Dean Cook at Graduation
Atlanta—The Honors College - both the downtown campus and the Perimeter campus - recently celebrated our graduating Spring/Summer Honors Class of ’24 (323 graduating students from downtown and 149 graduating students from Perimeter). We are so proud of our talented, hard-working and resilient graduates, and we are excited to follow their career journeys.
Read on to learn about these graduates, their challenges, achievements and future plans.
A Rough Start
Most of this graduating class of students faced a unique challenge – starting their college experience early in the pandemic. But these students faced the situation head-on, attending Honors College welcome events held outside where students could meet and keep a safe distance and attending their new student orientation by car in the Honors College parking lot. Small sub-groups of students found places to meet in-person while maintaining the recommended six-foot distance between each other.
While their first year of college was not exactly what they had envisioned, these students excelled in their studies and built meaningful connections within the Honors Community.
During Undergrad
This diverse class represents students who have won prestigious scholarships like the Stamps Scholarship, The Beckman Scholarship, the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, and Fulbright awards for teaching and research.
Other Honors College students have participated in study abroad programs in many countries, ranging from the U.K, to Spain, to Taiwan and beyond.
Over 50+ Honors College students from this graduating class have also worked in the University Assistantship Program. This program is a paid part-time job focusing on research, creative inquiry projects, and/or career skills that matches Honors College students with a department or office of interest.
Twenty-five graduating students completed Senior Thesis Projects (the downtown campus) or graduated as an Honors Research Scholar (the Perimeter campus). This year’s thesis and research projects range in topic from science, to mental illness, to philosophy, to public health and through education, culture and human behavior.
This crop of graduates have also won hackathons – conducted research studies – presented their findings and won awards for their research – held leadership roles in various types of organizations, both within and beyond GSU – written, directed and produced films – published their writing in academic journals or elsewhere – given back to the community through work with nonprofits such as the Georgia Innocence Project and/or mentoring students from nearby Cristo Rey High School – and the list of their accomplishments goes on.
Beyond Graduation
Angelique Van Der Walt hugs her mother, Magriet Van Der Walt, at Perimeter College's May 2 Commencement.
The students in this year’s graduating class have big plans for their future. Some of these graduates have been accepted to school at Harvard and other top-tier schools. One student has received a Fulbright award for teaching and research after they graduate. Many plan to go into medicine or law, while others are pursuing careers in the creative fields or tech. Many have an interest in entrepreneurship, and some are planning big national or even global moves to a new city.
These students will be a part of the Honors College for years to come – Honors Community membership lasts a lifetime. As Dean Cook puts it, “Once an Honors Community member, always an Honors Community member. We stay in touch with our alumni, follow their careers and reach out to them with opportunities to give back to the Honors College. A big congratulations to this graduating class – you have made us better as a College and a Community. We can’t wait to see what’s ahead for you.”
The Honors College at Georgia State University is a destination for high-achieving students who embody curiosity, take pride in their work, and dream about how they can make they can make an impact through their studies and careers.
Our mission is to serve students in a welcoming space by engaging students’ curiosity, empowering them to achieve their highest potential, and inspiring them to find their place in the world. Our students form life-long friendships here, participate in community service, perform research, excel academically, explore their interests and chart their career paths.