The Honors Luncheon
The Honors Program kicked off the semester with a lunch for new honors students and their mentors on Friday, August 6, 2021. Students gathered on the Falcon Center terrace at 11:00 am, soaking in the sun and lively conversations. The event started with a few words from Dr. Robin Payne, the director of the Honors Program, and the provost of the University, Dr. Dianna Phillips. Dr. Phillips encouraged the new honors students by saying, “You are here to learn, but most importantly, you are here to meet yourself.” She stressed the importance of educating yourself as well as exploring who you are as an individual.
Once the provost departed, the student leaders of the Honors Association led everyone in a game of would you rather. Students stood on either side of the terrace to signify which answer they chose and why. This led to playful yet heated debates and plenty of laughter. Some of the questions were: “since tomatoes are fruit, is ketchup a smoothie?” and “is water wet?” People on both sides would defend their answers and try to persuade the others.
After the leaders asked the last question, the new honors students got together with their mentors for lunch. Everyone was provided a box lunch with a sandwich, a bag of chips, and a cookie. Some people formed groups to share stories and get to know each other better while some mentors sat one-on-one with their mentees.
Damien Fincham, one of the new honors students, said “I thought that it was really fun. Not only did we get to meet our own mentor, but also all the other mentors and freshmen. The questions they asked during the game to break the ice were really funny and it was interesting to hear people debate over who is right or wrong. I think it worked out really well and was definitely a success.” The mentors enjoyed the lunch as well! Ally Quigley is mentoring for the second time and said, “I was so excited to go to the Honors Picnic! After a year of virtual events, it was nice to see everyone in person. I had a great time meeting my mentees and was able to connect with old friends again. I’m excited for more events in the future!”
Since events like this haven’t happened in a while due to COVID-19 restrictions, it made this gathering more special and memorable. It was a positive start to the fall semester!
