The First Year Honors Program is a two-semester program consisting of a thee-credit colloquium and a weekly shared meal and seminar. Within this learning community, students gain a deep appreciation of the relevance of the liberal arts to their individual lives and specific academic interests. A theme-based course of study, the First Year Honors Program fosters interdisciplinary connections - a valuable perspective for first year students. Academic skills necessary for above average success at the post-secondary level are intentionally developed in both the colloquium and seminar formats.
The Fall Colloquium explores Identity through an interdisciplinary lens with presentations by faculty from the following disciplines: philosophy, psychology, sociology, fine arts, women studies, and history. The final project involves further research of identity in the student's chosen field of interest, which is then applied to an aspect of the student's life. Student application of the various theories on identity also takes place through our critically viewing a current theater production in Boston. Past theater productions have included The Keening produced by the American Repertory Theater, The Onion Cellar produced by the Dresden Dolls and the American Repertory Theater, and Dying City produced by The Lyric Stage.
The Spring Colloquium continues the exploration of identity but through ethnography, the study of culture, and the personal experiences of faculty and members of our local community. Through personal narratives, students learn about identity in cultures such as Bali, Nicaragua, Tunisia, China, Hungary, and England. In addition, students are introduced to the Deaf Culture within the United States, the culture of the homeless and those who care for them in Boston, and the African American Culture of Beacon Hill during the Abolitionist Movement. The final project requires the students to participate in field research by interviewing a person who moved to the United States after growing up in another country.
The Seminar meets once per week during both semesters in the second floor lounge of North Campus Residence Hall. We share a meal and conversation about a variety of topics including: stress management, time management, campus life, personal safety, Boston's art culture, and spirituality during college. Students currently in the Honors Scholars program also attend the seminar and provide peer support for first year students.
For further information, contact Professor Patty Kean, Coordinator of First Year Honors Progam at Curry College: 617-333-2391, pkean@curry.edu.
Student Testimonials
Frank Pacheco, Criminal Justice Major
"I am a Criminal Justice major and an Applied Computing minor and have played football at Curry College all four years. I am graduating this spring with a 3.87 GPA. Being in the First Year Honors Program was one of the most important and influential decisions my life. I learned new concepts and ways of thinking that I have never heard of before. The program really helped me not only with my Honors classes but with all of my Criminal Justice classes as well. Outside the classroom we would have weekly dinners with our Patty, our professor, and the other first year honors’ students. This was another great way to get acquainted and learn from each other. The First Year Honors Program was not just a class, but a life experience."
Felix Borukov, Management Major
"The First Year Honors Program contributed to my educational goals by teaching me how to think outside the box. It is a program that is very different from all of our major classes and electives. Playing football and being a member of the First Year Honors Program are the two great challenges I will never regret taking on during my four years at Curry College."
Courtney Buttrick, Nursing Major
"When I was first notified that I was invited to join the First Years Honors Program, I thought to myself 'What an honor! I don’t know if I will be able to handle such work.' I imagined hours upon hours of strenuous work in a class room filled with intellectuals that were way beyond me. My idea of the program was completely off. Yes there was work, but it was work I didn’t mind. It helped me shape and determine who I was and who I wanted to be. I had the opportunity to meet individuals that I might not have other wise. Our unique backgrounds and diversity allowed for real communications and discussions, not just textbook lessons. FYHP taught me how to start thinking critically. This has helped me out my four years at Curry College, and has been reflected in my studies today as well as my clinical rotations where it is a necessity to critically think. The experience I received through the FYHP was the stepping stone that prepared me for my four years at Curry College and the real world for after graduation. I would recommend the experience to anyone who is interested in expanding and learning more about who they are."
Samantha Crescitelli, English Major
"Entering your first year of college can be a terrifying experience – it was for me, and being invited to join the First Year Honors Program made me feel as though I already had a label stamped on my forehead before I was able to form my own reputation. I found that this wasn’t true. My experience in the program was something that I am positive I would not have received elsewhere. The program gave me insight into the different opportunities that were open to me as a student on the Curry campus. It forced me to think in a way that was outside of my comfort zone, and refreshingly eye-opening. I learned so much about the world around me and the way in which I fit into that world, and I believe that this is a rare quality many organizations lack. It was a privilege to be a part of this program in my first year, for I do not believe that I would be the student I am now, had I not participated in it. It really puts students in the college mind set and paves the way for a successful college career, and I am grateful that I was given that opportunity."
Stacie Ross, Nursing Major
"My name is Stacie Ross, and I am a junior Nursing student here at Curry. Being a part of the First Year Honors Program really helped me through most of my classes and changed the way I think about a lot of things. Multicultural identity is a fundamental topic in the FYHP, and it prepared me well because multicultural identity is also a very important topic in Nursing. Besides helping me through with my other classes, the FYHP has taught me about leadership. I was never an outspoken person, by any means, until I came into this program. The format of the First Year Honors Program comfortably allows for open conversation about ideas and that was not something I was used to in High School. Through this class, I learned to apply myself and speak out a little more than I usually would, which has lead me to running for Treasurer in the Curry College Student Nurses Association (CCSNA). From this program I gained inner growth, great friends, and memories that will last a lifetime!"
Andrew Royea, Communications Major
" When I decided to enter the First Year Honors Program as a first year student in 2004, I did so because I thought it would boost future resumes, which it has. But, I found that the classroom experience was a great transition from high school, a world of assigned seating and rows of desks. In First Year Honors, we would meet in a semicircle and not refer to our instructor as Professor Kean but as Patty. We were assigned living in the newest residence hall for first year students, NCRH, and we all lived amongst each other. To this day I still hang out and talk to most of my First Year Honors classmates. I also formed a strong bond with Patty; she went from being my academic adviser to being my Honors Scholars Thesis mentor. I consider Patty not only a influential mentor in my life, but also one of my most trusted friends and confidants."