Cecelia FranciscoHonors club president Chris Friel, a junior religious studies major, will be attending this year’s National Collegiate Honors Conference (NCHC) in November to present a research paper she wrote under the guidance of religious studies professor Dr. Leonard Primiano and Academic Dean, Dr. Charles McCormick.
Friel’s paper, “They Came to Arrest God: The Past and Present Reality of Father Divine,” is to be presented along with two other students, one from Long Island University and the other of Armstrong University, as part of a student research panel. The paper, which was originally written as a class assignment for religious studies professor Dr. Leonard Primiano’s sects and cults course, peaked her interest and eventually grew to be an extensive erudite research paper. “Primiano makes faith interesting; every faith tradition and style becomes inspiring and unique,” Friel said.
Primiano applauds Friel for her accomplishment, not just for her academic work, but for the example she has set for others. “It is a mark of distinction for her, but also for our college that she has been selected to present her scholarly research at the National Honors Conference in New Orleans. I think it is especially important as a model that other students strive to repeat, especially as an opportunity to present critical thinking, writing and speaking to a distinguished national audience,” Primiano said.
Friel attributes her success to three major influences: the Honors Program, Primiano, and McCormick.
“He’s one of the greatest assets to the school because he inspires students. He inspires students to push their limits and he pushes their limits, ultimately raising their personal expectations,” Friel said about McCormick, who is also in charge of the Honors Program, as well as the one responsible for the submission of Friel’s paper.
The Honors Program is designed for students that “dare to think,” as stated in the Honors Program mission statement. In order to join, students must receive and invitation from the Honor Program committee as an incoming freshman or be recommended by a college faculty member.
This year, the program has developed the theme of Italian American heritage, a topic that has great relevance to the college’s roots. “The overall goal is the greater appreciation of the Italian and Italian American heritage and culture which was so influential on St. Frances Cabrini and the women who later developed our college, as well as on the women who first attended it, many of whom were Italian American,” Primiano said.
Although it may not seem important to some students, Primiano urges students to participate in the program.
“I would encourage students to become part of the Honors Program because it is a wonderful opportunity to take a number of stimulating and intellectually challenging courses taught by college faculty especially for them; it is a program that works hard to advise those students who are a part of it to strive to become leaders in their chosen fields of endeavor; and it is a mark of distinction that students can note on future job applications and graduate school application,” Primiano said.
Friel also believes that the Honors Program is beneficial to the academic and intellectual growth of students; Friel has aspirations to improve the current curriculum by expanding the variety of course genres, most of which are presently aesthetic courses, to those of contemporary issues, values and diversity core distribution classes.
