Why Honors?

One of the biggest accomplishments a student can achieve is graduating with honors. Yet

what does this truly mean? For some, it means prestige, that they are the best students at their

university. For others, it means different classes. However, for me as a student at Minnesota

State University, Mankato, I view honors as an opportunity to better myself and connect with

students who are looking to do the same. Honors students at Minnesota State University,

Mankato are some of the most driven, ambitious, and hardworking individuals that I know.

Having the opportunity to be surrounded by these individuals has enriched my experience as a

student and has given me the opportunity to connect with individuals I otherwise would not have

met.

My time in the Honors Program here at MNSU has helped shape my college experience

into a truly awesome experience. The biggest impact so far that the Honors Program has had on

my experience would have to be how welcome I feel here at MNSU. While it is something that

many view as trivial, I think that the safe space that the Honors Program provides for students on

campus provides me a place where I can go whenever I am feeling stressed and talk to

individuals that truly care about me. Having a place of support on campus with faculty and other

students that are easy to talk to has helped make my transition from knowing no one when I

arrived to having an ever growing group of friends seamless. Honors has also provided me with

the opportunity to develop the competencies that are highlighted by the program, allowing me to

utilize these skills in other aspects of my life.

As I grow as an individual, I hope that the Honors Program will continue to aid in this

development by providing me with different opportunities to not only develop the competencies,

but also allow me to reflect on them. I am someone who is constantly going from one task to
another, rarely taking time to reflect back on what I have completed. Being in the Honors

Program has provided me with the opportunity and motivation to reflect back on these different

experiences, assessing the impact that they had on me as well as things that I would like to see

changed for the future. This skill can be transferred over to the professional world as I join the

workforce in a few short years. By taking time to reflect on what I have accomplished as well as

how I can improve myself in the future, I will ultimately ensure that I am providing the highest

quality of work possible. As I continue towards the end of my college career and beyond, I feel

that I will use my honors experience in the future to take time to reflect on the experiences that I

have had and truly assess the impact of these experiences. I also will be sure to lean on the

amazing network of individuals that I have met over the course of my experience in the honors

program. And these are just some of the countless ways that I envision myself using my honors

experience in the future.

When returning to the question, “Why Honors?”, I believe that the answer is clear: an

unparalleled opportunity to connect with faculty and other outstanding students here at MNSU.

My participation in the Honors Program has made me feel welcome here as a student here at

MNSU and develop skills that I will be able to use for the rest of my life. Participating in honors

has given me the opportunity to reflect on the experiences that I have throughout my life,

ultimately allowing me to assess and improve my performance. I will use my honors experience

to reflect on my life experiences. Overall, my experience in the Honors Program has provided

me with the opportunity to better myself as an individual and a student.