70 Students Inducted into GS Honor Society

On February 27, faculty, staff, friends, and family gathered at Columbia’s Faculty House to celebrate the induction of 70 students into the School of General Studies Honor Society.

February 28, 2019

The GS Honor Society was created in 1997 to recognize the exceptional academic achievements of GS students who have earned a cumulative GPA of at least 3.8 in more than 30 points of academic coursework at Columbia. Dean Lisa Rosen-Metsch welcomed the attendees with opening remarks, followed by the presentation of the new members by Victoria Rosner, Dean of Academic Affairs.

“These students are not everyone’s idea of ‘typical American college students.’ Many of them are international in their origins, and global in their outlook. They have a maturity derived from life experiences including military service, parenthood, career achievement, immigration, and artistic endeavors. Many have come back from significant challenges including serious illness, financial hardship, addiction, bereavement, and homelessness. A number of these students are the first in their families to attend college. Others have postponed their own educations to care for family members. Yet here they are at the pinnacle of undergraduate academic success at Columbia. Each one of them, whatever their backgrounds, has worked hard to earn a place here,” Dean Rosner said.

Among those inducted this spring are students enrolled in the School’s dual-degree programs with List College of the Jewish Theological Seminary, Sciences Po, and City University of Hong Kong, and students from countries all around the world, including Luxembourg, Armenia, and Japan.

“These students have practiced just about any profession you can name, including combat medic, pastry chef, accountant, rugby coach, nanny, ballet dancer, web developer, house cleaner, yoga teacher, sandwich shop manager, political campaign operative, model, resort attendant, taxi driver, makeup artist, real estate agent, minor league baseball player, military data analyst, model, hotel manager, entrepreneur, actor, nuclear engineer, restaurateur, dog trainer, and patent engineer, among others,” Rosner said.

The chief aim of the GS Honor Society is to cultivate interaction among those committed to intellectual discovery and academic excellence. The only group of its kind at the University, the Society offers opportunities throughout the year for its student and alumni members to interact with one another, as well as with the faculty who enjoy working with such outstanding scholars.

Spring 2019 GS Honor Society Inductees