Nearly 30 students from the Berkeley College Honors Program presented research on topics including gun control, healthcare, and artificial intelligence during the annual Honors Scholars Research Symposium. The event featured a virtual session on August 5 and a poster presentation session on August 6, providing students with opportunities to develop critical thinking, professional presentation, and academic writing skills.
Pattie Cowan, Director of the Honors Program, commented on the quality of the student work: “The Honors scholars this year went above and beyond in the scope of their research and presentations. Both the audience and judges alike expressed how impressed they were with the quality of work students produced, but those are simply the expectations of the Honors Program. We aim to improve the program each year by challenging the students’ knowledge and skills, and each year the students challenge us in turn to up our game with their inherent abilities. This Symposium was no exception.”
During the virtual symposium session, presentations addressed subjects such as mental health and social media, sustainable fashion trends, music’s effects on cognition, and issues related to the gig economy. Poster presentations covered social justice themes like gun control legislation, human trafficking, healthcare in America, and whether art has lost its essence in an era shaped by AI.
Three scholars—Christian Benito (Kearny), Andre Krzyzanowski (Elizabethport), and Gabriel Pereira (Garfield)—are scheduled to present posters at the Middle States Commission for Higher Education Annual Conference in Philadelphia this December. According to MSCHE, these poster sessions allow students to share their findings with leaders from across higher education.
An Honors Recognition Ceremony took place on August 8 to acknowledge outstanding achievements during the 2024-2025 academic year. Winners for Best Virtual Presentations included Dylan Dascoli (Shirley, NY), Klara Enander (Borås, Sweden), Manuela Jaramillo (Astoria), Andre Krzyzanowski (Elizabethport), Olivia Muenchmeyer (Lerberget, Sweden), and Jason Scott (Staten Island). Gabriel Pereira received recognition for Best Title with “Has Art Lost Its Soul in the Age of AI?”
Academic All-Star awards went to both first-year and continuing honors students from locations including Kearny; Stocksund; Shirley; West Orange; Seoul; Lodi; Cochabamba; Gothenburg; Elizabethport; Lerberget; Spånga; Staten Island; Milano. The Best Honors Social Justice Papers recognized Elvira Bronaes (“TikTok vs. Reality: Who Gets to be Seen as ‘Healthy’ Online?”) and Olivia Wolski (“You’re Being Deprived: The Fraud That is American Health Care”). Best Honors Theses were awarded to Andre Krzyzanowski (“Psychology of Conspiracy Theories: How Our Philosophy, Perspective, and Opinions Can Shape Reality”) and Sofia Tosca (“Technology’s Impact on Culture: Does the Internet Make Cultures More Similar or More Diverse?”).
Academic MVPs were Klara Enander and Olivia Wolski. Community Service MVPs included Manuela Jaramillo and Taehyung Kim.
The Berkeley College Honors Program is an academic initiative within its Division of General Education for eligible high-achieving full-time applicants pursuing degrees in most majors offered by its School of Business or School of Professional Studies. Participants engage in interdisciplinary seminars focused on timely themes that change annually while developing research writing skills and providing community service.
Berkeley College was founded in 1931 as a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. It offers Master’s, Bachelor’s, Associate’s degree programs as well as certificates across more than 20 fields [https://BerkeleyCollege.edu]. The college operates campuses in New York City along with Newark, Woodbridge, Woodland Park in New Jersey—and serves over 4,000 enrolled students plus a global online population. For twelve consecutive years U.S. News & World Report has ranked Berkeley College among top colleges for online bachelor’s programs—including those serving veterans—and it is also listed among Best Regional Colleges/Universities North for 2025.
According to its mission statement: “The mission of Berkeley College is to empower each student to achieve lifelong success.”
