Providing exceptional academic challenge and opportunity for high achievers, the prestigious MNU Honors Program has a new director. Rion Taylor, PhD, is now at the helm and eager to begin this work with talented students from all areas of study. Taylor has already had a distinguished career at MNU, serving as the Barkman Endowed Professor in Science, director of Interdisciplinary Studies and professor of Biology. Adding this latest role is simply the cherry on top.
As a highly respected scholar in his field, Taylor is well known at MNU for his innovative teaching methods and dedication to academic excellence. His academic research background is extensive and applying his expertise to this program is particularly fitting.
“Through investments in their academic and spiritual development, the MNU Honors Program has a rich tradition of supporting high-achieving students on their quest for scholarly achievement and professional development,” Taylor says. “I look forward to upholding that tradition. I have always been committed to helping students build the skills and dispositions needed to succeed in both their personal and professional lives. This position will allow me the opportunity to extend my commitment to a broader group of learners. I hope to help students discover how they can influence the world in impactful ways.”
Abby Hodges, PhD, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and professor of chemistry, expresses high respect for Taylor.
“I am very excited to have Dr. Taylor stepping into this role,” she says. “His commitment to excellent teaching, his respect of students and co-learners, and his desire to make learning outside the classroom as valued as inside the classroom are evident in everything he does. Students regularly list his class as one of the best classes they take.”
MNU’s Honors Program offers multiple benefits to participants. In addition to scholarships, students in the program enjoy a customizable curriculum allowing them access to upper-division courses, study abroad options, and opportunities to participate in service activities. Students also have the unique chance to engage in original academic research alongside professors. This experience makes them highly competitive candidates for graduate school acceptance. Also, many MNU honors students double major which provides additional options upon graduation. The benefits of the program add up to a fulfilling experience.
Hodges says Taylor will bring imagination to the learning experience. “Rion is always learning something new simply because it is fun. I believe his love of learning and his desire to make learning outside of the classroom creative and fun will be evident in how he leads the Honors Program.”
Junior Yair Saucedo has learned alongside Taylor. “One thing has always been clear,” Saucedo says. “Dr. Taylor places the needs and desires of his students first and foremost. His classes are always engaging and rich in substance. He is great at blending together the desires of his students with the information they need to know. These unique and valuable traits make him the perfect person to direct the Honors Program into the future.”
As he looks forward, Taylor says, “one of the things that I appreciate most about MNU is our university’s strong balanced focus on academic and spiritual growth. Together, faith and scholarship can help us understand the world and our place in it. It is a joy to help our students discover their potential. I hope the MNU Honors Program helps them positively impact the world through their professions and their faith.”
Taylor will work to establish additional relationships with area high schools’ STEM and 21st-Century programs. There is strong potential for partnering in ways that enrich experiences for both the MNU honors students and area high school students. His department already supports an apiary for Olathe South High School.
“My vision for the future is that MNU honors students form close bonds with one another and their professors,” Taylor says. “When they graduate, I hope the experience will have provided a deep sense of pride and accomplishment. I’m honored to be part of it.”
