Emma Walsh is graduating with a degree in Finance and Full University Honors. Emma gave the student address at the Spring Honors Day ceremony on Sunday, April 21st.
“I could probably write a book detailing everything the NIU Honors Program has meant to me and the impact it has had on my personal and professional development over the past four years. Today, as I reflect back on my time in the program, I can confidently say that the sense of community the program has demonstrated is unlike anything I have experienced at any aca
demic institution I have attended.
I graduated high school in the spring of 2020. A time where I have never in my life felt more isolated and alone; a feeling we all shared at this time. The abrupt ending to my high school experience stole the closure I so desperately craved before heading into the next phase of my life. I have distinct memories of sitting at home, worrying about what the pandemic’s role would be on my fast-approaching start at NIU.
My freshman honors retreat was August 20th, 2020, and due to the pandemic, we were outside at the East Lagoon on campus. As any new freshman attending their retreat, I was feeling nervous about the unknown but excited for my first ever university event. To say the least, my introduction to the NIU Honors Program greatly exceeded my expectations. The immediate sense of familiarity and welcome-ness shattered any fear I possessed. I remember driving down Lincoln Highway towards home after the retreat and thinking to myself, “the honors program is going to change my life”, and now, almost four years later, I cannot express how true that statement is.
To me, the NIU Honors Program is so much more than just a college on campus. It is a place of belonging, a space of acceptance, and a resource for students to push themselves to be the best they can be. It is a community, a family, and a support system and has played an immense role in the person I have grown to be.
I have had the pleasure of serving as an Honors Fellow for two years and have loved the bond I have formed with the other Honors Fellows. One of my favorite aspects of being a resource for my peers in academic advising is seeing their educational growth, professional goal enhancement, and personal character development as they continue through the program.
To me, that is what the NIU Honors Program is about; the sense of belonging and community that provides each individual full acceptance to develop into the best version of themselves for life after graduation from this university. Many of my personal and professional achievements have been backed by the program due to the standard placed on me and the constant support from the outstanding faculty and my encouraging peers.
For starters, I’m not sure I would have had the courage to stand before you and speak today if it had not been for the Honors Program. The enhancement of my confidence over the past four years stems from the doors that have been opened to me through the program. From my personal experience, I have had the opportunity to discuss my honors involvement in both of my internships. I touched on the fact that the honors program is more than just a group of students taking accelerated classes, and how I feel encouraged each day to be the best student I can be.
Through my internships, my employers have told me that they view my involvement in the NIU Honors Program as proof of my dedication and persistence which speaks highly to my character.
I want to give a special thank you to the Honors staff for encouraging and supporting each and every student in the program throughout their time at NIU. You have created a way for all of us to feel seen and understood on an individual level, which is not an easy thing to do with a program of this size. Thank you for the opportunities you have provided to us and for acting as a resource all while providing guidance as we each work to pave our own paths.
I also want to thank the eleven other Honors Fellows that I have had the pleasure of working with this year. You are some of the most hardworking students that I know and I have enjoyed building friendships with all of you. I have loved the bond that we were able to form as individuals of all majors and career goals.
Ultimately, the relationship aspect is what really shines through to me when I reflect on what the Honors Program means to me. It doesn’t matter who you are, what your plan is, or where you are headed. We are there for each other, we are united, and we are a family.
Upon graduation from the program, the NIU slogan “forward, together forward” has never rang more true. Congratulations to my fellow graduates. It is my sincere hope that we will each leave this ceremony today with the full intention of utilizing what we have learned throughout our time in the program on each of our next adventures, whatever they may be.
I am beyond thankful to have been a part of the Honors Program at Northern Illinois University and am looking forward to my next chapter. My gratitude is greater than words can describe.”
