Snowy CSU campus view of the rec center

Get to Know the Honors Program Staff!

The University Honors Program staff value collaboration, commitment, excellence, and diversity. When you visit the Honors office in Academic Village: Honors, you will see staff members putting these values into action.

The program staff is here to support students, faculty, and visitors whether through guidance, camaraderie, or a constant supply of chocolate. Find us in Academic Village: Honors, B102.

Shawn Bingham Headshot

Shawn Bingham

Director

Dr. Shawn Bingham is not only a seasoned faculty member (sociology), he has over a decade experience in Honors education. He came to CSU having served in leadership roles in the Honors College at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and The Judy Genshaft Honors College at the University of South Florida. Shawn has travelled with students to mountains, multiple countries, and even taught them how to do laundry as a faculty-in-residence in a First-Year Residence Hall. (More importantly, his students have taught him some origami, song lyrics, and how to remain humble.) His academic works includes books on Henry David Thoreau, comedians with disabilities, political art, the bohemian South, and the tiny housing movement. His aims in Honors are to push student beyond their major, create applied learning opportunities outside of the classroom, and encouraging students to think beyond technical skills to how we want to “move through the world and live our lives on an everyday basis.”

Emily Morgan Headshot

Emily Morgan

Assistant Director

Emily Morgan earned her B.A in English Education from Colorado State University, pairing it with licensure to teach secondary education. After several years teaching Language Arts at a local high school, she pursued an M.A. in English, with a concentration in Literature from the University of Northern Colorado where she graduated with distinction. Not willing to let go of teaching, she became a First Year Composition Program Learning Specialist at her alma mater, CSU. Emily collaborated with colleagues to write internationally acclaimed CO150 curriculum for CSU and she trained dozens of instructors to teach the course to thousands of CSU students. This led to her interest in Instructional Design and a second MA in Teaching, Innovation, and Pedagogy while she worked as a designer with Instructional Design and Development at UNC. Before becoming the Assistant Director of the University Honors Program, Emily served CSU as the Composition Program Coordinator. Emily is committed to providing students an engaging educational experience through supporting Honors faculty in instruction and delivery. When she’s not promoting the Honors Program or helping to enrich student experiences, she can be found soaking up the Colorado sunshine with her children and her Mastiff named “Smalls.”

Shivon Costin Headshot

Shivon Costin

Lead Honors Academic Coordinator

As a first generation student, Shivon received her bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in 2008 from Eastern Washington University. She worked for a local county government for 8 years, and joined the Honors staff after moving to Colorado in 2016. She has had many and varied responsibilities in the Honors Program, with her current role as the Lead Honors Advisor and Program Coordinator. Her responsibilities include tracking academic progress through program completion and graduation, advising Track 1 students, providing outreach and programming for students, serving as liaison to all university departments, leading Honors advising at First Year Ram Orientation, and teaching HONR399 pre-thesis. She also serves as faculty advisor for Spiritus Mundi, the Honors literary magazine. She is dedicated to student success and it is apparent to students as they nominate her as Honors Advisor of the year every year. She most recently received the Honors advising award in 2020. Shivon is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in English with a specialization in Writing, Rhetoric, and Social Change.

Rachel Tate Headshot

Rachel Tate

Honors Academic Coordinator

Rachel completed a B.A. in Anthropology at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. She would go on to earn her M.A. in Anthropology right here at CSU, with a thesis that looked at the relationship between online roleplaying games and mental health. Rachel spent a year working as an academic advisor for Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, before returning to CSU to join the University Honors Program staff. 

Melanie Nichols Headshot

Melanie Smith Nichols

Program Coordinator

Melanie Smith Nichols earned her B.A. in International Affairs from the University of Colorado – Boulder, her M.Ed. in Counseling and Human Development from George Mason University, and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Education, Equity and Transformation from Colorado State University. She previously advised undeclared/exploring students and taught in the Key Communities at CSU. In addition to presenting at various regional and national advising conferences, Melanie won the Division of Student Affairs Impact Award in 2010, the APC Star Award in 2015, and the Cermak Advising Award in 2020. Melanie joined the University Honors Program in July 2020 as Program Coordinator. Her responsibilities include recruitment and training of Peer Mentors, coordinating the review of Honors scholarships, serving as a liaison for the Honors Residential Learning Community, advising Honors Student Association, and Track 2 advising. Besides working with students, Melanie’s passions include traveling, reading, learning, camping, and kayaking. She has 2 daughters, one at University College Dublin in Ireland and one in high school.

Lori Williams Headshot

Lori Williams

Program Assistant

Lori Williams has been a dedicated employee at CSU for the past 15 years in many different capacities. She has worked in the HELP/Success Center at the front desk where she provided excellent service to undergraduate students before it became the Center for Advising and Student Achievement. Later Lori contributed to the department of Clinical Sciences as the Continuing Education Coordinator. And most recently, Lori was the graduate administrator for Cell and Molecular Biology where she orchestrated recruitment, assisted students on their path to graduate degrees and ensured that the department functioned at its highest level. Lori’s extensive experience and expertise can now be found in the Honors department where she serves as the Program Assistant. She is continuing her education by pursuing a degree in Anthropology, right here at CSU.

Kimberly Ross Headshot

Kimberly Ross

Administrative Assistant

Kimberly Ross brings over 30 years of administrative assistant experience to her role as Administrative Assistant in CSU’s Honors Department. Her responsibilities include attending the reception desk, assisting instructors and current and prospective students, providing classroom AV support, assisting with event coordination and planning, and updating social media as well as the Honors website. Kimberly started her career in administration through a Community Work Experience Program (CWEB) in 1985 that allowed her to gain hands on experience. From there she worked as an administrative assistant for 24 years at a local helicopter maintenance facility as well as an executive administrative assistant at a medical spa for the last three years. Kimberly is a Colorado native who loves the outdoors. She enjoys running, hiking, camping and spending time with her husband, kids, grandkids, family, and her dogs and cat. She has seven siblings, one of which is her twin brother.

Student Employees

Ben Blount

Computer/IT Assistant, Student

Maimouna Dia

Front Office Support, Student

Anna Hartwick

Front Office Support, Student

Teegan Obenshain

Front Office Support, Student