Leah White and Ms. Ginny Walters, I have made connections with numerous faculty members who share a common research interest that I do. One of the primary reasons I chose to be an Honors student was to establish these connections early on so that when I am officially enrolled as a student, I will already have a range of opportunities for original research experience and fellowships, all of which will be the driving force for my postgraduate goals.
Throughout my time as an Honors student, I have also been getting involved with the student body by connecting with fellow peers in the Lounge and attending campus events with my peers, such as theatre performances. A moment that bridged my identity as a PSEO student and as an Honors student was during the 2020 quadrennial Honors Program site review where I brought attention to the highlights of our Honors Program, as well as the possible setbacks within our curriculum. I suggested alternatives to maximize student learning, i.e., suggested changes in the curriculum for our STEM majors as most of our current curriculum is heavily humanities-based. Being a PSEO student as well, I must emphasize how rare it is for a high school student to even be a part of the Honors student body. Due to this notion, I suggested to revoke the traditional PSEO policy of registration, i.e., differentiate between a “traditional” PSEO student and a PSEO student who is in Honors; I expressed my intention to have priority registration just like other Honors students rather than registering last minute with PSEO students. Ultimately, my leadership was showcased through my initiative to speak up, regardless of my age, for what is fair for all students, consequently promoting a democratic student body. We are currently going through curriculum revision, and I am pleased to have played a part in this revision.
Overall, my experiences in the Honors Program have been amazing. I hope that by being an Honors student enrolled as a PSEO student, I will bring more prospective PSEO students who plan on enrolling at MNSU into this program!
Looking Ahead
As of now, Dr. Kristen Cvancara, who is the director of fellowships, has been in close contact with me during my senior year to lay out a holistic plan for the coming years. The goal is to get into an REU this summer and connect with prospective faculty mentors. I am excited for all that lies ahead of me during my undergraduate years. Most of all, I am looking forward to showcasing how my “Big Ideas” will become “Real-World Solutions!”
The Honors Lounge 