Honors in Action

On January 23, 2023, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul visited Dunkirk, NY, to award the city a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant. SUNY Fredonia President Stephen H. Kolison Jr. and current Honors students were present for the announcement and had the opportunity to take a picture and speak with the Governor.

On September 9, 2022, sixteen Honors students had the opportunity to be Student Marshals at President Kolison’s Investiture. This group led the procession through King Concert Hall and had front row seats to watch as the 14th President of SUNY Fredonia was inaugurated. Following the ceremony, while enjoying hors d'oeuvres provided through FSA,  the Honors students enjoyed opportunities to speak with President Kolison and other faculty members.

In January 2023, a dozen Fredonia students (six of whom were Honors) studied abroad in Honduras, taking part in a medical brigade. For nearly a week, they provided healthcare services to the local communities, working alongside physicians and other professionals to offer more consistent health protection. For many students, the experience was life-changing and inspired their commitment to help underserved global communities.  

Each semester, the Honors Program recruits and mentors 2-4 highly motivated students to run the program’s social media and support multichannel communication, to organize events and build community, and to promote the three program pillars: Learn. Lead. Live. The internship may be counted in place of any one Honors course. Currently, the Honors program has a Community & Event Planning Intern, a Photo/Video & Website Content Development Intern, a Social Media Intern, a Music Community Building Intern, and a Leadership Intern. Starting in Fall 2023, there will be a new internship position titled the Honors Student Center & Lounge Intern. These positions are a great opportunity to get more involved with the program and with campus while also ramping up your skills and closely interacting with faculty and staff!

“My experience as an intern for Honors Music Community Building has been such a blast! The experience was like no other, with creative flexibility and a communicative environment. The internship let me produce countless events and experiences for the music community.” 

–Molly Gibson
Honors Music Community Building Intern 
 

“It has been a wonderful experience returning to the Honors Program during my graduate studies. My past experience in the Honors Program during my undergrad proved to be useful when planning meaningful wellness-based Honors events. This assistantship not only allowed me to give back to the program, but it has helped shine a spotlight on wellness in relation to academics.”

–Autumn Hobel-Furrer
Honors Program Assistant
 

“I am so proud to be a part of the Honors Program. It has allowed me to connect with so many people. I have been able to make a positive impact through social media and the Honors Lounge. I am honored to have been given the opportunity to have used my design skills in both a digital and physical format to contribute to the Honors Program.”

–Lilian Holman
Honors Lounge Design & Photography Intern

 

“Although this is only my first couple of semesters here, the Honors Program has provided me with so many amazing opportunities to meet new people and expand my skill set already. Having this internship was a blast and I am so grateful for everyone who helped me!”

–Makayla Mohrman
Honors Social Media Intern
 

"The Honors Program has provided me with so many great opportunities working with current and past students as well as faculty from all departments. This internship has allowed me to develop my leadership skills both on and off campus."

–Courtney Woodring
Honors Leadership Intern

On March 6, 2023, SUNY Chancellor John B. King visited Fredonia as part of his quest to visit every SUNY campus by the end of the Spring semester. Honors students were highly represented among the half-dozen students selected to lead the Chancellor on a tour of campus. Honors also was invited to engage in conversation with the Chancellor and his staff in the Blue Lounge.

2023 Lanford Prize Winner: Alyssa M. Bump

Honors student Alyssa M. Bump was selected to receive the 2023 Langford Presidential Prize from the Oscar and Esther Lanford Endowment of the Fredonia College Foundation. She is a Journalism and Public Relations double major with a minor in English and has maintained an overall GPA of 3.9 while being deeply involved as a student leader on campus. This award is given to one member of the graduating class who exemplifies Fredonia ideals and has exhibited numerous achievements. Bump will receive this prize on May 20 at Commencement. 

2023 Chancellor’s Awards for Student Excellence: Madison Miller and Logan Wilson

Honors students Madison Miller (B.S. Biology and Environmental Sciences) and Logan Wilson (B.S. Biology) were selected as the campus recipients of the 2023 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. This award acknowledges students for their outstanding achievements within academic leadership, campus involvement, community service, and the arts. It ranks as the highest honor the university can bestow upon a student. 

Goldwater Scholarship: Gabrielle Cruz 

Gabrielle Cruz, a junior majoring in Molecular Genetics and member of the Honors Program, was one of just over 400 students nationwide to be selected to receive a $7,500 Goldwater Scholarship. Selected from a pool of over 5,000 juniors and sophomores, Cruz is believed to be the first SUNY Fredonia student to receive this award. The Goldwater Scholarship recognizes and awards students who are committed to pursuing a research career in the natural sciences, mathematics, or engineering.

“Living in History”: Sharing Successful Career Journeys

Honors alumna Rebekah Denz (BA, History; Museum Studies minor, 2019) returned to campus with best friend and fellow alumna Megan DeJoe to share their career pathways post-graduation. Denz is currently a Records Management Analyst in the White House Office of Records Management and is working towards her Masters of Library and Information Science at the University of Maryland.