Douglas Honors College student serves on panel at national conference

The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) is an organization dedicated to fostering community and collaboration between its member institutions, including the William O. Douglas Honors College (DHC) at Central Washington University.

This fall, DHC student Brittany Case was selected by the NCHC Student Affairs Committee to serve on a panel of three at the organization’s annual conference titled “Time Management for Honors Students,” giving her an opportunity to share her expertise with honors students from across the country.

“I went into it nervous, not really knowing what to expect, but it was a great experience,” said Case, who attended the November 6-9 conference in San Diego with DHC Director Chris Denison. “I met a lot of honors students from across the nation and learned about what other programs like the DHC are working on.”

Case jumped into the Douglas Honors College as soon as she was accepted to CWU as an elementary education major, knowing a good opportunity when she saw one.

“I figured I could just drop it if it didn’t work out, so why not go for it?” she said. “It just became a home away from home. The faculty, the staff, the student leadership, and our director have all been so amazing, so I wanted to get more involved as soon as possible.”

From her very first year on campus, Case started putting herself out there with the DHC, attending the Western Regional Honors Conference every year and volunteering her time for the advancement of the college and her fellow honors students.

Now, as a junior, she serves as president of the DHC’s student association, in addition to her roles as student ambassador for the program and office assistant to its administration. Through all of these leadership positions, Case has developed a reputation for punctuality, a skillset she happily shares with her peers.

“Other students tend to come to me with time management questions, which is something I’m very grateful to be good at,” she said. “It was a great opportunity to do that with two other students from opposite sides of the country, and to share our knowledge with each other as well as the audience.”

When giving others advice on how to structure their time, Case emphasizes prioritization, deliberate planning, and seeking guidance when necessary.

“I’m very big on creating a list and setting aside the times you feel the most productive to work on that list,” she said. “The other thing I always stress is not feeling scared to ask for help. The faculty here at CWU and in the DHC are very supportive and invested in seeing you succeed.”

Case’s participation in the DHC, along with public speaking opportunities like the one earlier this month, have helped her prepare for a career in teaching.

“We’re very seminar-based in the Honors College, so I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable with that kind of open discussion,” she said. “Doing that since my freshman year has really opened me up to speaking in front of a class and with my peers.”

As she looks ahead to her upcoming student teaching experience, Case is grateful to be surrounded by so much support. Her experience at CWU has helped her understand what it’s like to realize her true potential.

“I’m so grateful for this experience, and for the support I’ve received from the DHC and CWU,” she said. “I loved every minute of it, and I’m glad students get opportunities like this here.”