Honors Events

The Honors Induction Ceremony welcomes all new Commonwealth Honors College students and their families at the beginning of the fall semester. During the honors pinning portion of the ceremony, students exchange commemorative pins, celebrating their entry into CHC.

The Celebration of Excellence is a special event for graduating Commonwealth Honors College seniors and their families during which graduating seniors are called by name to be presented with gold stoles.

The Commonwealth Honors College Plenary Lecture is an annual event that features thought leaders from across the spectrum of UMass Amherst faculty. The lecture is also connected to the honors course “Ideas That Change the World.” 

Pizza & Prof Night provides an opportunity for Commonwealth Honors College students to get to know a professor on a more personal level. Each professor joins CHC students for pizza and an informal discussion of research and scholarly interest, followed by lively Q&A and conversation.

For Black Heritage Month, Commonwealth Honors College presents a live exhibition and discussion featuring groundbreaking presenters who are working at the intersection of art praxis, racial justice, and the embodiment of change as pathways to liberation.

The Daffodil Lecture on Sustainability and the Environment is sponsored by the Commonwealth Honors College and the Phi Kappa Phi honor society. The theme of the lecture reflects UMass Amherst’s leadership in green research and sustainability, including the development of biofuels and wind energy.

The Massachusetts Undergraduate Research Conference (MassURC) is an annual one-day convening of undergraduate students from the 28 public colleges and universities across the commonwealth who present their research, share knowledge, and learn from their peers.