Honors Program: New Director, Same Zeal
Kristina Dillon
Issue date: 10/23/08 Section: News
It's a place where students can sit around and have intellectual conversations on animal rights, the environment, or even their political views. Some may study while others may read a book for leisure.
It's all in a place called the Honors Club, and it's located in Maher Hall.
"Students at Mercy don't often know about the Honors Program," said a fellow Honors student in one of their regular Tuesday meetings. "They hear the word 'Honors' and run for the hills."
Yet members of the program claim that the program actually relieves some of their stresses, and does not add any extra on.
"I have met like minded individuals that share or at least agree with my ideals and beliefs about college and what we are supposed to be doing here," said club member Praveed Abraham.
According to the Program Director, Dr. Christina Costa, an incoming freshman must be in English 110, Math 115 and have a high school average of 85 in order to be eligible to join the Honors Program.
If not a freshman however, a student can still take an Honors class. While this doesn't place that student in the program, he or she may enter the following semester after evaluation of a writing sample.
All incoming students and those students already in the program must maintain a GPA of 3.2 to remain in the program.
"It's not a closed door policy. Members have brought their friends and other students to our meetings," said Costa.
The members state that the program has been a great place to make friends while going on trips to museums and theater shows, while some travel to the National Honors Conference.
"Honors Club is sort of like a hang out, but with an intellectual twist," said senior Maksim Vasilevsky a pre-veterinary med student., who says he finds his Honors classes to be easier and more enjoyable than his regular ones.
The Honors Program has helped students get into significant programs, such as the McNair Scholars Program.
This fall, the Honors Program will be traveling to San Antonio for the National Honors Conference. There they will be presenting papers based on their majors. Vasilevsky was chosen to be one of the Honor students to travel to the conference. There he will be presenting a paper on homeopathic veterinary medicine.
"I am looking forward to hearing other people's presentations," he said. "And the pool."
"Any of the Honor students were eligible to go," explained Dr. Costa, "Some choose to, while others were picked out by the faculty."
At the end of the spring semester, there is an Honors Symposium, where the students will be performing and presenting the work they accomplished during the year.
Information about the Honors Program can be found at Mercy.edu.
It's all in a place called the Honors Club, and it's located in Maher Hall.
"Students at Mercy don't often know about the Honors Program," said a fellow Honors student in one of their regular Tuesday meetings. "They hear the word 'Honors' and run for the hills."
Yet members of the program claim that the program actually relieves some of their stresses, and does not add any extra on.
"I have met like minded individuals that share or at least agree with my ideals and beliefs about college and what we are supposed to be doing here," said club member Praveed Abraham.
According to the Program Director, Dr. Christina Costa, an incoming freshman must be in English 110, Math 115 and have a high school average of 85 in order to be eligible to join the Honors Program.
If not a freshman however, a student can still take an Honors class. While this doesn't place that student in the program, he or she may enter the following semester after evaluation of a writing sample.
All incoming students and those students already in the program must maintain a GPA of 3.2 to remain in the program.
"It's not a closed door policy. Members have brought their friends and other students to our meetings," said Costa.
The members state that the program has been a great place to make friends while going on trips to museums and theater shows, while some travel to the National Honors Conference.
"Honors Club is sort of like a hang out, but with an intellectual twist," said senior Maksim Vasilevsky a pre-veterinary med student., who says he finds his Honors classes to be easier and more enjoyable than his regular ones.
The Honors Program has helped students get into significant programs, such as the McNair Scholars Program.
This fall, the Honors Program will be traveling to San Antonio for the National Honors Conference. There they will be presenting papers based on their majors. Vasilevsky was chosen to be one of the Honor students to travel to the conference. There he will be presenting a paper on homeopathic veterinary medicine.
"I am looking forward to hearing other people's presentations," he said. "And the pool."
"Any of the Honor students were eligible to go," explained Dr. Costa, "Some choose to, while others were picked out by the faculty."
At the end of the spring semester, there is an Honors Symposium, where the students will be performing and presenting the work they accomplished during the year.
Information about the Honors Program can be found at Mercy.edu.
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