AUSTIN, Texas—Scholastic excellence will be celebrated at The University of Texas at Austin on April 13 when junior and senior students who meet the criteria and maintain grade-point averages of 3.5 or above are recognized during the 54th Annual Honors Day Convocation.
The 2 p.m. celebration in Bass Concert Hall, 23rd Street and East Campus Drive, will honor 4,932 College Scholars who have maintained a grade-point average of from 3.5 to 3.9 and 456 Distinguished College Scholars who have maintained a perfect 4.0 grade-point average.
The ceremony, which is free and open to the public, will include an academic procession, heraldic banners, inspirational messages and celebratory music. In honor of the students, the Main Building Tower will be lighted orange during the evening.
The convocation address will be delivered by Charles Ramirez Berg, a University Distinguished Teaching Professor and associate professor in the Department of Radio-Television-Film. President Larry R. Faulkner will provide introductory and closing remarks and Executive Vice President and Provost Sheldon Ekland-Olson will lead in the recognition of college scholars and distinguished scholars.
Professor Rolando Hinojosa-Smith, who has served as university marshal much of the past decade, will present the university mace to incoming University Marshal Minette E. Drumwright.
Students participating in the University-wide Honors Day ceremony will receive distinctive orange-and-white honors cords they may wear at their future graduation ceremonies. A complete list of the scholars to be recognized may be viewed at the Honors Day Web site.
Introduced in 1948, Honors Day is the occasion when students who have achieved academic excellence are honored by administrative officials, academic deans and members of the faculty. It is an important prelude to spring commencement ceremonies, on May 17-18.
Held for the first time on April 2, 1949, in Hogg Memorial Auditorium, Honors Day was initiated under President Theophilius S. Painter “to recognize those students who have excelled in scholastic work.”
