On Wednesday, October 29, the Columbia GS Honor Society inducted 225 new members in a ceremony held in Low Memorial Library. Students celebrated their academic achievements with their peers and faculty who supported them. This semester, the ceremony also included the inaugural Honor Society awards for outstanding faculty, chosen by current members of the honor society.
Dean Caroline Marvin was proud to announce the first recipients of the Honor Society Faculty Awards. This semester’s recipients were Adam Reich, Professor of Sociology, and Lu Kuo, Director Of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of East Asian Languages and Culture.
Next, Dean Rosen-Metsch introduced the keynote speaker, Atti Worku ‘14GS. Worku started at GS as a fashion model and founder of nonprofit Seeds of Africa.The organization provides access to high quality education to children living in poverty in Adama, Ethiopia, Worku’s hometown. Her GS experience helped her better articulate the challenges she witnessed in her community and their connection to larger global issues. Now, she serves as Co-CEO of the African Collaborative, a global fund dedicated to supporting African organizations.
During her speech, Worku highlighted that the work she pursues is rooted in her own journey and fueled by all that GS gave her. She empowered the inductees, saying "Reinvention isn’t about leaving behind who you were. It’s about carrying forward every version of yourself — every risk, every pivot, every identity — and letting those experiences shape who you are becoming.”
Congratulations to all the inductees for their remarkable achievements and dedication to scholarship!
About the GS Honor Society
Established in the late 1990s, the GS Honor Society was created by students to bring together the highest academic performers at GS. More than a recognition of excellence, it fosters a dynamic community that engages in intellectual discovery beyond the classroom. Throughout the year, the GS Honor Society offers events and opportunities for students, alumni, and faculty to connect and collaborate.
