’25 ‘27 Daphne Poirier 1st Place APEX in 2025 Sigma Xi Research Exhibition 

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Congratulations to Daphne Poirier (‘25 CHM BS, ‘27 CHM MS) for winning first place in the undergraduate 2025 Sigma Xi Research Exhibition! Her winning Honors APEX research, “Redox Mediated Flow Battery Systems: Next Generation Energy Storage” with Dr. Patrick Cappillino exemplifies her passion for the Master of Science in Chemistry she is currently pursuing at UMass Dartmouth.  

During her undergraduate years exploring Chemistry with minors in Biochemistry and Sustainability, Poirier worked in Dr. Cappillino’s lab with research funding from the Honors College, an initiative that the Honors College employs to support students and their faculty in growing their research acumen and scope.  

The Honors College is proud of Poirier and all the amazing Honors Scholars’ work presented at this year’s exhibition. Read more about the wonderful research shared on Sigma Xi’s page here. 

Daphne Poirier Profile Photo

Banachek Mind Games: The Psychic-Debunking Mentalist

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This past September of Fall 2024, the Honors College invited the world’s leading mentalist Banachek to the UMass Dartmouth stage! Named “The World’s Greatest Mind Reader”, Banachek uses his knowledge to expose psychic frauds and explain the psychological manipulation that misleads the public. Banachek hosted a pre-show lecture for students where he led them through his journey working with scientific skeptic James Randi debunking pseudoscientific claims and proving such tactics to university scientists.  

His evening performance invited students to become an active participant in his teaching and performance- from tricking one’s senses to successfully parsing which volunteer held a real knife within randomly arranged envelopes (which they tested on him to be sure)!  

Guests came away from the event with a fascination for subliminal psychology and a healthy dose of skepticism for the world around them.  The Honors College encourages those curious to read more about Banachek’s Mind Games at Banacheck.com. 

Group photo of attendees and Banachek at the Mind Games presentation

Honors Faculty Douglas Roscoe Recieves 2025 Manning Prize for Excellence in Teaching

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The Honors College is proud to congratulate Political Science and Honors Faculty Professor Douglas Roscoe for receiving the 2025 Manning Prize for Excellence in Teaching! This awards is given to one faculty member from each UMass campus who showcase true dedication to their students, teaching acumen, and community at large.

Roscoe has continuously exemplified these passions through his work in the Honors College and political science courses, asking students to widen their perspectives through creative, research-based applications that encourage growth as scholars and as people. These courses include those taught through the Honors College, such as HON 202 Promise of Democratic Equality and HON 101 Reasoning and Communicating across the Disciplines.

Beyond the classroom, Roscoe has also hosted a trip to Washington D.C. where Honors students talked with Congressmen Keating, met local Honors alumni, and got an in-depth look into their future fields. Roscoe values the impact involved faculty can have on students, stating:

“These outstanding instructors are critical for providing the kind of transformative liberal education that UMass is known for. My college experience had a powerful impact on me, and that was largely because of great teachers. My hope is that I can help my students have the same experience.”

His dedication extends to serving as the Director of General Education targeting student success and development, as well as his multiple published works on political behavior and process.

Read more about Roscoe’s motivations on the UMassD News page here.

Political Science Honors Faculty Douglas Roscoe Profile

Congratulations to our 2025 Student Leadership Honors Awardees 

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The Honors College takes great pride in recognizing our Honors Scholars not only for their academic excellence, but also for their passion in serving and uplifting their community! Several Honors students were named among the 2025 Student Leadership Awards highlighting those who have displayed outstanding engagement on campus. 

Navigating Leadership Recognition  

  • Logan Wornham, ‘25 Psychology & Sociology and Anthropology BA 
  • Jojo Bostick, ‘25 Management BS 

Student Government Association Awards 

  • Kinu Takasugi, ‘25 Political Science BA, Senator(s) of the Year 
  • Paula Mmamelu, ‘28 Nursing BS, Student Body Representative of the Year 

Donald C. Howard Pillars of the Community  

  • Leandro Neves, ‘25 Electrical Engineering BS 

Welcome & Greetings From the Dean

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Dear Honors College Alumni, Friends, and Students, 

The Honors College is pleased to present our Honors College News Blog! This site celebrates the connections, achievements, and growth within the UMass Dartmouth Honors community. The goal is to connect students, alumni, and friends. Exciting updates will be posted celebrating current student and faculty accomplishments, highlighting alumni successes, and reporting on happenings in the College. These articles will coincide with the publication of our Honors College Newsletter throughout the year, and further cover newsletter highlights alongside extra information! Alumni are encouraged to share career news at honors@info.umassd.edu so we can showcase your achievements and inspire future Honors leaders. 

I extend a special welcome to alumni who graduated prior to 2020 when the Honors Program gained state approval to become a college. We have seen remarkable growth in that time. Enrollment increased from 320 to 480 students, and the graduating class has more than doubled from 40 students per year to over 80.  New offerings have been added, such as a revamped core curriculum and course sequences in many different majors. We now have two full-time professional advisors, and an expanded student council. Our office in the beautiful Claire T. Carney library is a hub for students and faculty to meet. Students come by the office to chat, see their advisor, share good news, and take advantage of the snacks we offer all day. Faculty come by to work with our Faculty Director on exciting course offerings (they also like the snacks). Of course, students still enjoy the quiet, private Honors study space in the library. Honors has evolved into a vibrant, bustling college. You are invited to visit and learn about the developments the next time you are on campus.

My best wishes, 

— Amy Shapiro 

Honors College Dean