Why Honors?

The best answer to this question comes from our students, past and present, and the faculty who support them! Read more in our Feature Stories section.

Current Students & Alumni

Honors Student Council E-Board

Fiona Marques '25, Psychology BA & Integrated Studio Arts BFA
Leandro Neves '25, Electrical Engineering BS
"Being in the Honors College helps you get the job you want, not just a job [...] It gives you a community right off the bat. You have support and a student community to lean on. [...] The College gives [freshmen] a soft start, a healthy community. We're not here to compete with each other. We're all here to support each other."

 

Anna Balkus '24

Biology BS
"My experience in the Honors College has been very helpful in preparing me for my future. The ability to 'honorize' classes has allowed for more flexibility in my schedule, which is especially helpful being a student-athlete. This also has allowed me to dive deeper into classes that interest me in more fun and engaging ways, as well as develop my independence."

 

Paige Bernier '24

Nursing BS
"I have had a great experience. I have used the Honors Annex to study and having access to the private study room when all the rooms are booked during finals week has been a life saver. I have also had the opportunity to enhance my learning experience through Honors courses or through 'honorizing' my nursing courses."

 

Zoi Burns '24

Political Science BA
On memorable experiences: "My Honors advisor! Kristin Kadlec single-handedly made my college experience ten times easier, helping me through every semester. She made sure that my full college course load, semester by semester, was planned out and organized. This made it easy for me to know that I would graduate with all of my requirements fulfilled and allowed me to pursue flexible options like Semester in the City. Kristin is hands-down my favorite part of the Honors College. I would not be where I am today without her."

 

Olivia Collins '24

Bioengineering BS
Biomedical Engineering & Biotechnology MS
"This [Honors] research experience has solidified my dream of working in early cancer diagnostics, specifically in the realm of liquid biopsy devices. I am absolutely fascinated by this kind of research and I’m so excited that my project could produce pioneering data for exosome-based cancer detection [...] This research has also motivated me to pursue my master's degree here at UMassD so I can do my thesis on this project. I can't wait to see how the project advances!"

 

Alejandra Ponce Lopez '24

Psychology BA
"The biggest advantage, in my opinion, is the faculty I am able to work with. The faculty are dedicated to student success and are incredibly supportive and understanding. Even when I feel overwhelmed, an Honors faculty member is there to check up on me and/or encourage me to push through and finish strong."

 

Quekya SaintLouis '24

Nursing BS
"I am always impressed with the ingenuity of the students in the Honors College. I like hearing how they think, and how they got to UMassD. I like that I can communicate with this group of super-smart, supportive, interesting students. I absolutely enjoy meeting students from other colleges and majors. Through the Honors College, I've met some of my closest friends on campus."

 

Jordan Tavares '24

Marketing BS
"If it wasn't for the APEX, I would have never done an internship. Since then, I have become part of a lot of great opportunities, and I have continued to become more comfortable with doing things I wouldn't normally jump at. The APEX asks Honors students to go out and make something happen and that can feel uncomfortable initially. But that brief discomfort can lead to a ton of connections and experiences that are far more valuable."

 

Emily Brawley '23

Nursing BS
"The Honors College has opened doors for me that I didn’t think were possible, such as the ENRS Conference. It was challenging and taught me a lot about myself as a student and as a person. I am forever grateful for my family for believing in me and encouraging me to be part of the Honors College."

 

Trinity Faith Esposito '23

Nursing BS
"I really enjoyed my Honors courses. They were unlike any of my other classes; they were my only classes outside of nursing. I loved the discussions and the smaller class setting. I got to know the students sitting beside me. It opened my eyes to what is happening on campus. I met students in liberal arts, biochemistry, and engineering. We had some really fun and interesting conversations."

 

Emily Fontes '23

Illustration BFA
"I enjoy being able to bring something different to the table. It's more relaxed, more personalized. I am getting more students interested in art and I enjoy learning from super-tech STEM majors."

 

Jacqueline Horgan '23, '24

Bioengineering BS
Biomedical Engineering & Biotechnology MS
"The Honors College offers many events to their students, like paint nights or apple picking.  These are fun social opportunities for students to mingle outside of the classroom. The APEX project also gives students the opportunity to explore a project of their choosing. My project was The Growth Methods of CHO Cells and the Derived Properties Observed."

 

Gamaliel Daffeed Janvier '23

Management BS
"I have had a great experience in the college as I met some of my closest friends there,” Janvier said. “Being part of the Honors College enabled me to apply what I have learned in class to different assignments due to that extra attention professors give you. The Honors College motivated me to do better, to be more involved."

 

Christopher McGuire '22

Psychology BA
Clinical Psychology PsyD student, Antioch University of New England
"Inspiring and rewarding. Working with like-minded students and being mentored by dedicated faculty are some of the best aspects of being in the Honors College. Having a faculty mentor has allowed me to learn and develop new research and professional skills. I have stepped out of my comfort zone and taken on challenges that have greatly prepared me for graduate school and my career."

 

Alana McGraw '21

Biology BS
“I was pleasantly surprised by how many opportunities were presented to me as a UMass Dartmouth Honors College student. I was able to develop a great community of friends in the Honors College, and we were all able to support each other throughout our four years of undergraduate education.”

 

Faculty

Kristen Sethares, PhD

Professor
College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Adult Nursing
"It has been a wonderful experience since day one. I have found the students to be interesting and highly motivated. Their interests are widely diverse, and I learn something in my interactions with them every day [...] These bright students can help us solve some of our real-world problems if we capture their interest. When given the opportunity to be creative and say what they think, their ideas are usually amazing."

 

Jess Worby

Assistant Teaching Professor
College of Visual and Performing Arts
Art & Design - Illustration
On Honors APEX Mentee: "That Emily Fontes is a hard-working, organized student mature for her age is likely apparent to her peers and other instructors [...] Her work in Illustration applies strong design and intelligent application towards an important issue."