Nov. 29, 2023, Klamath Falls, Ore. – The Oregon Tech Honors Program proudly welcomed 13 students during its Induction Ceremony Oct. 14. The event took place in front of a live audience of friends, family, and peers, and was broadcast to a well-attended Zoom audience for those who could not be present in person.
The Oregon Tech Honors Program is a prestigious academic program designed for high-achieving students from diverse academic majors. This specialized program offers an interdisciplinary education that equips future leaders and professionals with the skills and knowledge to excel in their careers and lead meaningful lives. The Honors Program complements the regular academic curriculum with various extracurricular learning experiences, emphasizing the development of well-rounded professionals, socially responsible individuals, and well-educated students.
Christopher J. Syrnyk, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Honors Program and The Office of National Scholarships, and Professor of Communication, expressed the significance of the Oregon Tech Honors Program, saying, “The overarching purpose of the Oregon Tech Honors Program is to provide highly motivated students with a complementary academic curriculum and a collection of extracurricular learning experiences that promote a more well-rounded future career professional, a socially responsible person, and a connected and liberally educated student. We believe in the concept of the professional as a person who is deeply connected to various communities, both locally and globally, and who is committed to leveraging those connections to lead a more meaningful life.”
In addition to Syrnyk opening the ceremony, Dan Peterson, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Health, Arts, and Sciences, presented inspirational words about education, and the audience was introduced to Kamal Gandhi, Ph.D., incoming Assistant Director of the Honors Program. Gandhi is an Associate Professor in the Natural Sciences Department at Oregon Tech.
Students in the Honors Program enjoy a range of benefits, including:
- Honors Program Diploma presented at graduation.
- Small class sizes with Honors Seminars capped at 25 students.
- Unique Honors sections of select courses taught by Honors Program Core Faculty.
- Priority registration for all classes for Honors Program students in good standing.
- Advising by Honors Program Core Faculty throughout their academic journey.
- Special activities, events, and field trips at minimal or no cost to students.
- Opportunities to participate in community service projects.
The students inducted into the Honors Program are:
- Matthew Cash, Sophomore, Embedded Systems Technology
- Hunter Cook, Freshman, Biology-Health Sciences
- Madie Hepner, Freshman, Environmental Sciences
- Masami Kiriakedis, Freshman, Mechanical Engineering
- Ryan McCabe, Freshman, Electronics Engineering
- Naomi Pope, Sophomore, Biology-Health Sciences
- Riley Simonsen, Freshman, Biology-Health Sciences
- Anna Smith, Freshman, Pre-Medical Imaging Technology
- Theo Rogers, Sophomore, Environmental Sciences
- Zane Driskill, Sophomore, Software Engineering Technology
- Angelica Ramos-Rose, Freshman, Biology-Health Sciences
- Tyler Riddell, Freshman, Electrical Engineering
- Morgan Owings, Freshman, Software Engineering Technology
The Oregon Tech Honors Program offers a comprehensive educational experience that fosters personal and professional growth, and the newly inducted students are poised to make the most of this opportunity. For more information about the Oregon Tech Honors Program, please visit www.oit.edu/academics/honors-program.
