2010-2011 - Sweet Briar College

2010-2011 Catalog academic programsthe accessibility of information for studentsand faculty. A shared automated catalog, LION(Lynchburg Information Online Network),established in cooperation with RandolphCollege, the County of Amherst, and the Cityof Lynchburg Public Library, allows students tosearch and borrow items from their combinedlibrary holdings. Borrowed items are deliveredto Sweet Briar. Access to the catalog is availableto students in branch libraries and computerlabs on campus and via personal computer inthe residence halls.The Online Computer Library Center(OCLC) system provides access to millions oftitles in libraries throughout the United States,Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, and Europe.Online search services provide access to thousandsof databases, indices, and abstracts, andoffer full texts of information in hundreds ofdisciplines.The John B. and Irene Vongehr Vincent ’40collection features more than 4,000 books andephemera in English on Chinese culture andhistory.The Media Services Department providestraining in simple video production and editingtechniques, media equipment, and support tothe College. Resources include video projectionfacilities, broadcast capability on the campuscable system, and interactive computer-drivenmultimedia workstations. The library alsomaintains extensive collections of audio andvideotape programs, sound recordings, DVDs,and multi-media software.The Honors Program[www.honors.sbc.edu]The Honors Program at Sweet Briar was establishedand continues to evolve in responseto the needs of students who demonstrateexceptional initiative, ability, and creativity.The program consists of challenging courses,Summer Research Fellowships, opportunitiesfor independent work, and a series of extracurricularactivities.Honors Seminars — Sweet Briar integratesthe Honors Program into the existing curriculumto engage particularly motivated studentsin more ambitious, innovative academicwork. The faculty develops new, interdisciplinaryHonors Seminars each year. By studentrequest, individual or small group tutorialscalled Honors Variants may be attached toexisting courses, allowing participants to devisestudies geared toward their specific interestsand talents. In courses with multiple sections,one section may be offered as an HonorsSection for qualified students.The Honors Summer Research Program —Summer Research Fellowships support a selectgroup of students from across the disciplines toconduct independent research under the supervisionof a faculty member for an 8-week periodduring the summer.Honors Thesis — The thesis provides thehonors student with the opportunity to designand complete a long-term research project inher major department. The thesis is the culminationof an honors course of study at SweetBriar. Working closely with faculty advisors,students begin their research in the spring oftheir junior year, completing it over the courseof three semesters.Honors Activities — The Honors Programsponsors events throughout the year, includinga colloquium series featuring Sweet Briarfaculty, visiting lecturers from other campuses,and informal discussions; trips to nearby plays,festivals, and cultural events; and an annualbus trip to Washington, D.C. Many events areinitiated by honors students, and most are opento the community, making the program anintegral part of life at Sweet Briar.Honors students make use of the computers,audio-visual facilities, workspaces, and loungelocated in the W.M. Keck Foundation HonorsCenter. The center also contains an office foran Honors Fellow, a distinguished recent Ph.D.in the humanities. A more detailed descriptionof the Honors Program is available from the27