Honors Scholar Degree Designees: 2021-2022

The Honors Scholar Designation represents the highest distinction available through the Honors Program. It is only awarded to students who have completed 18 credit hours of Honors Courses (including at least one interdisciplinary learning community) while maintaining a G.P.A. of 3.25 or higher. Scroll down to learn more about this exceptional group of students.

+ Melanie Buskin + Paola Castro + Hanna Ibrahim + Parthvi Rana + Gina Roxas + Suha Saba + Kathryn Stangel + Zaid Syed + Chloe White +

I'm Melanie Paule Buskin (they/them), and I graduated in the spring of 2022 with an A.A. I've spent the last several years trying to "figure this all out" and plan to do so indefinitely. The next year will be dedicated to being happy, learning, pursuing hobbies and passions, and looking at schools that will suit my interests and needs. I'm interested in going to school to learn more about art history, Jewish cultural studies, gender and sexuality, environmental studies, and the medicinal use of psilocybin and other psychedelic substances for those living with PTSD and other major trauma and anxiety disorders. I would like a degree of my own design that includes humanities, fine arts and social sciences, so I may continue to create visual essays and poetry as a way of processing and sharing all that I learn. I love music, spending time in nature, reading and writing, cooking, art, and just generally getting to be a part of the human existence.

Scholarships and Awards: Honors Scholar Designation; Oakton Honors Peace and Social Justice Studies Award

Parthvi Rana

My name is Parthvi Rana, and I will receive my Associate of Science in Spring 2022. After graduating from Oakton, I plan to transfer to a 4-year university where I will continue to work towards a B.S. in Computer Science. My passion for computer science comes from the ever-expanding and robust technology we have today. I was able to explore my interests outside of my major through the Honors classes offered at Oakton. 

Scholarships and Awards: Honors Scholar Designation

My name is Paola Castro, and I received my Associates in Arts degree in Spring 2022 with concentrations in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) and Peace and Social Justice Studies. I will be transferring to Elmhurst University. As a first-generation student navigating school was incredibly hard, and I was lucky to find a community at Oakton that helped me navigate school and life. The Honors, ANDALE, and WGSS program allowed me to personalize my education, learn about the world around me, and connect with other students in my position. My participation in learning communities allowed me to create projects involving the Latino/a/x community. Some of my honors projects are: “Testimonio: A form of civic participation for non-citizens,” “An Exploration of the History of the LGBT identities in Colombia,” and “Art project inspired by the experience of undocumented individuals living in the U.S.”. My experience at Oakton gave me the confidence to move forward with my head held high, and the Elmhurst-Honors Transfer Scholarship is giving me the opportunity to continue my education.

Scholarships and Awards: Honors Scholar Designation; Oakton Honors Public Intellectual Award; Elmhurst-Oakton Honors Full-Tuition Transfer Scholarship

My name is Suha Saba. After two years of being at Oakton, I successfully obtained my Associates in Arts. I plan on transferring and pursuing my bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution in Healthcare Administration with a minor in Business. Afterwards, I endeavor to attain my Masters degree in a similar field.

Scholarships and Awards: Honors Scholar Designation

My name is Zaid Syed. I am a first-generation Asian American student, and for two years now, I have taken courses at Oakton in the pursuit of an Associates in Science degree. At Oakton, I have taken leadership positions in student organizations, such as Phi Theta Kappa and the Student Government Association. I have also taken part in the NSF-funded STEM Scholars Program and Oakton's Honors Program, and I have engaged in a number of projects at the school. Thanks to all of this, I am now transferring to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with the credits I have accumulated here at Oakton. At UNC, I intend to major in Biology and acquire my BS degree, while completing medical school prerequisites and partaking in additional extracurriculars. My short-term goals are to succeed in the MCAT and apply for medical school in the upcoming year in order to pursue my long-term dream of becoming a dermatologist.

 Scholarships and Awards: Honors Scholar Designation; Oakton Honors Student of the Year Award; Oakton Honors STEM Award

My name is Kathryn Stangel, and I am a Junior at Illinois State University. I transferred there from Oakton, and I am honored to receive this prestigious designation! I am pursuing secondary education for English teaching with a minor in Italian Studies. I recently got accepted into the honors program at ISU, and I know I couldn't have done it without the support of the honors program directors at Oakton. Here I have discovered my potential, and I look forward to translating the skills I've learned into the rest of my educational career.

Scholarships and Awards: Honors Scholar Designation

My name is Chloe White, and I will be receiving my Associate of Arts degree at the end of the Spring 2022 semester. Although I am unsure where yet, I will be transferring to a four-year university in the fall where I plan to major in Political Science. In high school, I became interested in philosophy and social justice, and I'm extremely grateful for the experiences I had at Oakton that allowed me to continue exploring both of these areas and develop new ways of viewing and thinking about the world. After I receive my undergraduate degree, I would like to continue my education in graduate school to pursue a degree in Philosophy.

 Scholarships and Awards: Honors Scholar Designation; Oakton Honors Philosophy Award