The Judy Genshaft Honors College recently hosted its annual Honors Symposium at the 麻豆蜜桃AV Sarasota-Manatee campus鈥檚 Selby Auditorium. The event brought together faculty, staff, students, and families from across the university鈥檚 campuses to celebrate the accomplishments of first-year Honors students and fall 2024 graduates, marking key milestones in their academic journeys.
Cayla Lanier, assistant dean and campus director for the Judy Genshaft Honors College at the Sarasota-Manatee campus, presided over the event. During her remarks, Lanier highlighted the students鈥� achievements, the transformative impact of the Sarasota-Manatee campus and Honors community on their college experiences, and the significant growth the Honors College has achieved over the past year.
鈥淭his year marks a few milestones for the Judy Genshaft Honors College on the Sarasota-Manatee campus,鈥� said Lanier. 鈥淲e reached a total of 50 students enrolled in the Honors College on this campus, expanded into residential education through our collaborative interdisciplinary LLC, and sponsored three students to present research at state and national conferences.鈥�
The event featured first-year students sharing their freshman theses, followed by faculty recognition and a graduation ceremony honoring the fall 2024 graduates.
SHOWCASING NEW PERSPECTIVES
The freshman thesis is the culmination of the Acquisition of Knowledge seminar, a foundational Honors course that explores interdisciplinary concepts such as philosophy, practical wisdom, and inquiry. Students conducted research on topics of personal interest, producing a formal thesis that reflects their curiosity and academic exploration.
This year鈥檚 first-year class showcased a diverse array of topics:
- Scarlett-Rose Austin: Sinking Ships: What Can Be Learned from RMS Titanic and 9/11
- Ayla Edwards: Is ADHD Overlooked in Women?
- Rea Grezda: Ethical Use of AI in Health Care
- Zachary Guyette: The Effects of Air Transportation on Environmental Factors
- Diego Lozado: Mozart鈥檚 Therapy: Exploring the Effect and Discovery of Musical Sound on Neural Activity in the Human Brain of Epilepsy Patients
- Pooja Magesh: Medical Imaging Comparative Analysis: AI Tools vs. Traditional Methods
- Claire Metcalf: Recreational Marijuana Use Needs to Stop: Revealing the Truth About Cannabis
- Victoria Santaella Aguilar: Advanced Placement Courses and International Baccalaureate Programs鈥� Impact on Student Holistic Success
- Mackenzie Schaefer: How Does Long-Distance Separate Household Co-Parenting Affect Child Development Skills of Adaptability and Resilience?
- Ruby Suarez: Study on Climate Change Effects on Low-Income/Marginalized Communities
CELEBRATING FALL 2024 SARASOTA-MANATEE HONORS GRADUATES
The symposium concluded with a graduation ceremony recognizing 麻豆蜜桃AV Sarasota-Manatee graduates Maegan Durinzi, Diana Labrador, Saleha Salek, and Loriona Serani.
For Labrador, the ceremony was a full-circle moment, as she recalled the Honors Symposium during her freshman year as her fondest Honors memory.
鈥淚 remember my first Honors Symposium, presenting my research on music therapy with Dr. Lanier鈥檚 help and all the students watching me. It was really fun for me,鈥� Labrador said.
When asked how it felt to graduate from 麻豆蜜桃AV with Judy Genshaft Honors College distinction, Salek said it was 鈥減retty cool.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 really proud to have been a part of this, and I鈥檓 honored to have had all the opportunities and to do all the neat things I was able to do here,鈥� said Salek, who now plans to pursue graduate studies in entomology.
As part of the ceremony, the graduating students exchanged the symbolic stones they received at their first-year Honors Convocation for Honors medallions, representing their accomplishments and lasting connection to the Sarasota-Manatee Honors community.
Reflecting on her Honors experience, Labrador said her classmates were what made it special. 鈥淢y classmates were really nice and encouraging. Everyone was excited to be at this school and to study what interested them,鈥� she said.