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I am graduating with Honors and Distinction in Integrative Physiology, complemented by certificates in Public Health and Care, Health, & Resilience. The Honors Scholars Program has been integral in my growth, providing opportunities such as formalizing and defending my Honors Thesis within the Applied Biomechanics Lab. Additionally, I gained valuable experience as a sports medicine intern for the CU Football team and President of the Integrative Physiology Club. I have thoroughly appreciated my time here in Boulder, and each opportunity has been extremely formative in my future endeavors. Beyond my academics and extracurriculars, I enjoy exploring the mountains, whether skiing, hiking, or running. Looking ahead, I am thrilled to continue my academic journey at CU Anschutz, where I will pursue the Doctor of Physical Therapy—Rehabilitation Science PhD dual degree pathway.

I am graduating with a bachelor's degree in Neuroscience with distinction. The Honors Scholars Program greatly enriched my time at CU by providing opportunities to network and volunteer in our community. It also provided intriguing courses that fostered stimulating and sometimes difficult discussions. Some of my favorite Honors Scholars memories are the Coffee Hours where cookies and lemonade were provided—this was especially awesome on a busy or stressful day. After graduation, I will continue to work as a medical assistant at a speciality psychiatric clinic. In my future, I hope to become a Physician Assistant. I plan to keep working towards satisfying my scientific and intellectual curiosities as the Honors Scholars Program encouraged during my time at CU. 

During my time at CU Boulder and within the Honors Program, I've embarked on a journey of academic exploration and personal growth that has profoundly shaped my collegiate experience. My academic pursuits include a major in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, a minor in Spanish, and two certificates in Public Health and Neuroscience and Behavior. Additionally, I worked in a Biochemistry research lab for 2 years, which focused on transcription repression and heterochromatin. I am a member of numerous clubs and organizations at CU Boulder, including: AMWA, Best Buddies, HOSA, MCDB Mentors, and STEM Mentors. Through these experiences, I have gained diverse perspectives, met amazing people, and grown as an individual. After graduation, I will continue to work as an EMT in Denver. I am deeply passionate about the intersection of science, humanity, and service; thus, I ultimately am pursuing a career in medicine and am working towards becoming a physician.

I will graduate with an Environmental Studies major, a minor in Political Science, and a certificate in Global Environmental Affairs! I am still navigating how I will hold space in postgrad, but I hope to pursue global environmental policy and equitable climate projects. Since I am graduating early, I hope to take an entire year to travel, fly-fish, snowboard, and explore this beautiful Earth and its cool humans before applying to law school! I have loved the CU Honors Program and all the fun opportunities it provided—including movie nights with welcoming professors and trivia! It has given me a community of students who are also focused on their studies and wanting to take advantage of all CU has to offer.

Participating in the Honors Program through classes, events, and the Honors Program Student Advisory board has been an excellent part of my CU experience. It was my first honors class, taught by Dr. Hickcox, that led me to add a Geography major in addition to my EBIO degree. I am very grateful for the opportunities I have found within my majors including independent research, an internship with the City of Boulder, and a trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands during my senior year. Outside of academics, I have been very involved in the Golden Buffalo Marching band, the CU concert band, and the juggling club! Some of my favorite honors memories are seeing student creations at our arts and crafts events and trying to eat an unhealthy amount of pizookies with the student advisory board. After graduation, I plan to find an environmentally-focused job using my skills in GIS and field work.

Being a part of the Honors Program has allowed me to join smaller classes which has allowed me to have personal relationships with the professors and in some cases led to the professors becoming mentors on my academic journey. This was particularly helpful in writing an honors thesis this year as I needed to select my defense committee. In the last two years, I have had the opportunity to be a part of Studio Lab, an undergraduate research cohort where I was paired with a mentor to conduct research. This past summer I was selected as one of 51 students to be a part of the college student congress program where I learned how to make policy and studied and practiced bipartisanship with the other students each coming from a different state and background. Lastly, I am working at the Public Defender’s office here in Boulder as an intern this semester which is a perfect final internship before I head to Law School next fall.

Emma is graduating with a degree in Biochemistry and a minor in MCDB. Throughout her time at CU, she’s been involved in Undergraduate Research, served as an Exec Member of Alpha Kappa Psi, played lots of Intramural Sports, and of course was involved in Honors Scholars. Her plans after graduation include working in clinical research while applying for medical school. Her favorite Honors Scholars memories are all the Coffee Hours, connecting with faculty, and meeting and connecting with her mentee.

Christopher is graduating with a B.A. in English in Literature with minors in Ethnic Studies and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. Throughout their undergraduate career, they have explored the disciplines of STEM and Humanities to eventually land on English and Ethnic Studies as their intellectual home. Spending the second half of their undergraduate career in English and Ethnic Studies, they got the chance to explore literary theory, critical theory, Asian American studies, critical ethnic studies, and critical refugee studies through the graduate and honors courses they took, the academic conferences they attended, and the research they conducted through UROP and their honors thesis. Their honors thesis is a critical essay and creative writing on Vietnamese American literature. Through their research and writing they have been the recipient of Gentian Ascension Scholarship, Jovanovich Imaginative Writing Award Competition, Justin Quincy Owen Convention Award, and the Diamond Stecher Family Endowed Scholarship. Some of their writing can be found in the Honors Journal. Outside of research and academia, they founded the award-winning student organization, Asian American Literature Association (AALA), interned at Diasporic Vietnamese Artist Network (DVAN), and volunteered for various BIPOC non-profit organizations and communities. After graduating, they look forward to continuing working with those organizations and communities before eventually applying to graduate school. They would like to thank their family, friends, professors, mentors, and peers for their care and support; they could never be one without them.

Olivia is graduating with a degree in psychology, with a minor in sociology, and a public health certificate. Throughout her time at CU, she was an active member of Delta Gamma and the Greek life community, she spent a semester abroad in London, and was involved in the Honors Program. Her plan after graduation is to travel around Europe and Asia. Her favorite honors memories include the TV with professor meetings along with connecting with faculty and fellow members of the program.

Courtney Rael is graduating with a B.A. in Political Science and has minors in Business and Journalism. During her college career, she was involved in student organizations such as the Conference on World Affairs and the Leeds Dean's Student Cabinet. She also worked as a Residential Advisor in various residence halls for three years. Courtney enjoyed being a part of the Honors Program while at CU. It allowed her to take an interesting variety of classes, be involved in community service projects like cleaning up the Hill, and fun events like the Mood Boosts! Courtney’s favorite part of college was participating in the CU in D.C. program during the fall semester of her senior year where she interned and lived in Washington, D.C. and got to know other participants from around the world. After graduating, Courtney will join El Pomar Foundation's Fellowship Class of 2024 in Colorado Springs.

I have been an Honors Scholar since freshman year, starting in Covid. I started as an undecided major but all of my honors classes were in Classics. I am now a Classics and Anthropology major, and both help to achieve my main interests of handling historical and cultural objects and sharing Roman culture with everyone. I hope to work in the archaeology field or in museums. This year, I am writing my undergraduate thesis on how to display Roman sculpture to show their contexts. I am also interning at the Denver Art Museum. Both of my study abroad programs—London’s numerous museums and Italy’s rich histories—provided great environments for me and my studies with hands-on experiences. My first honors classes helped determine my majors, and solidified my interests.

I have enjoyed my time at CU Boulder both inside and outside the classroom. Majoring in Political Science and minoring in Business and Philosophy, I have had the opportunity to take courses exploring governance, ethics, leadership, and entrepreneurship. I was also an editor for the CU Boulder Honors Journal humanities section for two years, which greatly helped diversify my reading and writing skills as well as allowed me to connect with other academics in the humanities field. Additionally, I have always loved working with others and contributing to my community. With the Honors Program, I have gotten opportunities to volunteer at food drives, environmental clean-ups, and fun local events in Boulder which were rewarding experiences. Some of my favorite memories during college include going snowboarding, learning how to climb, going to concerts, and seeing Ralphie run at the football games. Upon graduation, I look forward to traveling, working in a business or government-related position, and continuing to make a positive impact in my community.

I am eternally grateful for the opportunity that I had to learn and grow here at CU Boulder. I have been able to explore a variety of different topics and take an interdisciplinary approach to my education. Being able to approach health from many different sides, from psychology, physiology, and public health, has broadened my perspective and helped me develop even more questions and ideas for how I would like to shape my future and my actions. Being able to conduct an interdisciplinary honors thesis on how mental health, physical health, and well-being interact in older adults was an incredible experience that came with lessons that I will carry throughout my lifetime and will help inspire future research and healthcare practices. With the support of faculty, friends, and family I have been able to grow in the years I have spent at CU, and although my educational journey is incomplete, the tools I have collected this time will help me carve my place in this world.

Max graduated summa cum laude and With Distinction in the Fall of 2023. He earned a B.A. in Statistics & Data Science with a minor in Business. His Honors Thesis investigated changing fire weather patterns in Colorado, and he presented those results at the American Meteorological Society Conference last January. Max has also served as a course assistant in the Applied Mathematics department. His favorite Honors Scholar activity is attending Mood Boosts where he enjoys working on puzzles. Max has already started graduate school and looks forward to earning an advanced degree.

As a transfer student amidst the isolation of COVID-19, I had no idea what to expect when I transferred to CU Boulder. I was very quickly welcomed and enamored by the plethora of opportunities both academically and recreationally, and now could not imagine my undergraduate experience any other way. I will leave this wonderful state with a vast expanse of knowledge gained from the Honors Program’s enriching diversity-centered courses, the wonderful psychology, neuroscience and creative writing faculty, and my experiences abroad as an intern in Prague. After graduation, I will be pursuing a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at Columbia University