Honors Leadership is a collaborative effort comprised of three divisions: Honors Faculty Leadership, the Student Honors Advisory Council, and the Honors Advisory Council. Each plays a unique role in shaping the Honors experience, from guiding academic pedagogy to representing student voices.

Faculty Leadership

The Honors Faculty Leadership team – comprised of the Program Director, Assistant Director, and Senior Administrative Coordinator – oversee the day-to-day operations and key decision-making that drives the program forward. As the leaders of the program, they serve as the primary points of contact for students, faculty, and staff, ensuring that the program runs smoothly and continues to thrive.

Jeffrey Wilson, Ph.D.

Director

Associate Professor of Philosophy

Office: University Hall 3633
Contact: jeffery.wilson@lmu.edu

Alex Esposito

Alex Esposito, Ph.D.

Assistant Director

Office: University Hall 4504
Contact: alex.esposito@lmu.edu

Nubia Valenzuela

Senior Administrative Coordinator

Office: University Hall 4506
Contact: nubia.valenzuela@lmu.edu 

Student Honors Advisory Council

The Student Honors Advisory Council (SHAC) is responsible for advising the University Honors Program administrators and the Honors Advisory Council. Led by the SHAC Executive Board, a committee of undergraduate students that are elected by the Honors community, SHAC assists in the planning and execution of Honors academic, social, recruitment, and mentoring events, as well as service projects. The members of the 2024-25 SHAC Executive Board are listed below.

Name Position Majors + Class Year

Piper Jones

President

Film, Television, and Media Studies and Business Administration, Management and Leadership Double Major

Class of 2025

Mateo-Luis Planas

Vice-President

Political Science Major,
Peace & Justice Studies, Journalism, and History (Law Politics and Society) minors

Class of 2026

Kat Gaylord

Secretary

Film and Television Production major

Class of 2026

Lauren Indira

Communications Chair

Computer Science major,
Peace & Justice Studies, and Interactive, Gaming, and Immersive Media minors

Class of 2026

Conner Nodurft

Academic Events Chair

Statistics and Data Science Major,
Business Administration minor

Class of 2027

Madeline Shonholtz

Social Events Chair

Political Science and International Relations double major

Class of 2025

Laura Haushalter

Upper Division Representative

History and Environmental Studies double major

Class of 2026

Milka Zekerias

Sophomore Representative

Computer Science Major

Class of 2027

Honors Advisory Council

The Honors Advisory Council (HAC) is a committee of university faculty and staff that help to oversee the operations of the University Honors Program. They advice the Program Director on matters concerning the Honors core curriculum, thesis series, student applications and selection, faculty participation, co-curricular activities, living-learning communities, and national profile. 

Name Field + College/Department Contact
Jeffrey Wilson, Ph.D.

Director, Honors Program

Philosophy,
Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts

Jeffrey.Wilson@lmu.edu

Carissa Phillips-Garrett, Ph.D.

Philosophy,
Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts
Carissa.Phillips-Garrett@lmu.edu

Zining Li, Ph.D.

Accounting,
College of Business Administration

Zining.Li@lmu.edu

David Carter, D.M., J.D.

Music,
College of Communication and Fine Arts

David.Carter2@lmu.edu

Caroline Sauvage, Ph.D.

Classics and Archaeology,
Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts
Caroline.Sauvage@lmu.edu

Daniel Speak, Ph.D.

Philosophy,
Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts
Daniel.Speak@lmu.edu

Alyssa Crans, Ph.D.

Mathematics,
Seaver College of Science and Engineering

acrans@lmu.edu

Mikki Kressbach, Ph.D.

Film, TV and Media Studies,
School of Film and Television

Mikki.Kressbach@lmu.edu

Shalini Ramachandran, Ph.D., M.L.I.S.

Reference & Instruction Librarian for Education,
William H. Hannon Library

Shalini.Ramachandran@lmu.edu

Note: Faculty listed above served on the Honors Advisory Council during the 2024-2025 academic year.

Ex Officio

Name Position + Department Email Address
Alexandra Neel, Ph.D.

English and Humanities Program,
Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts

Alexandra.Neel@lmu.edu

Nubia Valenzuela

Senior Administrative Coordinator,
University Honors Program

Nubia.Valenzuela@lmu.edu

Thomas Gutto

Director of Transfer Enrollment Services

Thomas.Gutto@lmu.edu

Terri Mangione, Ph.D.

Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs

Terri.Mangione@lmu.edu

Jonathan Rothchild, Ph.D.

Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education

Jonathan.Rothchild@lmu.edu