By Justin Wong ‘25
Hello, potential future Honors College peers! My name is Justin Wong, and I’m currently a freshman in the Honors College, majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience and minoring in Women & Gender Studies. My pronouns are he/him/his, I’m originally from Basking Ridge, NJ, and am currently tutoring at the NYC Learning Commons in subjects such as gen biology, chemistry, mathematics, Genetics, Neurobiology, etc. The one thing that I want to remark about the Honors College, of all the vast benefits from being part of the community, relates to the various advantages you gain on the advising side of things, including the respect and dedication we receive from our Honors Advisors. As a student of the Honors College, you are offered courses exclusively geared and open towards Honors students, have prioritized scheduling (can choose classes before other students), and may receive greater exposure to opportunities, internships, and huge on-campus events due to the frequent emails/reminders the Honors College Staff blasts out to the students. If you’re stressing over the scheduling process, the Honors advisors (Mohini Gobin, Jackie Kopel, Bill Offut, Anna Shostya, Lindsey Lee, and Eli Ratner) always have your back. From my personal experiences, I remember joining the Honors College email system before even officially committing to a college, just to get a grasp if the Honors College, or just Pace University, was truly where I wanted to commit for my future college pathway. Even during the chaotic COVID-19 pandemic, the Honors College remained extremely proactive, clarifying my emailed questions and doubts about first-year student scheduling within a day, while also sending out emails elaborating what the Honors College family is like. I absolutely appreciated this ability, as it made me realize that I truly wanted to be part of the wonderful Pace Honors Community due to their punctuality, dedication towards their students, the bright atmosphere, and the mentor/mentee system in the Honors College that serves as a direct resource for any students’ questions.
Furthermore, the Honors advisors are also extremely approachable, as you can easily schedule meetings with them. These meetings serve as another space for students to express any concerns, questions, or worries they may have, academically or on a personal level (we want to know you as a person too, not just professionally/academically!). Lastly, I also want to stress the utmost respect we receive from our advisors. For example, I myself know that I am an ambitious student, which has led me to request my advisor for some absurd scheduling requests. Despite potentially not agreeing with my decisions, my advisors still fulfill what I desire, which I absolutely appreciate. While I’ve experienced similar problems in high school, I’m so glad that the Honors College prohibits this negative learning experience from occurring. You are truly given all chances possible in learning yourself as a person, especially your strengths and passions.
Ultimately, I can not express enough how much the Honors College has helped me, and how joining the Honors College was one of the best decisions I’ve made throughout my Pace Path. I hope aspiring Pace students consider joining this wonderful community!