Canton and Brockton Students Present at Honors Conferences
Dec. 6, 2017 – On Wednesday, Friday, December 1, students in the Commonwealth Honors program on the Canton Campus held their annual honors conference, where projects were on display in the Akillian Gallery.
Gaeyello Desimeau
Canton Commonwealth Honors Student, Canton Student Senator
“Prior to attending Massasoit I was a lost soul, a mother who had a secret, a wife who struggles with the unknown and a dreamer who’d only dreamed. In 2011, I took a leap of faith and came here and did the testing. At that time, I left thinking I am too old, I cannot do this. Again I put my education on hold, but I had always told my kids go for what you want and be the best that you can. I hold my kids accountable for their education and I let them know every day you have to be an honors student.
It wasn’t until April 2016, I finally got the courage to apply here and continue my dream. It happened because I ran out of excuses for myself. When I came here, I only knew one person on this campus and I walked in through these doors, with my head held down.
I was born and raised in Haiti, growing up I always wanted to be a lawyer but I was too afraid to share that dream. After my first semester here, I was recommended for English Comp. II Honors and I met Professor LaFontaine. After my first class I wanted to drop out, I thought I cannot do this and I was the oldest person in my class. The day after one of our weekly meetings I had a long talk with Prof. Lafontaine who asked me what I want to do and what I want to be. I explained my fears, he listened to me. He said, ‘Gaeyello, you can be whatever you want, you just have to apply yourself and go forward with that.'”
Gaeyello will graduate from Massasoit in spring 2018 and has been accepted to UMass Boston for the Fall 2018. Heeding the advice of Senior VP Nick Palantzas, Gaeyello will continue on to earn her master’s degree and then a law degree and plans to come back to Massasoit to pay it forward.
Jessica LeBlanc
Canton Commonwealth Honors Student, Student Senator, and member of Phi Theta Kappa
“Personally I never thought I was the type of student that could be in the honors program. In high school, I only did what was required of me and I didn’t do anything more. When I started here at Massasoit, I didn’t realize my potential until I was recommended for the Comp II honors class being offered in the spring.
Before I was part of all these activities, I would just go to class and go home. I didn’t socialize at all. This year, however is completely different. The honors group meets every Wednesday in the honors room and we talk about how we can get others to join and benefit from this program.
This program opens so many doors for students who want to takes advantage of it. I have also gotten the opportunity to tutor in the Academic Resource Center. Tutoring is a great experience for my future. I plan to be an elementary school teacher so tutoring sort of gets me in the zone for that. The program has also helped me get more involved in the school.”
Jessica will graduate in spring 2018 from the honors program and plans to attend a four-year institution in the fall.
Scott Buresh
Canton Student Senator, Canton Commonwealth Honors Student
“In high school I never felt accepted, was failing my classes. When I came to Massasoit I met Professor LaFontaine. He told me, there is always room to improve, he ended up recommending me for his Honors English Comp II class, it is there I really found a real sense of community. Many of the students in the group formed an honors study group that meets weekly in the ARC on campus to discuss the assignments we were given and peer edit each other’s work. For the first time, I found a group of like-minded individuals that wanted to challenge themselves for the better. There was a sense of healthy competition that inspired each of us to keep pushing our own boundaries. The assignments were more challenging that previous classes and the grade standards are higher. Almost all of us, have the intention to transfer to four-year colleges and these high standards are helping us to prepare.”
Scott with graduate in spring 2018 and will attend UMass Boston in the fall to major in Chemistry.
The Brockton Honors conference was held on Monday, December 4, in the Upper Student Lounge on the Brockton Campus. Research projects from students enrolled in Seminar in Ethics, Human Growth & Development, Brockton as Text, and individual Honors Directed Studies were presented to the college community.
The mission of the Commonwealth Honors Program at Massasoit is to create enriched educational opportunities for academically talented and highly motivated students; to encourage the recognition of these students as an integral part of our college community; to encourage faculty to mentor these students; to assist in the transfer of these students to four-year colleges and universities appropriate to their needs; and to provide opportunities for independent study as well as small peer classes for students who can work above the collegiate norm to develop individual skills.