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The value of the Honors Program was on display last week as Clarion's Honors Program seniors showcased their work and research.
"They spend their entire senior year – maybe even longer – toiling over research," said Eric Zavinski, Honors Program assistant director.
Honors seniors presented their research on a wide variety of topics from many disciplines.
"It's important to look back on how we've changed, how we've grown," said Brandon Nielsen, president of the Student Honors Association.
Those words were a proper introduction to the guest speaker at the event, Miranda Mease, who is an honors graduate who claims to be a very different person now from the shy freshman she once was.
"The Honors Program did change my life a great deal," Mease said.
It began with her first Honors Program class: Modes of Discourse, where public speaking is the goal.
"Today I can stand in front of you all feeling confident," Mease said.
Mease said the lessons she learned from the Honors Program served her not only in her academic life but also professionally. Mease, who obtained an accounting job after Clarion, found herself unhappy because she was not being challenged.
Being part of the Honors Program shaped Mease to the point where she was no longer comfortable thinking inside the box – she wanted to be part of the creative process where she could think outside of it. So she quit her job as an accountant and got a job at the Clarion University Small Business Center as a business consultant. She then began teaching at the university, fulfilling another life goal.
Her final advice to the students was "to be really honest and take a deep reflection of who you are. The only expectations that really matter are your own."
Honors Program Director Rod Raehsler, Ph. D., then presented the students with their honors stoles that they will wear at graduation. After the ceremony, the students gave their presentations in Founders Hall as part of the Academic Excellence Series.
There were 31 seniors who presented their research projects and findings:
- Megan Beary
- Sydney Buffington
- Emma Carter
- Coty Chetoka
- Lauren Corvino
- Marissa Dechant
- Rachel DeLuca
- Erica Fries
- Hannah Gloeckl
- Caitlyn Kaufman
- Tyson Kurtz
- Alison Lashinsky
- Logan Lauer
- Stephanie Lightner
- Christina Liu
- Lauren Pellegrino
- Clarissa Potsubay
- Nicholas Rhoades
- Nicholas Ruscitto
- Danielle Savitsky
- Lauren Slayton
- Austin Snelick
- Madison Stahr
- Sarah Strausbaugh
- Jocelyn Uchic
- John VanSickle
- Keith Weible
- Lance Whitehead
- Gideon Woelfel
- Brandon Yusko
- Kaitlin Zoccola
To support the Honors Program, please make checks payable to the Clarion University Foundation, 840 Wood St., Clarion, PA 16214.