Students find path to academic recognition despite pandemic

Featured image by Sarah Kauffman

Excelling academically during a pandemic isn’t easy.

The obstacles in our paths can seem overwhelming: lack of motivation, depression, technology hiccups, school-life balance, fewer interactions with study groups, longer response times from some professors, or even becoming sick with COVID-19. Sometimes, it can feel like we are teaching ourselves.

Persevering through these challenges takes a great deal of effort. But it can also bring great rewards, including recognition in the form of the president’s list or dean’s list, an invitation to join an honor society, or just the satisfaction of a job well done.

Moraine released the academic recognition lists for the fall 2020 semester on March 6, but often students are unaware they made the lists.

Each semester, full-time students who maintain a GPA of 3.75 to 4.0 make the president’s list. Full-time students who maintain a GPA of 3.50 to 3.749 make the dean’s list.  Part-time students that have earned 24 or more credit hours and have a cumulative and semester GPA of 3.5 receive distinction on the scholastic achievement list. Those qualified students must earn three to eight credit hours during the semester the award is received.

Another major benefit to maintaining academic excellence is being invited to join Phi Theta Kappa, the official honor society for two-year colleges. According to the organization’s website, PTK has 3.5 million members around the world.

We don’t know when things will get back to normal, but this pandemic has taught us important skills. We’ve become more aware, independent, critical in our thinking, and organized. Now that we’ve had a couple semesters to improve these skills, we can apply them going forward to strengthen our future academic efforts. The president’s, dean’s, and scholastic achievements lists prove that even during these trying times, it’s still possible to find our way to excellence.

Congratulations, Cyclones! Keep up the good work.