Students from NSU’s Undergraduate Honors Program joined faculty, administration, and distinguished members of university leadership for the fall 2015 Honors Banquet on September 16. Hosted by the Farquhar Honors College, the annual event recognizes new Honors students for their early dedication to academic excellence and the promising collegiate careers ahead of them.
Don Rosenblum, Ph.D., dean of the Honors College, began the evening by welcoming attendees, including university executive leadership and the deans of NSU’s colleges with undergraduate programs.
President George Hanbury offered a formal welcome, congratulating students as the inaugural class of the newly established Honors College and noting that the NSU core values are reflected in the mission and goals of the Honors College.
Rosenblum then recognized the 10 students who earned the First Week in Honors Scholarship. The recipients are new Honors students who, within their first week at NSU, secured two letters of recommendation from faculty members whom they had met at the start of the semester. These students also composed an essay about how they will contribute to and benefit from the Honors Program. Presenting the awards were students who had received this scholarship last year. Awards were determined by a faculty committee.
The 2015–2016 First-Week Scholarship recipients are Samir Nacer, Kiersten Monahan, Kayleigh Sabo, Juanita Castro, Christy Abraham, Vanessa Blanchard, Kayla Alvarez, Aimee Gysegem, Keerthi Thallapureddy, and Chase Gaiefsky.
The banquet continued with dinner and an interactive numbers game that engaged students, faculty, staff, and leadership, reflecting the comradery and support fostered by the Farquhar Honors College.
Leanne Boucher, Ph.D., associate professor at the College of Psychology, concluded the evening speaking on behalf of NSU’s Honors faculty. Sharing a story from her own undergraduate experience, Boucher relayed a message of support, encouragement, and excitement to new and continuing students.
About the Honors Program
The Undergraduate Honors Program at Nova Southeastern University provides a rigorous academic environment through value-added curricular and co-curricular experiences for high-achieving undergraduate students. The program encourages academic integrity and leadership, professional development, engagement with faculty and peers, exploration of disciplinary and multidisciplinary inquiry, and establishment of community among members of the Honors students and faculty. More than 340 NSU undergraduate students currently participate in the program.