After a positive review of the current enhanced academic program at Westfield State College, the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education has renewed the college’s membership in the Commonwealth Honors Program.
The Honors Program at Westfield State offers more challenging courses and projects for qualified students, and also sponsors events that contribute to the intellectual life of the college community.
“While the college is proud of all of our programs, our highly rated Honors Program serves our most accomplished students very well,” Westfield State President Evan S. Dobelle said. “It offers the extra challenge and stimulation that helps some of our future leaders excel.”
“We are thrilled that the Board of Higher Education affirms the very positive review submitted by the Commonwealth Honors Program Executive Committee, renewing Westfield State’s membership for the next six years,” said Robert Hayes, associate vice president of academic affairs.
The Commonwealth Honors accreditation was first granted to the college Honors Program in 2003. As recognition for high accomplishments, students receive the distinction of Commonwealth Honors Scholar at graduation and on their transcript.
“Enthusiasm for the Honors Program among faculty, students, and administrators is high. The program has more than doubled in student membership in the past two years. We will have a new, devoted honors center on campus in fall 2009,” Hayes said.
“We have established honors housing for resident students,” he said. We continue to promote community engagement through service learning in honors courses, encouraging student-led volunteer projects, and/or service-based honors projects. It is a vibrant program. The students, Honors Advisory Committee, and Ricki Kantrowitz, program chair, are to be congratulated.”
“It is an exciting time for the Westfield State College Honors Program,” Kantrowitz said. “The college at large is committed to the program’s excellence and continued growth. A large honors center, with four computers and ample space for meetings, and honors housing will be available this fall. These spaces will provide resident and commuting students with multiple opportunities for academic and social interactions with honors peers, honors faculty and outside speakers.”
“Many of our honors students are receiving merit scholarships and a number of our students have been awarded internal grants to support their research and travel,” Kantrowitz added. “Beginning in spring 2010, honors students will be given priority registration for all of their classes. The quality of our program and these recognitions for the achievement of academic excellence are helping to attract some of the brightest students in the commonwealth to our campus.” “The growth of our Honors Program has been a kind of natural evolution that has gone hand-in-hand with the rising GPAs and SAT scores of incoming students,” said Marsha Marotta, dean of undergraduate studies. “This is a robust program that offers rigorous courses and projects, motivating and inspiring both students and faculty to engage in scholarship in a variety of ways.”
“The senior honors project is really graduate level work, which means students are that much better prepared for master's and PhD programs,” she said.
For more information on the college's Honors Program, contact Academic Affairs at 413-572-5213. For more information on the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and the Commonwealth Honors Program, visit their website at http://www.mass.edu/home.asp
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