For more than 60 years, the Honors Program has enriched the undergraduate experiences and lives of exceptional students. Don’t take it from us; read what they have to say.
Ousia is a Greek term denoting a thing’s very being. The essence of the Honors Program is eudaimonia — a Greek word for the height of human flourishing. It’s an opportunity for students to become saturated with knowledge and wisdom from philosophy, theology, history, and literature. The Honors Program is committed to helping you flourish.
Justin Babu ’23
The best parts of the Honors Program are the strong bonds you form with both peers and professors. Small classes allow students to really get to know each other and form close friendships. I’d feel lost in a giant lecture hall. In the honors classroom, professors know me and my learning style personally.
Emily Brooks ’22
In the Honors Program, the unexpected becomes the routine. Only here is it suddenly necessary to write an essay comparing the works of Walt Whitman and Pope Leo XIII. I applied to the Honors Program at the end of my first year at PC because although that first year of college had certainly been bewildering and difficult, I still wanted more — I wanted to think more, to read more, to talk more, and to be held to a higher standard. So far, so good.
Fiona Clarke ’23
Through the Honors Program, I’ve traveled to Washington, D.C., and Peru to learn experientially and develop a better understanding of the world around us. Through and beyond these unforgettable experiences in the program, I’ve built meaningful relationships with some of the finest faculty and students at Providence College. With the program’s rigor and higher expectations comes learning of a higher caliber.
Sean Gray ’21
The Honors Program has enriched my college journey in ways beyond imagining. Engaging discussions led by professors of diverse disciplines have made me a more insightful scholar and educator. Trips to theatrical productions at Trinity Rep in Providence have elevated my communication and critical thinking skills. I am also beyond grateful for the chance to travel to Peru over spring break in 2019 with 60 other students and faculty, many of whom I still consider good friends! I’m a more socially conscious student and citizen for it.
Estarlyn Hiraldo ’21
Small class sizes have empowered me to participate actively in class and to engage closely with my professors to develop academic skills. My professors come from a wide variety of disciplines and backgrounds. They challenge my perspective on the course material in ways I never thought were possible.
Myles Johnson ’24
The Honors Program unites passionate professors and dedicated students in rigorous intellectual pursuit. Honors Civ classes are one-third the size of the typical Civ class, allowing for deeper discussion and connection. Indeed, I have met some of my best friends at PC through the program.
Madison Palmieri ’22
The most rewarding parts of the Honors Program have been the engaging discussions I have had in Honors Civ. Whether we are talking about the meaning of a hero to the ancient Greeks or the ethical problems of Plato’s Republic, my classmates and I are always having engaging conversations. Civ seminar is one of the most exciting classes because of the diverse range of opinions shared. The Honors Program is a blessing.
John Perry ’24
I was always shy in high school, but my experience in the Honors Program helped me find my voice! During seminar, we applied our readings to the course as a whole and to real-world topics. This interactive experience and my wonderful honors professors helped me broaden my perspective and feel more comfortable voicing my opinions in front of others. The positive experience I had in the Honors Program led me to my current job in a federal regulatory agency, where I work with a team in a setup nearly identical to an Honors seminar. I’m grateful for the experience and for the confidence I gained.
Courtney Altenburger ’18
The most important goal in life is to be a good person. Providence College’s Honors Program promotes the development of the whole person. It encouraged me to be moral, to think critically, and to pursue academic excellence. Additionally, the program fully supported my pursuit of athletic excellence. Professors like Dr. Fournier, Dr. O’Neill, and Dr. Prassas challenged me in the classroom, and they would often be in the crowd at my games. I truly appreciate that the program gave me the opportunity to be the best person I can be on the ice and in the classroom.
Rob Hennessey ’16
The Honors Program always felt like a special community during my time at PC and is where I met many of my best, lifelong friends. It was amazing to be surrounded by other passionate students with a wide array of interests and different majors. My first time leaving the USA was on the honors spring break trip to London my sophomore year. Getting to know my professors out of the classroom was so much fun and made the trip rich with community and learning. I also went to Peru with the Honors Program my senior year and got to apply my language skills from my second major, Spanish. The honors experience made my education at PC so well-rounded. Since I graduated in 2019, I have been working at a Big Four public accounting firm. I love that I have the confidence and knowledge to discuss how the world works and how Western civilization has evolved; I learned more than just technical accounting at PC!
Emily Kirslis ’19
The Honors Program gave me the tools necessary to work in a social service agency after graduating from Providence College. The skills that I learned in my small, honors seminar classes prepared me for difficult discussions that happen in the non-profit sector regarding funding and working with clients. In the Honors Program, I was challenged to communicate my opinions about history, philosophy, literature, and theology in a professional and respectful way. These same skills now enable me to communicate effectively and articulately with my coworkers. Additionally, the knowledge that I gained through studying with the Honors Program helped me successfully apply for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship, which I will be carrying out in Paraguay in 2021.
Jack Murphy ’20
My tenure in the Honors Program sharpened the critical thinking skills I use every day, and also provided direction as to what I would do with those skills once I left Friartown. In my early years at PC, I had considered law school as a postgrad option, and my Law and Literature honors colloquium with Dr. Scanlan my junior year inspired me to start studying for the LSAT. My track coaches were always supportive of those of us who were members of the Honors Program. Together, these two involvements gave me a richer college experience. I actually think I got better grades when I was in season because I felt more focused, prioritized what was important, and managed my time more efficiently.
Also, an unexpected perk of the Honors Program is how many answers I now know on Jeopardy. Can’t oversell how great it is to know all the Daily Doubles!
Kevin Olsen ’16
My time in the Honors Program at Providence College taught me to find connections. Connections between works of art, history and literature, between the past and present. Connections with classmates and professors as we worked through questions asked and answers sought by great thinkers. We honed our ability to articulate these to one another and convince ourselves of our own understanding while remaining able to hear others and have our minds changed.
My path in medicine is riddled with evidence of that foundation: personal essays referencing The Faerie Queen and Four Quartets. My daily work builds on that practice: hearing a patient’s story, finding evidence to arrive at the right diagnosis, the right treatment, and remaining nimble enough to pivot when new evidence leads you somewhere different.
Matt Santos ’14
My honors professors became passionate mentors, advocating for me to reach every opportunity I set my sights upon. Over time, they became dear friends. They’ve written me countless letters of recommendation, such as one that allowed me to study at Oxford under renowned Shakespearean scholar Sir Jonathan Bates in a one-on-one tutorial. During my time at Oxford, I used the skills my honors courses taught me to analyze, write about, and debate interpretations of these plays with a master in the field, confident in my ability to hold my own. Their support helped me to earn a master’s in history with merit from Trinity College Dublin and to pursue my passion for Irish history. Since then, their guidance and encouragement have helped me attend law school on a full scholarship and explore my interest in prosecuting white-collar crime, while continuing to find great joy reading novels and plays, watching films, and identifying correct Jeopardy answers in my spare time. The Honors Program stirred a lifelong love of learning; a wish to become an enthusiastic, educated force for positive change in the world; and the confidence to speak my mind with clarity, precision, and eloquence. It’s one of the best decisions I have made in my life.
