Honors students will present their projects at the annual Honorspalooza event on Wednesday, May 3 from noon until 2 p.m. in C-316.

Students from five different honors classes will gather to present different projects that they have been working on throughout the semester.

HON 1001: Honors Orientation students will present projects that describe their personal, career and educational goals.

PHL 1013: Honors Comparative Religion students will present two projects that discuss different religions.

Honors Independent Project students will present a variety of projects created in different classes under the supervision of their professors.

HON 1003: Honors Project students will present four different projects that discuss global warming, islamophobia, Planned Parenthood and stress levels.

HON 1002: Honors Portfolio students will present their portfolio and reflect on their time in the honors program.

Nick Needs is one of many students who chose to complete an independent project this semester. Needs chose to complete his project in his macroeconomics class.

“[My project] consists of research regarding STEM degrees and then presenting the information in a way that can be easily utilized by students who are considering pursuing a STEM degree,” Needs said.

This is the second component of the honors program that Needs will complete. “So far, I have found the honors classes to be extremely beneficial both personally and academically. The best part about the honors program is either the mental growth that is facilitated through the programs curriculum or the group of likeminded students that you are surrounded by,” Needs said.

However, Needs feels that completing an independent project was the right choice for him.

“The best part about completing an independent project is the knowledge and experience you gain from the research you perform. Developing a relationship with your professor is another great benefit of completing the independent project,” Needs said.

10 different independent projects will be presented. Other independent projects to look out for include a fundraiser for Illinois Valley Animal Rescue and a literature review on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.

The honors program is advised by Prof. Adam Oldaker.