THE STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
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T’S NATURAL TO FEEL THE PRE-COLLEGE nerves when thinking about making friends, picking classes, or even adjusting to a new environment away from home. While I experienced these emotions when planning my journey to USF, being a part of the Honors community helped alleviate these stressors and provided me a true home on campus. Living in the Honors Living Learning Community (LLC) my freshman year helped me feel at home right away. The Honors LLC, located in in Juniper Hall, strives to give students a close-knit community with peers who are passionate about service, global awareness, and learning. Before coming to college, I assumed that I would only be surrounded by students who studied the same major as me. However, being an Honors student and living in the LLC has allowed me to become friends with people from all over the world with diverse interests.
By participating with Council, and now serving as President, I have had opportunities to work with a team of motivated and inspired students to host service events, promote student engagement, and offer mentorship. The Judy Genshaft Honors College has helped me grow as both a student and an individual and I highly encourage new students to utilize all its resources and opportunities for success. The possibilities are endless!
Shalini Subramanian Judy Genshaft Honors College Student Council President
In addition to where I was living, I also benefited from the diverse Honors curriculum. Honors classes are designed to have students engage in important discussions in various fields embracing diversity in backgrounds, thoughts, and ideas. They approach various interests such as art, history, film, medicine, and culture, and allow students to learn about something outside of their career and major interests. My favorite Honors Courses were “Fertility in the Future” and “Biomedical Ethics.” Beyond your courses, college gives you the opportunity to meet all kinds of people who can challenge your ideas, help you find your purpose, and even become long-term friends. These important people can be classmates, faculty members, or advisors. The personalized advising offered through Honors is helpful whether you want to change your major, apply for scholarships, or apply for study abroad experiences; this level of support is unique to the Judy Genshaft Honors College. Throughout my pre-medical journey, my Honors advisor, Mr. Arnie Mejias, has always been willing to help me plan my academic future, answer any questions that I’ve had, and provide valuable advice. In acknowledgement of the support I have felt in Honors, I have been grateful to give back to the College through my involvement in the Judy Genshaft Honors College Student Council.
JUDY GENSHAFT HONORS COLLEGE 5
