Honors awarded to deserving students

Celebrating their years of achievements at Bloomfield College, students deserving of honors status gathered for the Baccalaureate service the day before Commencement.

At the Baccalaureate, students who are graduating with Latin honors by virtue of having met and maintained high academic requirements, students who are either members of the Bloomfield College Honors Program, members of one of the national honors societies and military veterans received honor cords to signify their academic successes. The honor cords are worn during commencement to show that the wearer has attained a specific honor of distinction. The cords are given to each student by the advisor for a specific program or honor society. In addition to the honor program and the Latin honors, the honors societies at Bloomfield College are Alpha Chi for all majors; Kappa Delta Pi for education majors; Delta Mu Delta for business majors; Psi Chi for psychology majors and Sigma Theta Tau International (William Paterson University chapter) for nursing majors.

The Baccalaureate speaker this year was Thelma Jean Grossholtz PHD, professor emerita of politics and women’s studies at Mt. Holyoke College. Her background is one of political activism, working at the grassroots level to promote women’s issues, global human rights and environmental issues. Her address challenged the students to go above and beyond in order to steward the earth and create a more financially equitable and humane society. Dr. Grossholtz told the assembly that to “change in our global society is required, not just making adjustments, but changing the way we think.” She noted that in terms of the global environment, “we are part of the biodiversity of the planet, not superior to it.”

Congratulated by President Levao and Vice President Terenzio, the honors graduates were challenged to continue learning, not just from books, but from each other. “There is a new energy in this world and you at that energy,” said President Levao. “Your critical intellect is important to learning about people who are different from yourselves.” Dr. Terenzio echoed that sentiment with “We have come together to embrace and common values and to celebrate diversity.”

To see photos of the baccalaureate service, click here.