Honors Program Perks: Career insights, community, and connections.

July 12, 2024 John Smithgall

Making the transition from high school to college studies can feel like a big leap in and of itself, so when you’re invited to join the honors program, too, will it be too much? That’s a question Rochester Institute of Technology College of Liberal Arts students commonly wrestled with, too, before deciding to give it a try.

a group of honors students pose in front of the starbucks sign while on a trip to seattle

After just a few months in the program, their fears faded, replaced instead with feelings of support, community, and endless opportunity.

“One of the main reasons I joined is the opportunity to take more classes with free course overloads because I am pursuing multiple minors,” said MaKayla Oscar, honors program participant. “I have always had high personal goals and expectations for myself and the honors programs provides me with the tools and support to go above and beyond.”

New students who begin at the RIT College of Liberal Arts as honors program participants instantly become part of a special community of like-minded students who are driven by curiosity and a love of learning. During their time at RIT, they get access to resources, events, and activities available just for them.

““I also intended to use my participation in the honors program as an external motivator to maintain a high GPA and make friends who are also passionate about seizing the opportunities that come through this program,” said Oscar.

For example, earlier this year, RIT’s College of Liberal Arts honor students traveled to Seattle, Washington, where they were mentored by high profile executives at companies and organizations there, toured facilities, learned about the regional culture and economy, and met with RIT alumni including Amanda Peterson (holding orange "Alumni" flag), a 2017 economics program RIT graduate.

a group photo of the honors trip participants

“These kinds of immersive experiences are so helpful for students as they begin to understand the range of career paths and networking opportunities available to them, and seeing the inspiring success of our RIT alumni can often ignite ideas for their own future direction,” said Kelly Norris Martin, Ph.D., interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts.

Globally, RIT has more than 40,000 alumni. Connecting with alumni can often open doors of opportunity for internships, co-ops, career exploration, and more. “Our College of Liberal Arts alumni enjoy helping our current students develop their career paths,” said Martin. “They’re eager to share experiences and insights and help the next generation of grads succeed, and they’re a life-long resource for our students.”

MaKayla Oscar, who also participated in the trip to Seattle, said the experience of meeting with alumni contributed to a deeper understanding of career options and professional growth. “That trip expanded my understanding of the ways I can implement the flexibility that comes with the skills I’ve gained as a Liberal Arts student into my future career and other honors events have encouraged me to make new friends and continuously learn from others”, she said.

a group photo of the honors trip participants

Pictured (from left to right, standing): Terri Standish-Kuon, President and CEO, Independent Colleges of Washington, RIT alum of Professional and Technical Communication, Braeden McGrale, Kristy Mooney Graves, Rachel Rohrbaugh, Jillian Antol, Nikki Cavallaro, Kelly Norris Martin. From let to right, seated: Kara Immekus, Gail Merritt, MaKayla Oscar, Annie Barber, Myren Bobryk-Ozaki, Taylor Moe.

Of course, no trip to Seattle would be complete without a visit to Starbucks. There the group met with Major Cohen (center, with tote bag), a retired project manager at Starbucks, for an inside look at the brand that sets the international gold standard for premium coffee.

the tour group with alum Major Cohen at Starbucks