Spring 2019 Honors Celebration

April 29, 2019 – Last week, the Spring 2019 Honors Celebration was held at the Canton Campus. Four students – Adedap Azeez, Lara Deb, Natalee Paredes, and Matthew Wendel – were awarded the $500 Honor Garden Scholarship in front of family, friends, and faculty for their exceptional grades and application essays. In addition, students presented abstracts on their Honors Projects, spoke about the Honors Study Group, and reflected on semesters of hard work.

View photos from the event and read more about the Honor Garden Scholarship winners below.

Honor Garden Scholarship Recipients Spring 2019

Adedapo Azeez
Adedapo Azeez recently moved to the United States from Nigeria and chose to start his pursuit of higher education at Massasoit because it would allow for saving money while thoroughly preparing him to transfer to a four-year college. After completing Massasoit’s Business Administration Transfer program, Adedapo wants to study political science and economics and has the aspiration to become a politician back in Nigeria.

Becoming accustomed to the U.S. and starting classes at Massasoit soon after, many of which were honors level, was difficult for Adedapo, but he credits the college with truly caring about him and his success. The honors courses, which were his favorites, changed his perspective on life and helped him learn how to critically about a myriad of issues. For prospective honors students, he says “you have to be on top of your game,” but the reward and feeling of accomplishment are well worth it.

Lara Deb
Lara Deb is a second-year student in the Social Science Transfer program and is planning on applying to Suffolk University to continue her education and help prepare her for law school. Lara finds the art of argumentation fascinating, and she wants to join Suffolk’s legal studies program. At Massasoit, Lara enjoyed the small class sizes and the open and syncretic discussions during the Honors Seminar on ethics, as well as the History of Western Civilization course.

Lara has succeeded academically at Massasoit while working nearly full-time. She has been involved with Massasoit’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the world’s largest and most prestigious honor society for two-year college students, and the International Touch Club, which gives students the opportunity to meet and greet other students from all over the world and learn about various cultures, traditions and practices.  

Matthew Wendel
Matthew Wendel is a second-year student in the Liberal Arts Transfer – Science program and only has a few classes left before he completes his degree. Upon graduation from Massasoit, Matthew plans to transfer to a four-year college or university and is interested in construction management. Matthew has worked in a trade program and has been subcontracting for the past four and a half years; he enjoys the intellectual challenge associated with electrical work and has sought out opportunities to learn more about the business and management side of construction.

With a strong work ethic, Matthew has been able to work professionally and excel in the Commonwealth Honors Program at Massasoit. While challenging at times, the honors courses have been some of his favorites, such as the Honors Seminar on ethics, which develops the skills of critical thinking in ethical issues of contemporary life.

Natalee Paredes
Natalee Paredes is well on her way to becoming a skilled educator. She is a second-year student in the Liberal Arts Transfer program and is currently plotting her course to bachelor’s and master’s degrees, maybe even a PhD in Education. Natalee has always loved studying and hopes to encourage her future students to love learning as much as she does. She tutors middle school students in math as well.

Natalee was hesitant to begin her journey in higher education at first, but after she applied to Massasoit and completed a few semesters, she gained confidence in areas where she once doubted herself. She has been active in Massasoit’s Gay Straight Alliance, Student Senate, International Club, and the work-study program. Natalee is studying and researching ways school systems can keep students engaged and supported and how schools can better adapt to students’ intellectual disabilities.

The following students presented abstracts on their Honors Projects:

• Zoe Allard
• Adedapo Azeez
• Maria De La Fuente Martinez
• Natasha Dias
• Elizabeth Folan
• Alison Haidul
• Nayfa Sarhan
• John Tedesco
• Matthew Wendell
• Yehoshua Winter
• Carly Worton

The annual Honors Conference on the Brockton Campus is scheduled for Wednesday, May 1 at noon in the Upper Student Lounge.