On Friday, November 6, 2020 the Honors College celebrated 402 Juniors who completed a significant milestone in their academic career. The event began with a warm congratulations from Dean Michael Chajes and advice from Provost Robin Morgan (seen in the photo here).
Ankita Prasad ’22 at home viewing the ceremony
The program continued by highlighting student achievements and involvement across campus. This cohort is particularly engaged in service learning, participating in organizations including UDance, UD Alternative Breaks, Honors Engaging in Neighborhood Service, and Lori’s Hands, to name a few. They also participate in Student Government, the Resident Student Association, and a variety of professional student organizations that will help them advance their future careers.
Honors students have an impact on campus, but they are also impacted by their time at UD. Recipient Ankita Prasad says, “being in the Honors College has positively impacted my college experience in so many ways. I’ve been able to challenge myself academically while getting out of my comfort zone and have forged relationships with so many students and faculty in the UD community as a result.” Ankita is a pre-med student who serves as an Honors Community Fellow, where she plans events and activities for upper division students. She was also just accepted into Med Scholars, a partnership with the Sydney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
The General Honors Award (GHA) recognizes students who have completed the first two years of Honors requirements and is designed to keep students on track to earning an Honors Degree. An official designation goes on the individual’s UD transcript and marks a significant accomplishment.
In the first two years, students who earn the GHA must:
- Complete 18 credits of Honors coursework, with a minimum of 12 of those credits completed in the first year.
- Those 12 credits in the first year will include a 3-credit Honors English 110 (seminar in composition) and a 3-credit Honors interdisciplinary colloquium course.
- Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.30.
- Complete a minimum of 60 credits (including AP and/or transfer credits), with at least 54 credits earned at UD.
- Live in the Honors first-year living learning community unless commuting from home or approved to live in an alternative LLC.
- Earn a minimum grade of C- in all Honors courses counting toward the General Honors Award.
- Honors coursework counting toward the GHA cannot be taken on a Pass-Fail basis unless the course is only offered Pass-Fail.
Out of all the students who earned the GHA this year, here are some notable statistics:
- 28 recipients are on track to earn two degrees
- Nearly 100 recipients have more than one major
- Over 200 recipients have a GPA at or above 3.80
“Although the ceremony couldn’t be in person, I appreciated that the Honors College held this event to show that our hard work is not going unnoticed,” recipient Geoffrey Bonnanzio ’22 said. Being online this year allowed his parents to stream the ceremony from Massachusetts, where they wouldn’t have been able to make the trip to see it in person. During the ceremony, Geoffrey reflected on why he applied to Honors in the first place – to be challenged academically. “However, more important than the additional academic rigor that Honors brings, I was able to find a family at UD,” he said. “As I watched this virtual ceremony, I thought about the friendships that Honors has brought me and what may come next.”
Both Ankita and Geoffrey are looking forward to earning their Honors Degrees in another year and a half. “I know these friendships will last forever and I can’t wait to graduate with them all by my side,” Geoffrey said.
The ceremony concluded with advice from Honors alumni on how to make the most of their last three semesters. “It really makes me happy to look back and continue to see all the wonderful things that are going on within this community,” said Jonathan Galarraga, ’16. He encouraged students to seek good mentors and maintain great friendships. “UD and this Honors community are rich with people who genuinely care and are invested in your dreams and aspirations,” he said. Jonathan is a PhD candidate at the University of Pennsylvania, pursuing research in bioengineering, and working to bring innovative new biotechnologies to market. Honors alumni routinely give back to undergraduates and is a point of pride in our community. Jonathan ended with a message to be there for friends in the coming months and years – continue to develop your network and you will achieve great things.