Ask any Schreyer student what an honors education entails, and most will probably share some combination of the following: rigorous curriculum, extensive research, small honors courses, distinguished mentorship, extra-curricular involvements, global immersion, service, and of course, the thesis. Everything seems to culminate with that one endeavor, that one paper – “the thesis.” It’s as if hitting the gong (a tradition upon submission of the thesis) is a “right of passage” into the next stage of life, a celebratory mark of completion, a movement into the next chapter. In order to graduate from Schreyer and earn that medal, you must first complete the thesis. Even before students are accepted into the Honors College, they are aware of this undertaking, this challenge, and truthfully, this great opportunity.

With less than two months until the submission deadline, my peers and I are expectedly nose deep in data analyses, research, and writing. When I’m not in the books, number crunching, or typing away, I’m most likely meeting with my thesis advisor, or conversing with my corporate contact whom I am conducting my research for. Although pressure, hard work, and stress are inseparable from the thesis (or so it appears from the impressions I’m getting from my peers), I have thankfully come to the calm realization that (1) my thesis will get done and (2) this thesis is far more than an obligation. In fact, it’s an honor. Cheesy, I know, and with the deadline fast approaching, you’re probably wondering how I can be so optimistic during these grueling days. There are two main reasons for this, and I believe they are worth sharing, especially for those who may be looking for a glimpse of hope in the home stretch:

• This is truly a unique opportunity. Those of you who are currently writing your thesis, have already completed a thesis, or will soon begin one, I invite you to take a step back. If your situation even remotely resembles mine, you are most likely making novel discoveries, growing your knowledge base exponentially, and/or conducting research alongside renowned faculty. When I came to this enlightened realization and shifted my perspective toward one of gratitude a few months ago, I began to think about how fortunate I was to be afforded with this opportunity. When else am I going to have the full attention, oversight, and support of an advisor who pioneered and helped shape the world of logistics as we know it today? When else am I going to provide the external perspective for a Fortune 500 company and assist them on their journey of continuous improvement? Where else could I conduct a cost-savings and network optimization analysis using actual company data as an undergraduate? Simply put, I am privileged. There’s a reason I worked so hard to be offered admission into the Schreyer Honors College almost 4 years ago. I don’t want to simply receive a medal; rather I want to earn it. This notion is fully present in the mantra that I strive to live by: “to whom much is given, much is expected.” The thesis allows me to showcase what I’ve learned over the past 4 years, contribute to the field by offering new insights, and work alongside the professor who first sparked my interest in the field. Not a bad deal if you ask me.

• I haven’t lost sight of the bigger picture. As alluded to in my opening remarks, the thesis is one part of the honors experience, not the only part. Though it seems to be the biggest, and perhaps most daunting, the thesis must not distract us from the experiences that are unfolding right beside us. Simply put, I am remaining optimistic about my thesis because in this last semester at Penn State, I refuse to lose sight of what it means to “graduate with honors.” Yes, I will need to complete my thesis (and I have full faith that I will), but in doing so, I am continuing to take advantage of opportunities that align with my strengths and the broader goals of being an honors student. Namely, I just decided to accept my professor’s request to take part in a supply chain case competition in Minneapolis in just a few weeks. Even though this competition is just 2 weeks before my thesis is due (and admittedly took some pleading on my professor’s part), I could tell that she really wanted me there and felt strongly about my potential. Having previously competed in only one other case competition, I felt as though I couldn’t turn down this great opportunity. Again, this is another professor who I hold with high regard, and more broadly, I foresee this being a great opportunity for me to represent my school, network with industry professionals, and collaborate alongside three of my peers. I am greatly looking forward to this experience where I will be challenged in new ways while concurrently giving back to a program that has equipped me in more ways than I could have ever imagined. Again, “to whom much is given, much is expected.”

In sum, I am confident that the seemingly tough decisions I make today will best suit me in the years to come. When I look back at my college years, I undoubtedly want to be proud of my thesis, but I would like to be equally as fulfilled with the out-of-classroom opportunities I’ve seized as a student in Schreyer. For I believe that it is precisely these opportunities that provide the holistic picture of what it means to “graduate with honors.”