Jared Kranc
  • History
  • Class of 2019
  • Colchester, CT

Eastern Student Jared Kranc of Colchester Admitted to Honors Program

2015 Sep 23

Eastern Connecticut State University has selected this year's academic scholars for the university's Honors Program. Students are selected based on their talent and ability to demonstrate academic success. Being a part of the Honors Program is an achievement at Eastern and something the students and staff take pride in.

Among the students admitted to the program was Jared Kranc '19 of Colchester, whose major is Accounting. "I feel like I'm part of a very special experience. I get the opportunity to meet new people and make friends across all four classes and form bonds I've never really held before all while receiving a strong education," said Kranc. "I expect this program to help me expand my social horizons and to further my understanding of the culture of ECSU and of the Willimantic area."

"This year's freshmen cohort is one of the strongest first-year cohorts the Honors Program has ever had. The selection process was particularly difficult this year, as the Honors Council received almost 150 applicants for the 25 seats in the cohort," said William Salka, honors director.

Honors Program members receive an alternate course of study that is expected to stimulate and challenge them. They take small classes with professors dedicated to teaching honors courses. They study interdisciplinary topics and work independently with a faculty member to produce an honors thesis. Aside from their studies Honors students take part in a variety of leadership roles and rewarding activities. They participate in the Honors Club, which provides opportunities for social, cultural and educational interaction among other members of the Honors Program as well as the campus community.

"Most importantly, is that I form friendships and bonds I've never really experienced before," said Kranc. "This is important to me because I was an introvert through much of my high school career and kept to myself, so I didn't experience some of the social experiences that others in the Honors program did."

The Honors Program provides living arrangements so all the members live in the same residence hall. This provides students the opportunity to make lifelong friendships with other students who have the same academic interests. Students are picked based on academic excellence and their participation in educational, cultural and social extracurricular activities. "We expect these students will join the upper-class Honors Scholars as campus leaders who are engaged in their majors and help set the bar for academic achievement and undergraduate research," said William Salka.