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Commonwealth Honors

The Pursuit of Excellence Brings Many Rewards

Massasoit Community College belongs to the Commonwealth Honors Program Consortium and is a member of The National Collegiate Honors Council. The Commonwealth Honors Program (CHP) at Massasoit is currently coordinated by professors Panteha Sanati and David LaFontaine. They are happy to speak with students and answer questions about the program.

Eligibility & Admission

Students are often recommended to CHP by their English Composition I professors, but any matriculated student who carries a GPA of 3.0 or better, or who receives permission from the Program Coordinators, may be admitted. Qualified students may also self-identify and register for Honors classes during specific times. Admission normally occurs after completion of 12 college credits. However, exceptions are made for highly motivated students.

The Commonwealth Honors Program offers students:

  • Intellectually Challenging Classes
    In-depth focus and smaller class sizes are appealing to students who are actively engaged in their education. Honors classes build a supportive community of scholars and help them develop self-confidence, maturity, and professionalism.
  • Mentoring and Support

    Honors students receive sustained assistance in planning their professional goals, including transfer support and selection of courses that suit their needs.
  • $100 Tuition Waiver

    Students receive a $100 waiver for each completed Honors course of 3 or more credits.
  • $500 Honor Garden Scholarship

    Eligible students can apply to receive a $500.00 scholarship specifically allocated for CHP students.
  • $250 Scholarship

    A $250 scholarship is awarded to each Honors student who successfully completes 3 Honors courses with the required final grade and overall GPA.

Enhanced Transfer Opportunities
Upon successful completion of 3 courses in the Honors program, student transcripts bear the “Commonwealth Honors Designation.” Upon transfer to affiliated institutions, this qualifies students to continue in the Commonwealth Honors Program, and highlights student achievement on applications for admission to non-affiliated institutions, resumes, and professional interviews.

Commonwealth Honors Program Highlights

Honors Conference
Massasoit Honors students present a visual or virtual display of their research at the end of every semester to the college community and the public.

View the projects from the Spring 2024 Honors Conference.

UMass Undergraduate Research Conference

Massasoit Honors students have the opportunity to  present their work at the UMass URC along with all consortium members and hundreds of students.

Student posing in front of research project. Student posing in front of research project. Students posing in front of research project.

Leadership Opportunities

Honors students may opt to partake in leadership positions by joining CHP Student Association, CHP Advisory Council, and CHP Speakers Bureau.

The Honors Speakers Bureau

The Speakers Bureau is a group of Honors students who serve as ambassadors of the program to the campus community by discussing the benefits of CHP and encouraging new members.

Mission Statement


The goals of the Commonwealth Honors Program are to:

    • create enriched educational experiences for academically motivated students.
    • provide diverse opportunities for individual study, research, and scholarship.
    • recognize, support, and celebrate exemplary students as an integral part of our college.
    • support faculty in mentoring Honors students.
    • assist students in achieving their educational and professional goals.