Honors College Graduation

The Honors College recognizes graduating seniors at a special Medallion Ceremony, held at the end of each semester, usually the Friday of graduation week. Each ceremony includes a guest speaker and a student speaker. The Honors College Deans confer each graduate with an Honors College medallion, which can be worn during other graduation events on campus.

Graduating seniors must register for the cermony in advance.

Invitations will be sent in October (December graduation) and March (May gradautes).

Check the Events section of the website for current information.

Spring 2020: August 7, 2020
Time: 9:00-11:00 am
Location: Festival Ballroom

Fall 2020: Friday, December 18
Time: 12:00-2:00 pm
Location: Festival Highlands Room

The Honors College Medallion Ceremony scheduled for May 2020 has been postponed to August. The event is by invitation only and is a ticketed event. Students are requested to wear Regalia (except for the mortar board/cap) for the Medallion Ceremony. The ceremony program includes a student speaker, guest speaker and conferring of medallions. Students must register attendance to receive tickets. A formal invitation will be sent to all graduating Honors College seniors in mid-June.

Additional details/information regarding the Honors College Medallion Ceremony will be added as the program is finalized.

Download the Honors College Digital Program!

Caroline Ryan ('20)

Caroline Ryan is from Mechanicsville, Virginia and has earned dual degrees in Dance and Communication Studies with a minor in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies. For five semesters, she worked as a Peer Consultant in the University Writing Center, where she tutored fellow Dukes on all types of written assignments. Considering herself both a student and artist, Caroline helped found the JMU chapter of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts, which engages Dance majors in both artistic and scholarly pursuits. Caroline also held an executive position in Dance Theatre, the program’s social and service club, and served as co-artistic director of the 2020 Senior Dance Concert. As an Honors College Member, Caroline spent two semesters teaching Honors 100, the first-year Honors seminar, with a fellow teaching assistant. This past summer, she was one of five counselors at the JMU Summer Honors Institute, where she engaged high schoolers in special Honors courses. She also recently completed her Honors Capstone Project through her Communications major, which consisted of a study of JMU students’ sexual health beliefs.

Lynette Chappell-Williams, J.D. will be the honored guest speaker at the fourth Honors College Medallion Ceremony. Lynette is the Chief Diversity Officer for Penn State Health, Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion as well as Instructor for the Hershey College of Medicine.

Tammy Steele
Email: steeletm@jmu.edu
Phone: 540-568-7728