When students first arrive on the Gannon University campus, they are immediately bombarded with decisions.
Choices about their majors, potential career options, social events and lifestyle are cast upon young adults as they wade through the treacherous but fruitful terrain that is adulthood.
For some, Gannon’s Honors Program can feel like just another commitment in a sea of organizations eager to recruit.
But if you ask any of the more than 200 program participants, they’ll tell you the opposite.
So much of the college experience is about making meaningful connections and finding a niche. The Honors Program is an organization that offers the ability to network beyond just a single interest, major or even field.
It facilitates engaging and thought-provoking discussion inside and outside of the classroom, and its classes within the program underscore Gannon’s value and commitment to a thriving community.
More than just a platitude, this aspect is what drives students to
oin and stay within the program.
The executive and student advisory boards work hard to create a culture of cooperation and learning across many disciplines. After a few semesters, as classes start to be more narrowly focused, the Honors Program offers opportunities to take classes — and go on trips — outside of your field.
You never know when a required class will change your outlook or perspective.
Morgan Grzegorzewski, student chair of the Honors Program, has experienced the benefits firsthand.
“A few of my closest friends are those that I met in my honors courses because they allow me to meet people outside of my major,” she said.
This past summer, a few honors students had the remarkable experience of traveling to Paris as part of a required fine arts class. The network of intelligent and interesting students has the ability to make any class or event an opportunity for growth.
Of all the great advantages, like priority scheduling and interactive classes, this is what drives many to participate and lead within the program.
The best piece of advice going into your freshman year is that with the right attitude anything is possible. Nobody knows if an event or class or person will change their life until it does.
Your class time doesn’t have to be trudging reluctantly through the Erie winter to sit silently in a room for an hour. You have the ability to schedule classes that value discussion and research with excited, knowledgeable students.
Making the most of your college experience means engaging with professors and students inside and outside of the classroom, and the Honors Program provides many opportunities to do just that.
Wading through all the possibilities can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Finding a place for yourself at Gannon means taking initiative and choosing a path that is both exciting and rewarding.
The Honors Program is a place to learn and have fun in way that makes college feel like home, while developing a wide range of interdisciplinary skills invaluable in today’s world. Having access to so many students and faculty in so many fields is an opportunity to set yourself apart, but also to have great experiences.
The Honors Program has given me and many others the chance to meet interesting people and participate in life-changing international travel, and I know it can do the same for you.
For information, email [email protected]
RYAN MICSKY
