Honoring Excellence Across Our Campus

It was a week of celebration – celebration of excellence of our faculty, staff, students and donors.

On Sunday, April 6, we hosted our inaugural Honors Convocation, celebrating the accomplishments of our top undergraduate students. The Top 100 were recognized for their academic achievement, leadership, and community involvement. From this group, we honored the Top 10 Seniors, who represent the highest level of distinction. We also celebrated the Chancellor’s Scholars, the top students from each academic unit, and the Outstanding Seniors, who have maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout their college careers.

One such student was Vaishnavi Chauhan, who holds all three honors. Vaishnavi is a Top 10 Senior, Chancellor’s Scholar, and Outstanding Senior. She works in Housing & Residence Life, mentors students through TRIO Upward Bound, and is headed to medical school. Her story is truly inspiring.

On Monday, we celebrated our graduate and professional students during the Elite 50 celebration. We also recognized the Premier 10 and the recipient of the Charles R. Bantz Award for Excellence. Hearing about the research, leadership, and community impact of these students was both encouraging and uplifting. Their work spans disciplines and reflects the very best of what it means to be an R1 institution.

Tuesday brought our first Celebration of Faculty and Staff Excellence Brunch, co-hosted by our Faculty and Staff Councils. The energy in the room was palpable as we celebrated excellence in teaching, research, and service. What made the event especially meaningful was the presence of the family, friends, and colleagues who came to support our honorees.

Later that evening, we recognized the Spirit of Philanthropy honorees whose generosity helps us to dream big—supporting students whose drive and talent will shape the future, recruiting and retaining faculty solving our greatest challenges, and building strong connections with our community partners. A heartfelt thank you to our donors for believing in us and supporting our mission.

The week concluded on Friday with the launch of the inaugural Groups Scholars program. We welcomed 160 students in the first cohort for a day of exploration and connection. This important initiative is the result of much planning, and I am grateful to Dr. Eric Williams, Dr. Christina Downey, and the many staff members who brought this day to life.

Being with students reminds us of our true north star, and honoring our donors reminds us that the generosity and trust that support our journey from good to great.

Go Jags!

Latha Ramchand
Chancellor