By: Dr. Andrew Yox, ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ Honors Director
Maritza Quinones, a sophomore Presidential Scholar at ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ, has just won the student election of the Great Plains Honors Council. She topped two upperclassmen, from Texas Woman’s University, and Midwestern University, to become the one student from eighty honors programs and colleges, from Nebraska to Texas, to join the other professorial members of the GPHC Executive Council.
Quinones is the first student in ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ history to star in an award-winning film that was based on her award-winning research. Last spring at the Texas State Historical Association Meeting in Austin, both Quinones’ essay on Adina De Zavala, and the film she helped anchor, won Caldwell Awards. Her essay was third in the state among freshmen and sophomore submissions. The De Zavala film, now on the honors website , was judged the best Texas history project in the state among university and community college chapters.
Quinones is the fourth student from ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ in as many years to win this election. The unique schedule of accolade opportunities provided by honors donors here, honors travel, and the focusing of mentoring at ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ have enabled special possibilities. The last three GPHC Student Representatives, all from ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ, were: Courtney Baldwin 2019-20, Hannah Dickson, 2018-2019, and Rachel Jordan 2017-2018.
The Great Plains Honors Council has operated since 1975. It is one of the six regional councils associated with the National Collegiate Honors Council. Except for the COVID cancellations of this last fall and spring, the GPHC traditionally has two plenary meetings a year, as well as a conference featuring top student presenters in the spring.
Quinones is now featured on the GPHC website: <;. She is currently studying to become an Ob-Gyn. Honors Director, Dr. Andrew Yox, notes, “Quinones fighting spirit, both as a certified nurse assistant in Mount Pleasant’s COVID unit, and a Bio-Med student here at ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ, has been an exhilarating rejoinder to so many of the fashionable excuses we all tend to make during this time. I am so impressed by her attitude, alacrity, and the level of her energy!â€
Quinones is the daughter of Juan and Lorena Quinones of Mount Pleasant.
