Greetings from the Director

To the Community of Honors Program Alumni,

We began the spring semester in early January. I will always remember when a small group of students came together on Zoom to take part in the Winter Thesis Boot Camp. It was freezing in Syracuse. The students were quiet, somber, and resolved. At the time, they reflected the mood on campus, and perhaps nationally. As you know, it has been a year of profound challenges.

We now celebrate the end of the academic year with a sense of gratitude and exhilaration! Some commencement and convocation activities were in person, some were virtual, and some were pre-recorded. At the end of April, we hosted a small in person celebration for seniors and awarded them with the Honors medallion. In May, we hosted the Honors virtual research presentation day. The recording of Honors Convocation Day was released on the final day of the semester! Together we did it!

We are all exhausted, but joyful. I am so proud and so humbled by the achievements of Honors students. I share a few highlights in this newsletter.

Thank you for all your support. Knowing that they have the support of the university community strengthens students to be able to continue their own work and to resume some sense of normalcy on the college campus. We hope to see you in person or virtually during Orange Central Homecoming!

Dr. Danielle Taana Smith              

Director, Renée Crown University Honors Program