Honors Program Reaches Milestone With First Graduating Class

by Jamie S. Hirsch

With its first five students having graduated this past May and five more expected to do so in September, the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein Honors Program at Yeshiva College reached a major milestone.  These students, who come from the Program’s first entering class of 1999, include winners of numerous academic awards and several double and triple majors.

In order to graduate from the Honors Program, students must complete its 11 requirements. The crowning achievement of these requirements is the completion of the Senior Honors Thesis, which “affords the students with an opportunity to pursue independent research in any field in which they have experience,” including subjects related to Torah U’Maddah and Jewish studies, explained Director of the Honors Program, Dr. Will Lee.

This past spring, a “year-end celebration” was held where students presented their work to professors, parents, friends, and fellow students.  Lee described the program as “an indescribable feeling... it was an honor to be there.  It was truly a moment of fruition (for the Program).”

The seven students who completed their honors theses in the spring are as follows: Hillel Deutsch (History), Yakov Fleischmann (Philosophy), Avi Helfand (Philosophy), Jonathan Spielman (Sociology), Baruch Stein (Physics), Eliyahu Stern (Jewish Philosophy), and Jacob Yunger (Physics).

Philip Green (Chemistry), Shlomo Koyfman (Jewish Studies), Zvi Rosen (Music), Elie Rosenblatt (Music), and Elliot Stern (Philosophy) will have their theses completed this fall.

Although students who work on the thesis have generally completed the other requirements for graduation from the program, two students this year completed the thesis without taking all the requisite courses.

Working on and completing the thesis “adds breadth and depth both academically and culturally” to a student’s experience, Lee said.  “The significance of the thesis is that it represents a qualitatively superior academic experience within Yeshiva College.” Added Zvi Rosen: “The thesis was beneficial because I learned a lot about one specific topic, though at times it didn’t seem like anything more than a very big paper, not that there’s anything necessarily wrong with that.”

With the completion of all the requirements, including the senior thesis, students in the Honors Program graduate with a diploma stating their fulfillment of all requirements for Yeshiva College as well as for the Honors Program.  This permanent notation is a credential, helping the students in their quest for national scholarships, jobs, and admittance to graduate schools.  Additionally, Lee asserted that the students know their professors well, and are therefore able to secure enhanced letters of recommendation.

Although anywhere between 30 and 50 students enter the Program each year, Lee admitted that only about 8 to 15 of those are expected to graduate.  Lee attributed the strict residency requirements—108 credits on campus—as the primary hindrance to completion.  Nonetheless, in order to gain the most out of the program, Lee considers the campus requirements a necessity.  “One cannot get a qualitatively better education if not given the time,” he asserted.

Any student can apply to the Honors Program. Those students who receive either a 10-thousand dollar or a full academic scholarship, however, are automatically enrolled.  Students receiving scholarships of 3- or 5-thousand dollars have the option of joining the program.

Over the last several years the Honors Program has been growing, and Lee sees this as a trend primarily due to the increase in the number of academic scholarships.  “There are more qualified students applying ... and the scholarships make us competitive with the Ivy Leagues.”

Since any student can take Honors classes, Lee said, the Program potentially benefits all students in the school. The more courses one takes, of course, the more one gains.

Additionally, continued Lee, Yeshiva College as a whole gains from the existence of the Honors Program because it functions together with the college, raising the overall academics.  “It’s not a separate Honors College; but rather an Honors Program within Yeshiva College.”  He cited examples, including professors who have said that they are more prepared to teach classes and have better insight into topics due to teaching Honors classes.