Honors convocation recognizes high achievers

By Lilly Kujawski
Editor

This winter’s convocation ceremony celebrated the academic achievements of WCC students who earned “high honors” in the spring/summer 2019 and fall 2019 semesters and “honors” or “high honors” graduate candidates from winter 2019 or spring/summer 2019.

Speakers at the ceremony included Kimberly Hurns, vice president for instruction, WCC President Rose Bellanca, Christina Fleming, WCC board of trustees chairwoman, Scott Britten, dean of humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and David Seaman, the student speaker for this year’s convocation ceremony and a semifinalist for the Jack Cooke Kent Foundation “Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.”

“You’ve not only met the expectations of the classes you took, you’ve exceeded them,” Bellanca said in her address to the honoree students. “Savor this moment, remember it, enjoy it.”

Britten said academic excellence is usually measured by grades earned and honors received, which can be useful, but what is most important is what the students take with them—particularly, their curiosity, resilience, persistence and “thirst for knowledge.”

Fleming praised the honoree students for their individual, unique accomplishments through which they stand out, as well as their collective success, which unites them.

“You have created new pathways for others to follow; you have created a new example of what is possible,” Fleming said.

While asking for help isn’t always easy, Seaman said it’s often essential to getting you to where you need to be.

Seaman said he wouldn’t have met his goals if it weren’t for the support system around him.

Students honored at the Jan. 23 ceremony ranged vastly in age, background and traditional and non-traditional student status.

Robert Rickman, 67, is a photography major in his fourth semester at WCC and received “high honors” in the part-time student category.

“It’s a nice feeling to be recognized for all that hard work,” Rickman said. He said he was surprised by how many students received honors at the ceremony.

He added that receiving honors gives him an incentive to remain diligent in his schoolwork.

Marcia Maria De Carvalho, 71, and Ana Carolina De Carvalho Ferreira Andrade, 36, are a mother and daughter from Brazil attending WCC together. Both received “high honors” for the fall of 2019 and attend college full-time.

Andrade is taking health program preparation courses because she was a nurse in Brazil and hopes to get an equivalent credential here so she can practice. Carvalho is studying English as a Second Language, with plans to go into the childcare program next semester.

This is Carvalho’s first time attending college and Andrade said the whole family is proud of her. Oftentimes, Carvalho and Andrade will study together

Heavyn Thomas, 19, is a social work major who received “high honor” for the fall 2019 semester. This is her second year at WCC and she plans to transfer to Defiance University in the fall.

Thomas said she is her own role model because she wants to be the first in her family to graduate college.

“When it comes to reaching success, you have to put your mind into it and know what you want in life, Thomas said. She encouraged others to“envision yourself where you want to be” and to dream big.

“Speak positivity into the air,” she added. If you think you can’t do something, she said to try anyway.

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