Honors Program Director Joshua Stockley, Ph.D., joined ULM when the Honors Program lacked the campuswide prestige and record-breaking enrollment numbers of today. Stockley transformed the program into one of the largest RSOs on campus with a predicted 400 members next semester.

Before becoming the well-known director of the Honors Program, Stockley received his bachelor’s in history and political science in 1997 from Oklahoma Baptist University. He then furthered his studies in political science at the University of Oklahoma, where he received his master’s and eventual doctorate in 2005. He went on to join the Warhawks, beginning his journey with ULM in 2008.

“There were maybe 20 students in the program when I took over as director,” Stockley said. “It’s not exactly ideal to join a program that you’re not sure will still be here tomorrow.”

Stockley began his directorship by refining his understanding of what it means to be an honors student. He met with honors program directors at both small and large universities, taking notes and observing each program’s success. Once he determined his goals for the ULM Honors Program, Stockley began work to reshape it.

Stockley met with recruitment ambassadors and attended high school college fairs to get the word out regarding honors. He worked with members of the Honors Council to increase student engagement by hosting events such as the Spring Formal and Honors Banquet. He even worked with the scholarship office to establish scholarships for excelling members.

“I met with so many people to make sure that honors was a bullet point for the recruitment committee. I went to high schools myself to let them know about this,” Stockley said.

Last semester, Stockley, along with the council, established a holistic curriculum by implementing the FLIGHT program. Participating students can now receive honors credit for attending campus events and joining RSOs. The program’s curriculum no longer strictly consists of contracts and a thesis. Rather, the new curriculum caters to each student’s college experience on and off campus.

Throughout his tenure as honors director, Stockley never wavered from his goal of making the Honors Program welcoming to students of all backgrounds. He states that he believes the Honors Program will continue to impact students even after graduation.

“I want the Honors Program to not just benefit students through their college education,” Stockley said. “I want them to learn something, grasp something and take it with them for the rest of their lives.”