Honors Program at Point Park University

Reflecting on the Literature, Culture, and Society and Honors Program Spring Symposium. A great day that culminates a year of learning. 📸 by Ethan Stoner

Post from our 2023-2024 Social Media Coordinator and graduating senior Delaney Metikosh:

“To all our 2024 Honors Seniors,

It has been a blast seeing you all flourish throughout your academic careers. I know that wherever life takes us, we will do tremendous things! I can’t wait to see where you all end up with your future endeavors!

Being a part of the HSO has brought me so many memories and friendships along the way, but most of all, it has made me challenge myself academically these past four years.

Thank you, Jess, for believing in all of us! 💛💚

Signing off - Delaney Metikosh (p.s. it’s been real!) 🎓” Congratulations Point Park University Honors Program seniors! You are amazing!

📸: Ethan Stoner Point Park University

Meet Chanell Britten, a student in the Honors Program at Point Park University and a Point Park University Athletics women's soccer player majoring in intelligence and national security and minoring in criminal justice.

She describes the valuable internships she completed with The JASON Project and the Pittsburgh Pirates. After graduating in the spring, she plans to pursue her Master of Arts in Intelligence and Global Security at Point Park.

"I recommend Point Park because of its atmosphere and community. Immediately when you step on campus, it feels like home. That's why I've chosen to continue my education here in the master's program. It's a safe place, and they offer flexibility to help students achieve their goals."
— Chanell Britten '24

More with Chanell ⬇️
https://pointpark.me/4aleZME

It’s been a week since the NRHC - Northeast Regional Honors Council annual conference in Albany, NY began, and we’ve had time to reflect on just how much our Point Park University Honors Program students learned and experienced during their time there.

From presenting, networking, exploring Albany during City as Text, buying stacks of new books to read, and attending the various offered events, these students engaged in the conference to the fullest and made us . For many of these students, this was their first experience of an academic conference and the exchange of ideas that happens there, and it was an experience they won’t soon forget.

We’re already looking forward to next year in Harrisburg!!

Partnering with the Pittsburgh Opera, high school students will develop a high-level marketing communications plan at Point Park's inaugural Point Pitch competition for the chance to win a $500 prize for the winning pitch.

Each team of up to six high school students will be paired with a professional mentor from the Pittsburgh public relations and advertising industry, providing networking opportunities and guidance throughout the process. Teams will be charged with producing everything from the big idea to creative executions and strategy.

Encourage your teen to register today ⬇️
https://pointpark.me/3TfKr7X

So proud of our Honors Assistant, AJ! 👏

Get career-ready at Point Park with Creative Writing major - AJ de la Cruz '25! 👏 📚

See what it's like to be involved in the creative scene, take a look at what it takes to be a campus tour guide for the University and more!

“Often my job reminds me of why I went to college in the first place,” AJ said. “Education has always been of high value to me, and giving prospective students tours allows me to reintroduce myself to the University. Meeting families and showing students that their passions can be honored here is always a highlight of my day.”

AJ's Q&A and TikTok video ⬇️
https://pointpark.me/4anGlBz

This past weekend, the Point Park University Honors Program celebrated the future of creativity as we hosted the Pittsburgh region's 2024 Scholastic Writing Awards in collaboration with the Pittsburgh Playhouse.

The Scholastic Writing Awards, presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, are the nation's longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens.

We're so proud of the young writers who were recognized for their Honorable Mentions, Silver Keys, Gold Keys, and American Voice Awards. The power of the written word has arguably never been more important as we face the challenges of the present and our future. We have faith in these young voices and feel honored that we could participate in honoring them. Point Park University Point Park University's Pittsburgh Playhouse (Photos by our very own Honors student Ethan Stoner:)!)

Throughout her senior year, SAEM major Delaney Metikosh has been developing her capstone project for the Point Park University Honors Program. During the process, she took advice from her professors and mentors to create her very own “Big Idea” marketing lesson and competition in tandem with her high-school Public Relations teacher.

Delaney had the chance last week to conduct this lesson and competition at her former high school, Thomas Jefferson High School. The students were super excited to build their ideas for school organizations and outside companies, all while learning more about the Sports, Arts, and Entertainment industries and what it means to be an SAEM major.

We are so proud of Delaney for sharing the skills she has gained during her time at Point Park University with those following in her footsteps. Congrats, Delaney, on completing your Honors Capstone!!

We are so thankful for our Point Park University Honors Program alumni who joined us from LA, Nashville, State College, and right here in Pittsburgh at the Honors Alumni Panel this afternoon! These emerging professionals talked to our students about their experiences after graduation and their time at Point Park University, and they gave our students very valuable advice about getting the most out of one’s Honors education.

We are deeply honored that they were willing to take the time out of their busy schedules to give back to our Honors Program, and we are so proud of each and every one of them!

We would like to extend a huge thank you to the The August Wilson African American Cultural Center for welcoming us into their space today and giving our Point Park Honors Program students such an in-depth and inspiring tour! The Center is an asset to our city, and we’re grateful to everyone there for sharing their knowledge and expertise.

Thanks especially to Cathryn Calhoun for helping us set up the visit!

We are so proud of our Honors Program student, Gwen Hessom, and the outstanding academic work she has achieved during her time at Point Park University as a Funeral Services major. Here's what Gwen has to say about being in our Honors Program:

"Describe your experience in the Honors Program and how it has enhanced your learning experience.

Being involved in the Honors Program allowed me to pursue extra research projects outside of the classroom. For someone who has always been an academic at heart, the program gave me the support and space needed to pursue these passion projects. My experiences with the Honors Program have helped me to improve my individual research and learning skills, as well as my literacy in regard to academia and academic literature. The most recent project I completed as part of the Honors Program was my Funeral Service Capstone thesis, titled, 'We are Both the Living and the Dead: An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Experiences of Grief, Loss and Bereavement.' By combining my interests in research with my field of study, I felt more deeply connected to the funeral service program and my experiences as a mortuary science student.

Was there a moment during your Point Park career where you felt everything click or come together?

For me, everything came together when I was able to complete and present at the Honors Spring 2023 Research Symposium and have the space to share my interests with my friends, classmates and professors. In that moment, I felt like I was taking charge of my education in a meaningful way."

Read more about Gwen and her work here: https://www.pointpark.edu/news-arts-sciences/gwendolyn-hessom-25

The Point Park University Honors Program would like to extend a huge thank you to Dr. Dorene Ciletti, MBA, Ph.D., Angelo Gargaro, and our recent Honors grad Mara Van Thiel for their great session yesterday on intrinsic narratives and how they inform our perspectives and our success. We were thrilled to see so many of our Honors students in attendance, and we hope they enjoyed our first Honors Engagement Series event of the Spring term. We look forward to seeing more of our students at our other upcoming Honors Engagement Series events this Spring! Point Park University

Today’s Honors Fall Forum was filled to the brim with wonderful presentations from our students enrolled in the Fall Honors Capstone Course. We are so proud of all of them for their achievements!! Each presentation highlighted the students’ dedication to their research, their creativity, and to making a difference in their communities and the world. Bravo, Point Park University Honors Program Students on completing this milestone in your Honors education! 👏

Just a reminder that the Career Catapult is tomorrow from 3 pm- 6 pm in the Lawrence Hall Ballroom!🤝

All students are welcome and it is free to attend.☺️

Stop by to explore and ask questions!💚

We're really proud to announce the opening of our Honors Hub this week! Our Honors Program students are excited to have a designated space for practicing presentations, study sessions, meeting for Honors programming, and more. We're planning to hold our first Study & Snack the week after Thanksgiving break, and we're hoping to add more to the space as we settle in, especially to our Little Free Library with texts that might be useful for our students' classes.

The Honors Hub is a great addition to what we're able to offer students, and it will give our Honors Program students a stronger sense of a home base. Now, let's finish this semester strong:)!

Our student Maegen Steiner speaks to the great experience she had at this year's National Collegiate Honors Council conference: "Going to the NCHC Conference in Chicago, Illinois was an experience I will value and cherish forever. As the future president of Point Park's Honors Student Organization, I knew attending would be beneficial to my presidency. While there, I met and networked with students and faculty from a plethora of institutions. I thought it was incredibly interesting to see how other colleges and universities ran their respective honors programs and what worked/did not work; I plan to apply some of those ideas next year. Of course, we were able to have fun as well; there were plenty of opportunities to go out and explore the city, which was a nice touch. All in all, I thought attending this conference was really, really, and (I mean) really worthwhile." Thanks for an amazing experience for both faculty and students NCHC:)!!

This week, the Point Park Honors Program will be delivering postcards of gratitude written by our students to those who have made a difference in their lives. Watch your campus or your snail mail. You could be one of the people who made a positive impact on our students! 🌟

This week, our Point Park University Honors Program students had the opportunity to visit August Wilson: The Writer’s Landscape at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. The students learned not only about Wilson as one of America’s most legendary playwrights, but also about all of the other events and exhibits that the Center has to offer. We would like to thank the Center for welcoming our students and helping us all discover more about Pittsburgh’s history through the lens of Wilson’s American Century Cycle.

Let's all congratulate our Point Park University Honors Program student, Cloe Loosz, on her publication in the most recent volume of Illuminate, the Undergraduate Journal of the NRHC - Northeast Regional Honors Council. Cloe's piece is titled "A Feminist Analysis of 'Barbie as Rapunzel': Examining the Powerlessness of Girl Power.” Cloe is a Creative Writing major minoring in both Public Relations and Gender Studies. The journal can be found at https://www.illuminatenrhc.com/2023-edition. If you are one of our Honors students, the portal is already open for submissions for the 2024 edition: https://www.illuminatenrhc.com/submit-your-work. You could be in these pages next year:)!!

So proud of our Point Park Honors student Mady Thetard for presenting work on the role of the zombie in American cinema at this year’s Rachel Carson Conference at Chatham University. Mady presented alongside faculty, undergraduate, and graduate students from across the Pittsburgh region and represented Point Park well! Hope to see other Point Park Honors students presenting next year!!

What an amazing evening considering the power of storytelling in all disciplines at our second Honors Engagement Series event tonight. Our panel of dynamic speakers helped our students think about how they are creating their identities as artists, branding themselves as they prepare for their careers, and thinking critically about nonfiction, ads and art, as well as how important it is to listen to other people’s stories as we work to help our communities thrive. We greatly appreciate our speakers’ willingness to share their knowledge and passion with our students. If you were in attendance (and it was great to see so many of you there:)!), we hope you left inspired and read to tell your own stories. Thanks also to our moderator, Honors student Natalea Hillen, and Honors student Ethan Stoner for the majority of these amazing photos!

Another “great” year volunteering with the Great Race !! It was a joy for the Point Park Honors Program to cheer on these amazing Pittsburgh runners! 💚💛

Lots of pizza and loads of fun at our first HSO meeting of the year!

Thank you again to Kenneth Lawson and Monica Ritter with the Professional Career-Readiness Center (Point Park University) for stopping by and sharing your knowledge on personalities and communication styles.

Be on the lookout for more events and meetings throughout the semester!

Day 2 was devoted to our City as Text treks, which encourage students to explore local communities like the Strip District, the North Shore, the Cultural District, Market Square, and more, considering how the spaces are designed and how people are encouraged to move through and interact with them. They learned a lot about how to navigate Pittsburgh with the help of their Directors and mentors and they had a great time doing it:)! We’re sharing some of our favorite pics students submitted, as well as some of the posters they designed to tell a story of their adventures and the spaces they explored. The next step in the Orientation process is Pioneer Experience, and then they are on to the first day of classes! We wish them the best of luck:)!!

This afternoon, it was time for our Create, Play, and Explore events, including a Paint n’ Learn with Amy Kier from the Center for Student Success, a fierce game of Apples to Apples, and Yoga and Meditation in Point State Park. Many of our COPA students also had their COPA Orientation events throughout the afternoon. See you all bright and early tomorrow for our final day of Honors Orientation, featuring our City as Text explorations!! Remember to wear comfortable shoes and bring a water bottle. Until then, enjoy your free time and sleep well!

This morning, in our Welcome to Honors Day 1 sessions, students learned more about their Honors resources and Honors academics, and then participated in the Big Picture: Listen and Learn Challenge. This Challenge asked students to use their communication and descriptive skills to help their team’s artist recreate an image the artist wasn’t able to see. It was a great morning of getting to know one another and reflecting on how important communication and collaboration are in any field. This afternoon, students will be in their COPA orientations or participating in our Create, Play, Explore sessions, so stay tuned for more:)!!