Lena-May Haught

Students didn’t have to hop on a plane Monday evening to enjoy a “Night in New York,” the theme of the Honors College Banquet in GCU Arena. The event included a catered dinner, New York-themed trivia and live music performed by Honors College Director of Operations Dennis Williams and his wife, Julianne. Senior Kendall Smith was given the Dean’s Choice Award, Gaige Graham was named the Outstanding Senior, Lena-May Haught was a popular choice for the Giving Back Award and Camden Marasco won the Inspirational Leader Award.

It was an action-packed weekend for the Honors College and its students. Its annual Next Generation Leadership Conference, “Serve with your Story,” was organized by students for students and provided attendees with the opportunity to learn from and network with industry professionals from a variety of fields. Speakers shared their individual stories and journeys with students, all while emphasizing the importance of serving others. “I really do feel like GCU attracts talented and mission-oriented students,” said Ryan Corry, Chief Strategy Officer for St. Vincent de Paul.

Integrity is a key element in every student’s academic journey and one that Honors College Associate Dean Dr. Breanna Naegeli hopes to highlight during the inaugural Integrity Week. Workshops, information sessions and guest speakers have helped bring forward the message of acting with integrity in all aspects life. “I feel like this is a major step up from anything we’ve done previously,” Naegeli said.

The Honors College has grown so much in the last eight years, one day dedicated to service events wasn’t enough. This week, it hosted its first Commitment to Service Week, providing an opportunity for multiple Honors clubs to volunteer at nonprofit organizations. “We just wanted to integrate service much more heavily and integrate this initiative into the college this semester,” Honors College Program Manager Anya Cofrancesco said. “We just decided to go big and make this a huge campaign. It’s been incredible to see their (students) compassion and just rolling up their sleeves and getting into the community.”

The College of Science, Engineering and Technology Research Symposium and Honors Showcase made a quick transition to online when the COVID-19 precautions were put in place. “For a tight three-week timeline, I think our administration, faculty and students did an incredible job bringing their work to life in a virtual manner,” said Breanna Naegeli, Honors College Associate Dean.