Pictured here from left to right:
Honors students Nhi Vu, Meghan Clancy, Joshua Briere, Jeremiah Meadows, Honors Faculty Coordinator Dr. Ashley L. Bourne-Richardson, and Honors student Misha Yakavenka.
Reynolds Honors students graduating in May were recognized at a luncheon held on the Parham Road campus Wednesday, April 25. Honors program students and their families, Honors program faculty, key supporters, Foundation Board Members and administrators were all invited to attend and celebrate the accomplishments of these outstanding graduates. In his welcome message President Rhodes gave the following impressive Honors program statistics:
- The Reynolds Honors program has admitted 145 students since it began in Spring 2016
- Honors students have received over $95k in scholarship funding to date
- Reynolds Honors students have been admitted to Columbia University, Virginia Tech, VCU Honors College, JMU, Emery & Henry, William & Mary, George Mason Honors College
- 23 Honors program students are graduating this spring; 5 are Honors Scholars, having completed 18 credits in Honors
Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Kimberly Britt gave a moving message to the soon-to-be-graduates. Dr. Britt began by congratulating them on their intelligence and accomplishments, but advised that to succeed they needed more than just smarts, they would need a "tremendous desire not to fail." She offered brief profiles of Milton Hersey, Dr. Seuss, Ben Franklin, Stephen King, Oprah Winfrey, Thomas Edison and Walt Disney as those who didn't quit, but had a burning desire to succeed in spite of all odds. She then told her own story of perseverance and it is quite a story.
Honors students Meghan Clancy, Kofi Riddick and Joshua Briere spoke, giving high praise to their Honors peers and to the Reynolds Honors faculty. Joshua Briere told the story of getting a note from Professor Barbara Lytton that said, "I am excited for your future." No one had said that to him before. He took a picture of the note so he would have it with him at all times on his phone. In their own words each Honors student echoed Joshua's final comment: "My experience in the Honors Program will always be with me wherever I go throughout my life."
