Eighteen students from the Honors College at Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, recently returned from a three-day trip to historic Natchez, Miss.
“We had a wonderful time,” said David Wingfield, a staff member of the Honors College. “We could not have asked for a more perfect trip for our students.”
After leaving the SAU campus on a Friday morning, the group arrived in Natchez in the early afternoon. They visited downtown, St. Mary’s Basilica, Stratton Chapel Gallery, and the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians. That night the group took a ghost tour of the city.
“The students enjoyed the ghost tour the most,” said Wingfield. “Our guide was very interesting and knew all of the stories and history of the homes and businesses of Natchez.”
On the second day of the trip, students toured three plantation homes, Longwood, Rosalie, and Stanton Hall. Following the tours of the plantation homes, they then visited historic Jefferson College for a Civil War reenactment.
The group will take another trip during the spring semester.
“We see these trips as something the students will enjoy,” said Wingfield. “This is an opportunity for them to bond together.”
As a part of their studies, students in the Honors College enroll in 18 hours of lower level Honors courses and six hours of upper level Honors courses. Beginning freshmen with a composite ACT score of 26 or higher are encouraged to apply to the SAU Honors College. SAU students who have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher may petition the Honors College for admission. Other criteria may also be used to determine eligibility.
Students who qualify and participate in the program also receive a $250-a-year stipend in addition to their academic scholarships.
For more information regarding the Honors College at SAU, call 870-235-4202.
