Honors Faculty

This site contains information for you as you prepare for and teach your honors course.  

 

Honors College Program Outcomes

Honors College students at Palm Beach State College will:

• Demonstrate breadth and depth of knowledge in the arts, humanities, mathematics, and the natural and social sciences.  (Scholarship)
• Apply the required skills to formulate reasoned decisions and informed judgments.  (Critical Thinking)
• Communicate an understanding of cultural competency and evaluate ethical issues from multiple perspectives.  (Global Awareness)
• Demonstrate scholarly research and information literacy skills to apply critical insight of current knowledge in designing and creating a well-informed, intellectual research project.  (Research)
• Construct, support, and communicate complex ideas and arguments in speech, writing, and emerging media. (Communication)
• Prepare for community and civic engagement through leadership participation in campus life and in communities at-large in support of the College’s mission, vision, and values. (Civic Engagement & Leadership)

 

Honors Course Syllabus Information

As you create your course syllabus in Simple Syllabus, the following verbiage must be added to within the Course Information section:

As part of the Dr. Floyd F. Koch Honors College, one or more of the Honors College Program Learning Outcome areas will be met within this course.

• Scholarship
• Critical Thinking
• Global Awareness
• Research
• Communication
• Civic Engagement and Leadership

 

Honors College Faculty Spotlight

Name: Joshua Filina

Honors Course: Honors Introduction to Environmental Science and Honors Concepts In Biology

Where did you attend college/post-graduate? Florida Atlantic University 

What do you like about teaching an honors course? The creativity and community students bring to the classroom. During one of my favorite activities, environmental science students explore ecosystem services, including cultural ecosystem services, the non-material benefits and experiences obtained from ecosystems. Students present their personal cultural service experiences of an ecosystem through various media of art, photography, and reflective or creative writing. The creative output from the students and sharing of personal reflection and experience creates an amazing sense of community within the classroom.  

Favorite thing to do when you’re not teaching: I love cooking to unwind the day and family outings to the dog park with our corgis, Kayla and Kenji.

Advice for your honors students: Apply for internships or research projects that explore different aspects within the field of your chosen career path. I entered the field of marine biology for the charismatic marine life but found a passion for studying corals and macroalgae. 

First Job: Outside of bussing tables, dishwashing, bar-backing, and prep chef as a kid at the Yacht Club, my first Highschool job was as a Sandwich Artist at Subway.

Hometown: Captiva Island, Florida; however, I grew up on a sailboat and spent much of my early childhood throughout the Bahamas.

Favorite comfort food: Broccoli

Quote or Word you live by: "The very nature of science is discoveries, and the best of those discoveries are the ones you don't expect.” - Neil deGrasse Tyson