University Honors Program Reception

The University Honors Program hosted the Honors Fall Reception in the Cotillion
Ballroom Sept. 28 at 6pm.

Deborah Cibelli, associate director of the program, said the Honors Fall Reception is a
dinner to help launch the semester and inform students of the honors program’s activities and
events of the school year.

Assistant professor of English Jay Udall was the guest speaker who spoke about his
Louisiana-inspired poetry.

Cibelli also said that the program recognized two freshmen honors delegates at the event:
Sarah A. Boudreaux, a biology major, and Karlie Trosclair, a pre-med biology major.

According to the University Honors Program’s informational packet, “The University
Honors Program at Nicholls State University is designed to support and enrich high-achieving
and highly motivated university students. Through innovative teaching, honors students receive a
distinctly personal education that significantly involves them in the learning process.”

To be accepted into the program, a student must have an accumulative grade point
average of 3.2 or higher and a composite ACT score of 25 or higher. The student must complete
a minimum of 24 honor credit hours to graduate with a University Honors Award.

Upon completion, the student receives an Honors Award medallion at graduation and
Honors Certification on their official university transcript.

The program has over 300 students; however, Cibelli said not all will complete the 24
hours to receive honors standing.

She said, “We graduate about 10 honors students in the fall and about 20 to 25 in the
spring each year.”

Cibelli mentioned that the University Honors Program hosts different events for its
students throughout the fall semester, but participation is sometimes low due to other student
obligations.

Honor students have the opportunity to participate in volunteer activities around the
community.

Cibelli said the honors program also sponsors students to attend honors conferences.

“We have had students participate in the fall undergraduate conference at the University
of Louisiana at Laffeyette.”

Being an honors student comes with several benefits. Brennan Curole, a senior honors
student majoring in chemistry, said his favorite perks are scheduling classes first and being
allowed to enjoy the honors lounge.

Other benefits include: smaller honors-only classes, special scholarships, reserved
dormitories in Scholars Hall and an opportunity to experience Honors Abroad.
According to the University Honors Program’s informational packet, Honors Abroad:

England is offered to junior honors students. Senior honors students are allowed the opportunity
to study in Costa Rica for two weeks in the winter intersession.

Cibelli said, “Students can get humanities credits for both Honors Abroad programs,
which are largely funded through the University Honors Program.”

Curole said he takes pride in being a part of the University Honors Program.

“In my opinion, being an honors student means being the top percentile of the college
when it comes to academics. They only accept the best of the best, and that is what you see when
you look at the members.”