The Office of Pre-Professional and Honors Curriculum Programs 78th Biannual Honors Convocation was held in the Student Union Ballroom on Oct. 25th honoring more than 600 students for excelling in academics at Alcorn State University (ASU).
The program began with a prelude of the featured guests which included Director of the Office of Pre-Professional and Honors Curriculum Programs, Dr. Thomas C. Sturgis, Miss Alcorn 2018-2019 Moriah Batiest, the 2018-2019 Student Government Association (SGA) President Robert Tatum Jr., Honor Student Organization Vice President Nadia Love, and Keynote Speaker, Pelicia E. Hall.
In attendance were 495 Dean’s scholars, 273 President’s scholars, and their supportive friends and family.
President’s scholars were students who maintained a grade point average of 4.0 for the 2018 Spring semester and each received a sweater, medal or certificate to celebrate their achievements.
Dean’s scholars were students who maintained a grade point average of 3.5-3.9 for the 2018 Spring semester and they received a certificate.
The speaker for the event was Alcorn alumna and Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner Pelicia E. Hall.
She spoke of her pride in the university and in the students for achieving the title of being a President’s or Dean’s scholar.
“I always think about academic excellence and when I was thinking about the honorees for today’s program I thought of how important it is to share my life experiences with them and also enlighten and encourage them to continue to succeed,” said Hall.
She also discussed the importance of maintaining good grades.
“It’s all about your passion and your purpose. I think that you have to have that first and foremost because if you don’t have that then nothing else that you do will ever matter,” Hall said.
ASU is proud of the growing number of accomplishments its students have achieved and hopes to see more President’s and Dean’s scholars in the future.