Current and former students from Eastern Michigan University’s Honors College have received several awards and grants from the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) in recent months. The recipients include Treasure Affia, Milanno Jones, Trinity Perkins, and alumna Louise-Missome Engohang.
Treasure Affia was named one of six Portz Interdisciplinary Fellows for 2025-26. Her research project will use the video game “The Sims 4” to program virtual characters with different attachment styles. This work aims to explore how these styles affect social anxiety and emotion regulation in controlled scenarios under the supervision of Dr. Ryan Wessell from the psychology department.
“I expect big things from Treasure,” said Wessell. “She has excellent leadership potential and good written and oral communication skills in addition to her potential as a researcher.”
Louise-Missome Engohang, now a graduate student at Harvard Kennedy School, was recognized as one of four Portz Scholars nationwide after her senior thesis was submitted by Ann Eisenberg, dean of the Honors College. Her paper, titled “The Effects of Racial Gaslighting on Community Policing: An Exploration of Contemporary Hermeneutical Injustice within Marginalized Communities,” was developed with guidance from philosophy professor Jill Dieterle at EMU. As a Portz Scholar, Missome-Engohang will present her work at the NCHC’s annual conference in San Diego and receive a $350 award.
“Louise is an exceptionally talented student of philosophy,” said Dieterle. “Her thesis was original, well-researched, and carefully argued. I predict that she will be successful in reaching her goals and will be a force for good in this world.”
In August, Milanno Jones became the only Honors student nationwide to earn a scholarship for NCHC’s Partners in the Park Program—a collaboration with the National Parks Service. Jones participated in an academic program along the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park focused on hands-on learning, service projects like trail restoration, and discussions about inclusivity outdoors.
Trinity Perkins won the Sloane Prize in Undergraduate Research (S.P.U.R.) for Education and Pedagogy during NCHC’s annual meeting student poster competition held in San Diego. Perkins’ poster reported findings from focus groups about barriers to forming student-faculty partnerships among Michigan university students. This project was conducted with Honors alum Liv Overbee and supported by EMU’s Faculty Development Center as well as Women in Philanthropy.
“We are exceptionally proud that four EMU honors students have risen to the top to be recognized with honors and awards from the national Honors organization,” said Ann Eisenberg, dean of EMU’s Honors College. “The success EMU Honors students have had in national competitions sponsored by the NCHC speaks well of the exciting opportunities that EMU provides to engage students in research and leadership activities and the quality of the education the institution delivers. EMU students easily compete with the best students across the nation.”
Eastern Michigan University serves over 12,000 students across undergraduate through doctoral programs since its founding in 1849 as Michigan’s second-oldest public university. The university offers more than 300 academic programs through various colleges including Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; plus its Graduate School.
