Traveling to the windy city of Chicago, seven select Suffolk Honors students from the College of Arts and Sciences showcased their extensive research, whether related to their majors or simply topics of interest, during the National Collegiate Honors Council conference on Nov. 13.

Students were able to showcase their research and topics of interest in a symposium-style environment. Thousands of Honors students from across the country spoke freely about their majors and passion-inspired projects while compiling months of hard work and dedication onto colorful presentations for other individuals to appreciate.

The students, along with Suffolk staff including Director of the Honors Program Lisa Celovsky and Assistant CAS Dean Sharon Lenzie, were able to attend many different events ranging from info sessions, listening in on panels, going to brainstorming workshops, watching special speakers, and even seeing a sketch comedy act.

Sophomore Abhilasha Deka chose not to talk about her major of Mathematics and Computer Science, but rather to present  a topic that is near and dear to her heart. Deka, born in India and raised in Massachusetts, spoke out against the violence and oppression toward women in India and the ongoing feminist movements there.

“I was telling them about the good news,” said Deka. “India has been entrenched in patriarchal culture where women are a level or two below men, but that is changing now.”

Not only did Deka’s poster receive high volume and a lot of praise during the conference, but  she was more thrilled that people were so eager to listen to what she had to say.

“It was so cool. People wanted to hear what I had to yell about,” said Deka.

Among the many special events that were being held during the conference, one had a lasting impression on the students and staff: Emerson Spartz was this year’s NCHC plenary speaker. Spartz, a 28-year-old media genius, who created Mugglenet and OMG Facts, discussed not being afraid to be creative and free in one’s way of thinking.

Senior Rachelle del Aguila said she was profoundly moved and inspired by Spartz’s motivational speech.

“I learned that there is always room for growth, whether it is academically or personally, by being thrown in unfamiliar places,” said del Aguila. “It’s good to get out of your comfort zone.”

Del Aguila does feel that many lessons were learned and goals were accomplished while at the NCHC conference. Students socialized with numerous other colleges while forming a stronger bond within the Honors community.

“The main goal of the conference was to connect Honors students nationally by exchanging ideas, improving one’s Honors program back home, presenting thesis and research, networking with professionals, and helping Honors students succeed,” said del Aguila.

Celovsky said she hopes to implement some of the lessons learned by del Aguila and the other students into the current program. Some ideas  include students using ePortfolios, involving alumni in the Honors program, and possibly publishing Honors students’ work into the library database.

Celovsky feels passionately about the CAS Honors program and will continue to take Honors students to the NCHC conference every year to learn new lessons, share their research, and make new memories.

“We are so proud of the students that we take,” said Celovsky. “It’s great to see them there with their work completed talking to people about what they produced.”