Honors Association Bids Farewell to Seniors, Director
Saint Louis University’s Honors Student Association closed out the academic year with a celebration to mark the graduation of 64 seniors from its program as well as to say goodbye to its director, Jessica Perolio, Ph.D.
Perolio encouraged students to seek truth in the spirit of camaraderie and social justice, invoking the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in her opening remarks.
The program’s 64 seniors completed a rigorous curriculum and a culminating research project in their respective academic fields to earn the honors distinction. At least 28 of the seniors are attending graduate or professional school next year. Fourteen will remain Billikens as they continue their studies in accounting, biomedical engineering, law, medicine, physical therapy, public health and sustainability. Others will attend institutions including Boston College, Loyola University in Chicago, Marquette University, the Ohio State University, Yale University, Washington University and the University of Edinburgh in Scotland to seek advanced degrees in anthropology, botany, English, medicine, nursing, public health, speech-language pathology, statistics and theology.
An additional 14 students have accepted professional or volunteer positions with organizations around the world including the Alumni Service Corps, the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, the Peace Corps, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital and the Biome School.
At least three students have accepted a competitive fellowship next year with organizations including the Governor Bob Orr Indiana Entrepreneurial Fellowship, the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs and the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
The students received their Honors Program graduation cords and were recognized by Assistant Director Robert Pampel, who shared data on students’ post-graduate plans. Six Eight, a SLU a cappella group performed. The evening concluded with a farewell to Perolio, who will leave SLU for a job in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The Honors Program at Saint Louis University engages intellectually curious and academically successful students in a community oriented towards the Jesuit ideals of holistic learning, academic rigor, and community engagement. Through a combination of individually tailored curricula, experiential learning opportunities, and developmental guidance and mentorship, the Honors Program prepares students to become citizens who engage in the process of inquiry and apply their knowledge in service to society.