Students Create First Black Honors Society

Five innovative and inspiring members of the Honors program joined together to form the first Black Honors Society within the history of the program. The founders are: Gabrielle Pinkney ’24, Kayla Jones ’24, Faith Akoachere ’24 (featured in top row, left to right), Hailey Williams ’23 and Denise Magny ’22 (featured bottom row, left to right.) In creating this society, the founders’ purpose is to nurture and develop an inclusive community for current and future BIPOC students participating in the Renee Crown University Honors Program.

Williams and Pinkney held a vision to create belonging and help support academic prominence. Williams shared, “I wanted to create an inclusive, safe space for us to support and motivate each other in our academic lives at SU.” Echoing that sentiment, Pinkney expressed that her goal was to “create a sense of community among our Black honors students and celebrate Black excellence.” The society’s mission is to support the attainment of academic excellence, create long lasting mentorships, and promote cultural advancement. “Being a founding member of the Black Honors Society here at Syracuse provided me the fulfilling opportunity to serve my community and create a long-lasting impact for scholars of color coming after me,” said Magny. Members of the society provide support to current Honors students, and students aspiring to join the program. Contact foakoach@syr.edu, or follow BHS on Instagram, @syracusebhs, for more information.