Honors Program Newsletter: May 2023
Message From the Director
We’re wrapping up another year in Honors. Our students have showcased their research skills during our spring 2023 Research and Project Showcase on campus. We’re proud of the hard work put in by all our students and want to recognize the many Honors students who received high scores in their sessions! Some of our other students have garnered recognition for their academic prowess in other ways, too.
Megan Michaud ’24 is the recipient of a NASA New York Space Grant Women in STEM Fellowship, which will spur her innovative research even further. Our outstanding graduating seniors are already beginning to forge their paths beyond Clarkson. Abigail Kienzle ’23 has received a highly selective NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, which she’ll use as she goes on to pursue her PhD. From their first year to their last at Clarkson, our Honors students are making a mark. Outstanding first-year student Kirby Davidson ’26 is the recipient of the inaugural Gary Kelly First-Year Honors Student Award. We mourn the loss of Professor Emeritus Kelly and are grateful to have the opportunity to recognize his legacy in the Honors Program through this award, which highlights students who are committed to critical thinking and ethical engagement. We hope that each of our Honors students lives out the values he instilled in Honors students as we continue to learn and to share our discoveries with others.
— Kate Krueger, Director, University Honors Program / Professor of Literature
Concrete Awards
Abigail Kienzle ’23 spent her time at Clarkson building a solid foundation for her future. Her research projects on concrete have landed her in publications and garnered her awards, and now her hard work has paid off once again. Kienzle recently received an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, which will provide funding for her doctoral studies.
Honoring a Legacy
Being in the Honors Program means joining a legacy of scholars who give back — to their communities, to their fields and to each other. Professor Emeritus Gary Kelly, who was pivotal in forming the Honors Program, left a lasting impression, and the newly created Gary Kelly FIrst-Year Student Award is a way to honor his legacy. This year, it goes to Kirby Davidson ’26.
Taking Notice
Honors student Megan Michaud ’24 may still be an undergraduate, but she has already caught the eye of NASA. The mechanical and aerospace engineering double-major received the NASA New York Space Grant Women in STEM Fellowship, which will fund her research in designing a satellite testbed and then support her as she presents at an upcoming conference.
Read More About the NASA Award