On April 1, the Arcadia community gathered for Honors Convocation 2023.

The event, hosted in the Commons Great Room, celebrated the scholastic achievements and academic excellence of the University community. Select students were recognized for Dean’s List and Distinguished Dean’s List honors, inducted into national honor societies, and presented with departmental and University awards. 

“Today we hear examples that prove our students do, indeed, think big,” said University President Ajay Nair. “We celebrate the fact that Arcadia students conduct research with a global mindset, fighting crucial issues facing our world. These include testing drugs that fight aggressive forms of breast cancer, investigating threats that affect our ecosystem, empowering women to live healthier lives in Guatemala, researching how to install equity and inclusion in educational systems, and so much more.”

“For Arcadia students, success is someone saying to you ‘how in the world did you ever think of that?’” Nair added. “That is the kind of innovative work you have been trained to do at Arcadia. Your ideas will be so big that you will transform the world around us. Students, you are critical thinkers, innovative problem solvers, and lifelong learners.”

The full list of winners can be viewed here. 

The selected student speaker for the event was Kylie Stephens ’24M, PA, a graduate student in the Physician Assistant program.

“Being a PA student is my favorite thing about myself. It is the thing I am most proud of,” said Stephens. “One thing I really did not expect about grad school is having to remind myself that the PA student Kylie is not the only Kylie that exists. There are hobbies of mine that have absolutely nothing to do with PA school. There are aspects of me that existed well before ever becoming a student.” 

“The hard part is taking time to prioritize all aspects of ourselves,” Stephens added. “Our physical, mental, and emotional health are equally as important as our education… There needs to be a balance.”

In addition, two distinguished faculty members were presented awards during the ceremony:

“The academic journey is one of exploration and discovery,” Nair said. “Through this academic journey, we discover so much about a subject, a topic of interest, about the world, and about ourselves. Hopefully, our view of the world and our place in it becomes more clear.”