The Honors Club is holding elections Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 1:30 p.m. in room 7241 in an effort to resume normal operations and appoint new governing members.

The club will choose its leaders by a committee of its five active members.

“Our club is a modest five members,” said Gabe Denham, a candidate for Honors Club President. “However, our dedication and enthusiasm more than makes up for what we lack in size, and I am sure that with such a solid foundation we will continue to grow as a club.”

Nina Smirnov, who has been Honors Club President for the past two semesters, believes that Denham is a good candidate because of his previous experience in a similar role as president of the Honors Society at College of San Mateo.

“He has experience with it already, and he’s really good. He’s really on top of his stuff,” Smirnov said of Denham’s qualifications. Smirnov explained that the main goal of the Honors Club is to be a link between the Honors Transfer Program and the academically minded students who participate in the program. 

“We try to let other honors students connect with one another,” Smirnov said. 

Under Smirnov’s leadership, the club organized movie showings and even a stress relief day before finals week, where all interested students were able to make their own stress balls using balloons and flour. 

But being a governing member of the Honors Club requires unwavering commitment in terms of time and energy. Smirnov knows this firsthand from her two terms as president.

“My first semester [as president], we did a lot of good things, but it was really, really stressful in addition to all my school responsibilities,”

Smirnov said. During the spring 2011 semester, Smirnov’s Honors Club responsibilities took a back seat to her schoolwork, and the club remained largely inactive. But she appears optimistic about interest in the club this semester.

“This semester we have new people who are really interested in taking leadership responsibilities and are willing to put in the time,” Smirnov said. 

Returning Honors Club member Diana Kozlova agrees with her colleague about the new additions.

“The people who are meeting are the people who want to be in charge,” said Kozlova of the new members.

Kozlova believes that while the club remains small in number even with the new additions, their shared enthusiasm bodes well for the future of the Honors Club. 

“There are only five of us, but we get together because we want to make a difference,” said Kozlova.

So far this semester the club has developed concrete ideas to benefit the community in ways that reach beyond the simple confines of Skyline College campus.

Smirnov explains that already in the works is a program that hopes to get California prison inmates reading more books.

“We also try to do things to enrich the community. For example, we’re going to be doing the Prisoner’s Lit. Program, bringing books to prisoners whose libraries have been closed.”

The Honors Club anticipates a busy and productive fall semester. Election results will be finalized Wednesday Sept. 21.