Breanna Naegeli

It’s not every day that college students come face to face with a real astronaut, but at GCU it’s just another Monday. During this week’s “A Day in the Life of an Astronaut” panel, Honors students not only got to learn about what life is like in the space exploration field, but also received some valuable advice from panelist and first Korean astronaut Dr. Soyeon Yi. “I can feel how active and passionate for science and space the GCU students are,” she said.

Callista Mendoza always had an interest in politics, even from a young age. So when she decided to come to GCU and her first choice for a degree program wasn’t available, she decided Government was the best fit. That decision would lead her to her most recent opportunity, a contracted position as a field representative for the Leadership Institute.

Emma Blair thought she wanted to pursue a career in education, but she discovered a love of politics after the Honors College introduced her to internships. Blair is working as a research intern for Speech First, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C., that focuses on free speech on college campuses. It has given her a renewed appreciation for GCU’s emphasis on civil discourse and the First Amendment. “I think that’s one of the things that makes GCU’s campus so incredible,” she said.

In an academic year faced with a multitude of obstacles, including a global pandemic, GCU’s National Society of Collegiate Scholars made a name for themselves on a national level. For the second time since 2014, the GCU honors organization was named a Platinum Star Status Chapter for the 2020-2021 academic year and also won the second-place award for Virtual Member Engagement Star Status Merit. “It’s always exciting to achieve such an accomplishment and have this national recognition, but once you set the bar, you have a new bar,” said Honors College Associate Dean and chapter co-advisor Dr. Breanna Naegeli. “It’s not only continuing to meet those standards but to find ways to surpass that each year moving forward.”

Jeffrey Richards had no idea what to expect when he competed in this year’s Alpha Chi National Convention by giving a presentation on insulin biosensing for diabetic patients. Shortly before his Commencement ceremony for his bachelor’s in Biomedical Engineering, he learned that he had been selected the winner of the Joseph E. and Bessie Mae Pryor Prize in Chemistry, which comes with a scholarship for graduate school. This is a testament to the collaborative community of GCU,” said Dr. Breanna Naegeli, Associate Dean of the Honors College. 

It was a productive semester for students looking to attend graduate school as the Honors College wrapped up its Pre-Law and Pre-Health Professional, Academic and Career Programs. Both programs, one of which made its debut this semester, played a role in helping prepare students for what they can expect when it comes to graduate school. “From my point of view, it was very helpful and very informative,” said government student Madeline Landes, who attended all of the Pre-Law P.A.C. sessions this semester. “I would recommend this because I think it’s a very informative program.”

When the Honors Institute debuted with 59 students in 2013, no one could have known how far it would come just eight years later. As the University prepares to celebrate another graduating class, the Honors College will celebrate its own impressive accomplishment — surpassing 1,000 graduates. “It’s great that we’ve reached this milestone of 1,000 graduates, we are thrilled and ready to celebrate; but, this is definitely not the last chapter in our book,” said Honors College Associate Dean Dr. Breanna Naegeli. “There is plenty more to come, and we’re excited to keep challenging ourselves and our program to rise to the occasion.”

From natural deodorant to COVID-19 research, there was no shortage of impressive student presentations at this year’s CSET Research Symposium and Honors Showcase on Saturday. Honors finalists delivered in-person presentations while CSET finalists presented orally via Zoom. “It just goes to show how active and engaged our students were both inside and outside the classroom this year despite COVID-19 and limitations on what they could and couldn’t do,” Honors College Associate Dean Dr. Breanna Naegeli said.

Another successful academic year wouldn’t be complete without an Honors College Banquet to celebrate the students’ accomplishments. They were recognized Wednesday for their hard work during the pandemic. “We’re extremely proud,” Program Manager Dennis Williams said. “It’s been a very challenging year for them, but we’ve seen so many of our students step up as leaders, step up in all these areas. This is, I think, going to be an extra special year.”

College is all about learning experiences, and the Honors STEMists club took learning to the next level when its members built two wheelchairs and donated them to the Neighborhood Christian Clinic. Best of all, the Honors College students got to meet the family of a recipient. “It was just a very raw moment,” said one of the students, Abby Abraham. “They just kept saying, ‘You don’t understand how much this means to us.’”