Experience stood behind Michael Martin as he took the position of director for the University Honors Program.

Martin, who has been at NIU for 19 years, previously taught family and child studies classes in the School of Family, Consumer and Nutrition Sciences.

He also served on the University Honors Committee for three years and was an honors student when he attended the University of Georgia.

“The honors program tries to provide a small university inside a large university,” Martin said. “My goal is to strengthen what is already a strong program.”

One of Martin’s goals is to continue increasing participation in the Honors House at Douglas Hall’s C-wing. Last year, 94 students lived there, compared to 135 this year.

Martin also is in charge of overlooking honors capstone projects. Each individually directed project allows a student to work one-on-one with a faculty member.

Senior communication major Karen Frost wants to see a change in the honors program.

“I think the honors program would be more effective if they lived up to their promise of smaller class sizes,” she said.

More seminar courses will be added for sophomores and juniors to combat this problem and keep the class sizes between 15 and 20 students, Martin said.

Diversity among students in the program is higher than the national average, but Martin sees room for improvement.

“More than 15 percent of our honors students are ethnic minorities, but I’d like to do even better,” he said.

Martin encourages students to come in and meet him.

Susie Lee, a junior elementary education major, met Martin and said he’s dedicated to the program.

“He’s very outgoing and friendly,” she said. “He seems to care about honors students and the program itself.”

A new honors director is named every three years. Martin replaced professor Jay Wagle, who resumed teaching in the marketing department. Star Poll