Merrion Scholar Graduates honored for 2023 at San Juan College Honors Forum and Reception.
The San Juan College Honors Forum and Reception was once again well attended and a true celebration of student success. Dr. David Bramhall, Honors coordinator and Professor Jeff Pomeroy, Honors co-coordinator along with Professors Dawn Myers, Nichole Nelson Garcia and John Fisher, presented more than 70 awards to Merrion Scholar Graduates.
Highlights of the event
This year’s highlights included representatives from partnering universities, who presented numerous Honors students with transfer scholarships to Fort Lewis College, Western New Mexico University, New Mexico Highlands University, University of New Mexico and New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. A special video was shown about an Honors graduate from Southwest Minnesota State University, a partner school who offers numerous scholarships to San Juan College Honors students. Ladies from the Daughters of the American Revolution: Desert Gold Chapter awarded scholarships as well. T. Greg Merrion, senior advisor for Merrion Oil & Gas, gave an encouraging and inspiring speech at the reception. This is the seventeenth year that Merrion Oil & Gas has been an award sponsor and participated in the reception. Rick Martinez, a former Master Scholar and current San Juan College employee, shared a little about his educational journey and how the Honors program impacted his decision to continue in higher education.
Merrion Scholar Graduates
In addition to Graduation Honors, each year at the Honors Forum and Reception, students are recognized as Merrion Scholar Graduates in the following categories: Merrion Scholar of the Year: One outstanding student is recognized based on a ranking of the number of Honors hours completed, Honors GPA and overall GPA. This student has their name permanently engraved on the Merrion Scholar of the Year plaque in the Learning Commons Lounge, receives a check for $500, and a personalized engraved plaque. This year’s recipient of the Merrion Scholar of the Year was Analea Castro. Merrion Master Scholars: Students who complete a minimum of 18 hours of Honors courses with no grade lower than a “B” with a minimum and overall Grade Point Average of at least a 3.60 in those courses. These students receive a Merrion Master Scholar Certificate, have their name permanently engraved on the Merrion Master Scholar plaque in the Learning Commons Lounge and receive a check for $300. Thirteen San Juan College graduates received this title at the reception. Merrion Distinguished Scholars: Students who complete a minimum of 12 hours of Honors courses with no grade lower than a “B” with a minimum and overall Grade Point Average of 3.25 (in those courses) and an overall GPA of at least a 3.25. These students receive a Merrion Distinguished Graduate Certificate and a check for $200. This year, 36 graduates earned this accolade. Honors Services Learning Students are those who have completed all or part of their Honors requirements with 12 or more hours in Honors Service Learning courses. At the reception, 19 graduates earned this distinction.
Honors Program mission
The mission of the SJC Honors Program is threefold: to promote critical thinking and higher-level learning among students who are seeking those challenges, to provide learning opportunities in cross-disciplinary and innovative, creative environments beyond the traditional curriculum and to better prepare students for their careers, scholarship opportunities, and transfer to four year institutions.
