FCLC Honors Program Junior Year Experience

For Greg Afinogenov, a junior in the honors program whose interests include literature, poetry, social thought and punk rock, the library is the ultimate resource. “It’s the most powerful tool you have to make yourself a better, smarter, wiser human being,” he says. “I’m fascinated with the human knack for telling stories about the past … to answer the question: What do we do now, in the third millennium?” Born in Moscow, Russia, Afinogenov, a history major, will spend the spring semester studying in Paris, France. “The close interaction I’ve had with my Fordham professors has sharpened my analytical skills,” he says, “and conversations with my honors-program classmates have enriched my work."

“As you get to know the group, you grow very comfortable participating in seminar-style classes that make up freshman and sophomore years. By the time you are a junior, participating thoughtfully and confidently becomes almost second nature. While it may not feel like you are actively participating in the honors program during your third year, the self-assurance that you gained through the program will help you distinguish yourself in your other classes and/or internships.” Marina Recio, Class of 2016.

During your junior year, you will have even greater freedom to develop your honors curriculum in discussions with your faculty adviser.

Junior honors students can fulfill the third-year requirements by completing one of the following:

• One semester of study abroad. (Recent honors students have enrolled in programs in China, India, Ghana, England, France, Italy, and Ireland.)
• One-term or full-year tutorial with a faculty member.
• One-term or full-year community-based learning project.
• One-term or full-year internship. Most internships are related to a student’s major field of study and often lead to post graduation career opportunities.

“I am so grateful that the condensed core of the honors program has allowed me to spend my junior year in El Salvador and Spain. As an international political economy/theology double major and Spanish minor, my time abroad has given me invaluable opportunities that aren't available at Fordham's campus. I spend my days speaking Spanish with new friends who have been speaking it their entire lives. I read about the history of liberation theology in Latin America and then travel to the Salvadoran campo to see it in action. I can study the politics and economies of Europe and Latin America in books, or I can walk outside and see how these systems affect people in their daily lives. I am quickly developing into a global citizen and finding out what I am passionate about. I am thankful that the honors program has given me the freedom and the resources to do this.” Nicholas Endo, Class of 2016