By: Margaret Kelly ’24
As we wrap up the summer and transition into the school year, we have to recognize one of the best moments from the ending of summer: the Honors College’s incredibly memorable Welcome Week for the incoming Class of 2027! From August 31st through September 2nd, first year students were treated to three full days of fun activities where they learned about Pace and were welcomed into the Honors family.
After spending their first night in the dorms, the first-year students were rested up for an amazing first day of Welcome Week. The morning of August 31st was full of excitement and high energy, fed by the enthusiastic group of Honors Mentors who greeted their first-year mentees as they started their Pace careers. Pierce Cummings (’26) was one of the dozens of wonderful Mentors who helped make Welcome Week so much fun. “Welcome Week helps incoming students acclimate to Pace… before classes even start,” she said. “[It shows] them that there are people here within Honors to support them right out of the gate.”
The Class of 2027 got their ceremonial group photo in front of Pace with none other than President Krislov and our beloved T-Bone, marking the start of another class and their legacy. After being welcomed into our school, taking the college experience by storm, the incoming class got to know each other better through fun icebreaker activities such as human bingo. Once they wrote their future selves a letter (not to be opened until graduation!) students had the opportunity to tour the campus and get introduced to some of the wonderful departments here at Pace through a scavenger hunt.
As day two rolled around, the first-year students put on their business casual-best to participate in a variety of panels and discussions. First up were the Student Life panels, where each student got the opportunity to bond with those in the same schools and majors. Some of our wonderful upperclassmen in Honors spoke of their experiences within their majors, giving advice and answering any questions before school even started. Josh Vergara (’24), one of the speakers on the Dyson Science student panel, said “it was so nice to meet the freshmen that are interested in the field I’m in and be able to share my own experiences at Pace with them.” The current students passed on their tips and tricks and “gave advice to help adjust [the first-years] to classes before they even started.”
Next were the Alumni Panels, where the Class of ’27 had the opportunity to hear from and speak with various Honors Alum from all backgrounds. These experienced and knowledgeable alum answered questions, spoke on their own time at Pace, and shared their smarts with our brand-new class. We’re so grateful for our community of alum that still give back to Honors and the futures of our students. That’s the beauty of the Honors community: it’s forever!
Incoming student Jai Leprince (’27) says their favorite part of Welcome Week was “constantly being around and introduced to new people, ideas and lifestyles.” Participating in the activities and events Honors hosted felt “like a huge welcome party all week” to them. “I’m glad I learned how to become a more social person at Welcome Week,” Leprince said, reminiscing about the memories made amongst new friends. “I was scared people were going to act completely different than I was used to, but I learned how to appreciate the difference between people… and create connections through the differences.”
After a fun pizza lunch, the last panels of the day were coming up! These were the Interest Group panels, where students could drift between rooms to meet and talk to their peers who shared the same interests as them. From photography to sports, to cooking and travel, and from thrifting to music, the Class of ’27 made friends and connections as their interests overlapped from room to room. Wrapping up the day, students had the opportunity to meet up with the other first-years in their dorms or discuss what it’s like to travel to school with fellow commuter students. After another busy and bountiful day, it didn’t seem like it could get any better. (Little did we know…)
The final day of Welcome Week kicked off with an exciting panel of Honors students and staff who have studied abroad, recounting their experiences of continuing their educational journey outside of Pace. One of the panelists, Sophia Traub (’24), spoke about her experience studying abroad in Rome, Italy last spring. “It was so neat to hear from freshman who have the same fears and questions I did when starting college,” Traub said. “But now I’m in the position to actually give them some answers, which was really fun.”
Next, the new students heard from Lindsey Lee, our Honors Thesis Advisor, who discussed the details of the Honors Thesis and showed some wonderful examples from previous years. Also presenting was Honors advisor Justin Ritchie and the E-board of Honors Advisory Board, our student leadership group! The first-year students heard about the multi-faceted community work that HAB does, asked questions about the Board, and were encouraged to sign up and join! Last but not least, Jackie Kopel, the Associate Dean of Honors, gave the Class of ’27 some tips and tricks about how to stay street smart in the hustling and bustling Big Apple.
To wrap up the fantastic fun of Welcome Week, the Honors Mentors led tours around NYC! The students trekked all over the city, from Industry City to the Upper East Side, from Times Square to Jersey City, led by the educational and exciting Mentors. This allowed those new to the city to become more comfortable, find new favorite spots in the city, and have the ins and outs down pat before the year even began. Heebah Khan (’24), an Honors Mentor for the second year, led a city tour to Roosevelt Island. “Taking the new Honors students to a place I first visited my freshman year felt like passing the torch,” she said. “It was such a great experience and I hope that this becomes a fond memory for them too!”
As we start the 2023-2024 school year and the excitement of summer fades, we know the memories made at the Class of 2027’s Honors Welcome Week will stick around. The friends made and bonds built during those few days before school will stay ever-fresh in our minds as we take on this year together! Thank you to the Honors College staff, Mentors, and student volunteers for making this week possible, and for bringing our community together even more.