The annual Northeast Regional Honors Council Conference was held in Albany, NY at the Hilton Hotel from April 4 – 7, 2024, bringing 60 unique two-year and four-year institutions together. Hudson Valley Community College had the privilege of serving as a host institution, helping to select prominent speakers and organize engaging activities for the conference. Students from the HVCC Honors College also assisted with registration at the conference and warmly welcomed the attendees. Emily Burdikoff, an Honors College student studying Digital Media, remarked, “I really enjoyed my time volunteering at the registration table and meeting Honors students and faculty from all over the Northeast. It was a great opportunity to socialize and make connections which could last a lifetime.”
The conference theme “Ahead of Our Time: Intersection of Thought and Technology” invoked scholarly discussions among the participants. On the opening day, HVCC Professor of Sociology Dr. Paul Calarco participated in a panel discussion highlighting the applications and implications of AI technology from humanitarian, philosophical, sociological, artistic and legal perspectives. Eduard Horanlli, an Honors College student studying Humanities and Social Science, reflected about the panel discussion, “I found myself captivated by the wide variety of perspectives shown by both professors and students. I was able to engage due to the fact that each person analyzed the topic with a different lens and each was evidently well prepared.”
Students, faculty, staff and administrators had the opportunity to exchange ideas and expertise to promote and strengthen Honors in higher education. Research presentations, poster sessions, art exhibits and roundtable discussions provided an intellectually stimulating environment for all to experience. Layan Radi, an Honors College student studying Humanities and Social Science, reflected “It was a great opportunity to socialize with people from other institutions. I loved the variety of presentations and found them to be very informative, especially given the opportunity to ask questions and learn new ideas. I enjoyed the art exhibit and wouldn’t have thought that a single theme could incorporate so many topics like mental health, international politics, and cultural values.”
Kamellia Barrett, an Honors College student studying English, eloquently summarized the experience by saying, “Being with so many other undergrads who are also Honors students was really cool to experience. It makes it feel less exclusive and more of a community. There are plenty of colleges with Honors programs, but our interactions with each other are small, so to have an event that is built for us was really fun and should be something that we all should be able to experience.”
