UW-Milwaukee Recognizes 248 Honors Students

One UW-Milwaukee student whose journey is loaded with curves and forks in the road is Bianca Haney.

Haney, an honors student in nursing, is obtaining her second degree after majoring in Biomedical Science at Marquette University. “I tried to work in pharmaceutical sales and in real estate, but I knew it wasn’t for me,” she said.

“However, when I saw the lack of compassion and care provided to my grandfather when he became ill and needed homecare, I knew immediately this was what I was meant to do.  It was a roundabout journey and cost me a lot of money, but I’m so glad I did it.”

She was one of 248 student recognized at the Honors Commencement Convocation ceremony, which is held each December and May usually the Monday before Commencement. Undergraduate students with a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, receive all-university commencement honors and are awarded the traditional gold cord at the commencement honors convocation.

The 248 honored were out of the 1,298 students graduating this semester.

Of those 248 students, four maintained a perfect grade point average of 4.0 throughout their career at UWM and were also recognized during the ceremony

Chancellor Mark Mone (then still interim chancellor) informed the crowd that while celebrating academic excellence, “the reality is we are here to celebrate so much more. Because when you get to know our honors students, you find they represent so much more than academics.”

Mone continued, “They are researchers who have overcome academic achievement obstacles; they are current and future leaders of our society; they are all tenacious. And moms and dads, they really do listen!”

Volunteers from all areas of the University assist in various roles from graduate registration, musical performances to processional marshals. Kristen Trenholm Horowitz is one of those volunteers.

Trenholm, a lecturer in the Political Science Department, has been a marshal for the spring commencement several times and specifically enjoys the intimacy of the December Honors Convocation.

“The personal interaction is difficult to have during the spring since there are so many graduates so this makes it much more special,” she said.

After the last gold cord was bestowed and the final remarks given, the graduates were escorted off stage accompanied by the sounds of the UWM Brass Quintet and the applause of the approximately 300 guests who were in attendance.

A reception was held immediately afterwards for the honorees and their families. Don Linke, a lecturer in the Peck School of the Arts and a notable jazz guitarist here in the Milwaukee area, provided the entertainment during the reception.

The Honors Commencement Convocation was held on Monday, Dec. 8, 2014 in the Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30 p,m, and full Commencement was held on Sunday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m. in the New Panther Arena. This was the first class to graduate from the remodeled facility.