About a month ago, a friend jokingly called Baruch Scholars and Honors students the “bourgeois” and “noble” classes of Baruch undergraduates. A few seconds later, she also called herself and other non-Honors students “peasants.” Clearly, this is a reference to the distinction in scholarship grants given to different types of students – for me, it means full tuition and for her, it literally means no money.
Full tuition does not come “free” though; there are certain requirements that Scholars and Honors students have to meet to remain in the Honors program. As Scholars students, we have to take at least ten Honors classes, maintain at least a 3.3 or 3.5 GPA (depending on credits), as well as meet other requirements. In a sense, we have relinquished an air of freedom for an air of seriousness. Instead of playing a game of Mafia during freshman seminar (what my friend’s class did during one class), we were discussing information regarding our presentations on non-profit organizations.
The air of seriousness is necessary, in a way: we are students first and we represent the Baruch Honors program as well as the Baruch community. As students, our first goal is to graduate and as Scholars/Honors students, we want to make sure we graduate with Honors. However, our college journey does not stop at our student life. The Honors program places a large emphasis on volunteering with non-profit organizations. Through this volunteer service, we are giving back to our community and fulfilling a role that pertains to both the Baruch community and the Baruch Honors program. Time and effort is given to a specific cause that benefits not just us (by helping us fulfill the requirement), but others as well. Additionally, both Baruch and the Honors program emphasize cultural events. It is through attending these events that help us fulfill a role in the community in general: becoming open-minded people. A cultural event is a learning experience and may just captivate our minds. Through all the aspects, the Honors program and Baruch community are trying to help us develop constantly and grow as people.
