The honors program at St. Joseph’s University, New York is about more than simply offering an enriched and rigorous academic experience. It is also about providing students with the opportunity to expand their horizons and broaden their scope of the world at large. The 2024-2025 academic year saw students from the Brooklyn and Long Island campuses embark on study-based trips that helped to widen their cultural palette, offer practical experience and view several fields of study from all new perspectives.
“Students in our honors program are exploring their passions and interests in Brooklyn and beyond,” said Michael Burke, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy on the Brooklyn campus.
As part of the Brooklyn campus’ psychology honors course, which explored the historical context of the Salem Witch Trials and their significance in American history, students traveled to Salem, MA with Anna Rita Egbert, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology.
During a separate trip, students ventured to Providence, RI with Dr. Burke and fellow professor Peter Lin, Ph.D. as this year’s honors program included studying the works of 19th century writers H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe. Both Poe and Lovecraft spent time in the state’s capital city.
The honors students helped design both itineraries and also presented information to fellow students.
Photos from Providence, RI:
Photos by Peter Lin, Ph.D.
Students on the Long Island campus ventured overseas to the land of fire and ice. While visiting Iceland, students had the opportunity to explore the country’s dynamic landscape, rich with volcanoes, geysers, hot springs, glaciers, black sand beaches and lava fields. In the capital of Reykjavik, they learned about Iceland’s historical elements as well as its Viking roots and heritage.
Each year, students vote on a destination from a number of recommendations provided by the faculty. This year’s Long Island Honors trip was led by Wendy C. Turgeon, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy, and James Blakeley, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of History.
The trip’s itinerary was designed to encourage independence and cultural exploration among students.
Photos from Iceland:
Photos by Wendy C. Turgeon, Ph.D.
