During my first quarter at UCI, the Campuswide Honors Collegium (CHC) has maintained a welcoming environment for me and my peers. After attending CHC events like a beach day, I wanted to deepen my involvement with the CHC community as a representative of the Campuswide Honors Student Council (CHSC), a student leadership organization affiliated with the CHC. I received a representative position on the Academic Committee and yesterday, I attended a CHSC meeting and training online.
We began the meeting with introductions of all CHSC members, and I could sense the CHC’s collaborative atmosphere throughout the meeting. Each of us introduced ourselves in the typical icebreaker fashion (name, pronouns, major), as well as our favorite song — a difficult decision for someone like me, who doesn’t listen to music other than the overplayed pop songs on the car radio. I appreciated the conscious effort made to build camaraderie among representatives, advisors, and officers alike. The shared whispers of “I listen to that artist too” and “I have the same major/minor” embody the connections that the CHSC fosters. It was entertaining to see these connections at work during yesterday’s meeting.
Preceding the meeting was a training session specifically designed to get representatives like myself up to speed with the processes involved in the CHSC. I was impressed with the level of organization that the CHSC resources displayed. One could certainly see the thought and detail put into the procedures we have to follow. It almost felt as if I was glimpsing into the inner workings of a well-oiled machine, each gear turning as it should and every line of communication clear. I hope to continue my participation in the CHSC past my freshman year and encourage my CHC peers to consider becoming more engaged with the CHSC.
Your friendly neighborhood Undeclared major,
Sabrina