BY Kathleen McNamara
Staff Reporter
The Thomas More Honors Program at Sacred Heart University provides opportunities to students who excel academically throughout their four years of undergraduate studies.
Andrew Lazowski, a professor of mathematics and Director of the Thomas More Honors Program at Sacred Heart said that the program, “offers a pledge to enact Sacred Heart’s mission statement at a high level. Our program provides learning opportunities for students that are broader and deeper.”
The program focuses on enriching academic knowledge while simultaneously challenging a student’s ability to demonstrate their strong work ethic.
“We emphasize student-directed experiences in our classes and our curriculum is multidisciplinary,” said Lazowski. “Being a part of the Honors Program at Sacred Heart opens up a window of opportunity. Students can apply as freshmen and continue throughout all four years of their undergraduate careers.”
The program is intended to prioritize honors students by contributing to their academic standing and overall professional development by providing a supportive environment for a successful college career.
“The most important benefits of the program include the unique learning experiences in the classroom and being part of a community that is serious about education,” said Lazowski. “Freshmen honors students also enjoy Toussaint Hall or Bergoglio Hall which are two of the nicest dorms on campus. Honors students that entered the program as freshmen also receive an honors scholarship for four years. All honors students receive priority registration, are eligible for a study abroad scholarship, and have access to honors study rooms in the library. At the end of their last year, honors students receive an honors medal to wear at graduation and an honors cyber badge to post on their web-based resume platforms such as LinkedIn.”
Senior Abigail Frisoli, president of the Honors Program and Photo Editor for Spectrum, says she got her title by taking initiative.
Frisoli said, “I became the president of the Council of Honors Students a couple weeks ago. I felt like we’ve been struggling to make an honors council and keep it going every year, so I went up to Professor Lazowski and told him we should start it up again this year and that he should make me the president and it actually ended up happening.”
With her new leadership role, Frisoli said she hopes to cultivate opportunities specifically for honors students on a short term basis as well as long term one.
“I can’t wait to implement all kinds of new things as president. I hope to plan the first honors formal, and maybe send some students to a conference. I also hope to figure out what other honors students want and to try to make as much happen as I can,” said Frisoli.
Frisoli says that being a part of the program is a privilege that requires intellectual talent, punctuality and motivation.
“Everyone who applies to Sacred Heart for admission as a traditional freshman student is considered for the honors program. We identify the top tier of students. Some students are automatically invited and others are sent a request for more information. Current Sacred Heart freshmen can apply for admittance beginning in their sophomore year; any second semester freshmen students may apply as long as they have a 3.667 GPA or above from their first semester,” said Lazowski.
For further inquiries on the Thomas More Honors program at Sacred Heart, students can email Professor Lazowski at lazowskia@sacredheart.edu.
