The Honors Reception 2015

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On September 28th, the Honors Program held the annual Honors Reception in Cascia Hall. The event is designed to welcome new students and provide a memorable start to the year. The event is conducted for both Honors Students and faculty alike, with guests such as President Hopey and many professors.

For many of the freshmen, this was their first opportunity to meet other Honors Students. They were able to interact with upperclassmen, get advice for their first year at Merrimack, and eat some great food. The reception also featured the traditional signing of the Honors book, symbolically admitting the freshmen into the program.

The event also benefitted upperclassmen students. Honors Student Ashley Morin ’18 eagerly entered Cascia Hall, anticipating what the reception held in store for everyone this year. “It’s an opportunity to dress up and hang out with your friends from the Honors Program,” she explained. “It kicks off the year as a fresh start.” Upperclassmen have the opportunity to celebrate a new year with friends, after not seeing many of them all summer.

As always, the Honors Program welcomed an alumni keynote guest speaker to return and discuss how the Honors Program impacted their career after college. This year, Helena Barbano, who graduated in 2013, discussed how the Honors Program challenged her and provided tremendous support and community to aid her success. She named some of her closest friends as being fellow Honors Program Graduates. They still use each other for resources and connections as they follow their individual careers and endeavors. Her involvement did not end with the Honors Program, as she was also involved with the Writing Center, A.L.A.N.A., Concert Choir, OnStagers Dramatic Society, and Omicron Delta Kappa. The Honors Program is proud of all her accomplishments, such as her current position as the Field Coordinator at the Nonprofit VOTE. We thank her for her time and personal advice from her own experiences with exceeding expectations.

Brianna Soriano ’18 ultimately labeled the event as a success. She stated, “The Honors Reception is a great kick off to the year. Being able to get dressed up and be with friends is something I look forward to every September!” The Honors Program looks forward to continuing this tradition for many years to come..On September 28th, the Honors Program held the annual Honors Reception in Cascia Hall. The event is designed to welcome new students and provide a memorable start to the year. The event is conducted for both Honors Students and faculty alike, with guests such as President Hopey and many professors. For many of the freshmen, this was their first opportunity to meet other Honors Students. They were able to interact with upperclassmen, get advice for their first year at Merrimack, and eat some great food. The reception also featured the traditional signing of the Honors book, symbolically admitting the freshmen into the program. The event also benefitted upperclassmen students. Honors Student Ashley Morin ’18 eagerly entered Cascia Hall, anticipating what the reception held in store for everyone this year. “It’s an opportunity to dress up and hang out with your friends from the Honors Program,” she explained. “It kicks off the year as a fresh start.” Upperclassmen have the opportunity to celebrate a new year with friends, after not seeing many of them all summer. As always, the Honors Program welcomed an alumni keynote guest speaker to return and discuss how the Honors Program impacted their career after college. This year, Helena Barbano, who graduated in 2013, discussed how the Honors Program challenged her and provided tremendous support and community to aid her success. She named some of her closest friends as being fellow Honors Program Graduates. They still use each other for resources and connections as they follow their individual careers and endeavors. Her involvement did not end with the Honors Program, as she was also involved with the Writing Center, A.L.A.N.A., Concert Choir, OnStagers Dramatic Society, and Omicron Delta Kappa. The Honors Program is proud of all her accomplishments, such as her current position as the Field Coordinator at the Nonprofit VOTE. We thank her for her time and personal advice from her own experiences with exceeding expectations. Brianna Soriano ’18 ultimately labeled the event as a success. She stated, “The Honors Reception is a great kick off to the year. Being able to get dressed up and be with friends is something I look forward to every September!” The Honors Program looks forward to continuing this tradition for many years to come..

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