Practicality and Reflection: Honors & Kinesiology

By Joseph Kasali

Joseph Kasali is a junior and a major in Kinesiology with a minor in Honors Humanities. He was not originally going to choose Honors, but an Honors staff member called him over the summer and encouraged him to apply. Joseph liked that Honors had a narrower focus in its content, scholarship, and less busywork than he expected to encounter in General Education classes.

How does Honors work with your major? You might not think that Kinesiology would be compatible with Honors, but Joseph believes they provide a nice balance despite the vast differences. Sometimes he needs a break from memorizing facts and finds relief in reading and dialoguing about important ideas. On the other hand, science can be a nice reprieve from the intense reflection that Honors requires.

What does Honors bring into your experience with your major? Joseph expresses how Honors talks about the vastness and beauty of God, which is something that he believes is incredibly evident in science. Joseph reflects, “All of the conversations we have about God and His character and His intentionality is something that's so evident and so present in the sciences.” For Joseph, studying the human body is evidence of God’s creativity and beauty. He brings his amazement in studying the body into Honors and brings the deep discussions about God and theology into his science classes.

How do you think Honors will help with your career goals? Joseph has been working in the Honors office as a staff member since his freshman year. This job has given him invaluable experience and has forced Joseph to find his voice. Whether it is speaking in class, expressing his thoughts in writing, or communicating his ideas through speeches, Honors has helped Joseph learn that he has valuable things to say.

How has Honors impacted your college experience overall? Joseph loves that Honors has given him so many deep friendships and the opportunity to personally connect with professors. Honors’ small class sizes and the individual care professors have for the students foster connection and create a strong community. Joseph expresses, “It’s made me think about my life. It’s improved my faith. It’s made me question things that I never really had to question before.”

What’s one book that has particularly impacted you in Honors? The Confessions by Saint Augustine of Hippo, which recounts Augustine’s conversion, made a deep impression on Joseph. Augustine knew God was the answer but still struggled to find Him.

How has Honors impacted your faith? Despite growing up in a Christian home, Joseph did not have a faith of his own or a personal relationship with God. When he got to college, Honors challenged him to ask questions like, “Why do you believe what you believe?” Joseph realized he could not rely on his parents’ faith and needed to seek answers on his own.

Honors helped Joseph see the beauty of God through his experiences with Kinesiology and encouraged him to view his voice and contribution as valuable. Joseph would advise incoming freshmen to listen and come into the Honors College with an open mind because everyone’s contribution has value. Joseph does not want to be content with how much he has grown; there is always more to learn and more to grow. Why stop now? We hope Joseph’s experience with Honors has given you an insight into why Kinesiology and Honors work so well together. If you have any questions, please email or call us! We hope you decide to apply.

Note: This information is current for the 2023-24 academic year; however, all stated academic information is subject to change. Refer to the current Academic Catalog for more information.