Mark Braboy
News Editor
A new chapter was written in the history of the W.E.B. Dubois Honors College on Feb. 17, when 232 freshmen were inducted into the organization. It was the largest group of students inducted in its 34 years of existence.
The pinning ceremony, “Innovative Scholars Excelling and Serving the World,” was hosted by Dr. Loria Brown-Gordon, the Associate Dean of the Honors College and Dr. James C. Renick, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs.
The room was filled with eager students and proud friends and family members as the students received their pins in order of their respective colleges.
Renick reminded the students that they represented not only themselves, but Jackson State University as well and compared the student’s academic pursuits to a skiing event in the 2014 Winter Olympic games.
“It dawned on me that this is really about an intellectual bulls-eye. That you’re hitting the mark, that you know why you came to college and that you’re a role model for not only people who are here, but for people who want to come here because you not only represent yourself, but Jackson State University,” said Renick.
He added: “The gold here is the intellectual gold. In fact, that’s the best investment that you’re going to make in life. Everything else depreciates. Knowledge appreciates.”
Kaylyn Caston, a junior English major from Utica, Miss. was honored to be a part of the ceremony.
“This is a very prestigious organization and it’s an honor to be part of such a legacy. It motivates me because I want to leave an impact both on the school, my community and in the world. It motivates me to strive to do my very best academically and in all other facets so I can help achieve the goal of leaving my legacy one day,” said Caston.
John Haley, a junior business management major from New Orleans, La. urges students to think about the future and not wait until they become older to complete school.
“I’m 38 right now going back to school. I wasn’t worried about the teachers since Katrina took everything away from me. And it forced me to realize that if I didn’t do something now and another storm came through and I didn’t have my plans to fall back on, what would I do? So I can take this experience and share that with other people.
He added: “You’re not worried about the future now, but you need to be. You need to worry about those what if situations. What if a tornado had come through and carried your whole house apart and killed your whole family? You’d have no one to fall back on. You need to think about the future and get your education now and don’t wait until you’re 39 years old to do it.”
The Honors College was founded in 1980 at JSU as a program beginning with 69 freshmen with Maria Luisa Alvarez Harvey as the director. The purpose was to provide students with an enriched education with an upgraded curriculum and academic preparation. Years later, it expanded into a division and then into a college. It was named after the historical scholar and author W.E.B. Dubois in 1991.
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