Lincoln University Celebrates Top Academic Achievements at 2024 Honors Convocation

Honors Convocation recognizes students’ top achievements of the year.

Lincoln University students, faculty, staff, family and friends celebrated the achievements of the university’s top academic students at the 2024 Honors Convocation at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 25 in Mitchell Auditorium, Richardson Fine Arts Center on the LU campus.

Held annually in the spring, the Honors Convocation recognizes students’ top achievements of the year. Each school and department honors Lincoln’s best and brightest for their work and awards scholarships to encourage and support students as they continue fulfilling their academic mission and Lincoln.

Lincoln University President Dr. John Moseley congratulates students for their top academic achievements this academic year.

In his remarks, Lincoln University President Dr. John B. Moseley acknowledged the academic excellence of approximately 300 LU students.

“Today is a day we honor the exceptional work of our students throughout this academic year,” Dr. Moseley says. “I offer my congratulations to each student being recognized at this Honors Convocation. Your dedication, passion and unwavering commitment to academics have not only distinguished you among your peers but have also set a standard of excellence for the entire Lincoln University community.”

Student Speaker Ari Starks shares encouragement with fellow students.

Ari Starks, a senior majoring in psychology with a minor in communication studies, served as the Honors Convocation student speaker. Throughout his time at Lincoln, Starks has maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average, has served as a peer mentor for the Honors Program and has been a tutor at the Academic Success Center for the past three years. This fall, Starks will pursue a Ph.D. in counseling psychology at Howard University.

“Even if it doesn’t seem like it, people do recognize greatness when they see it — looking across this room, it is teeming with it,” Starks says. “If no one has told you today, you have value, you matter, you are outstanding people. The brightest minds and people teeming with untapped success are here today. I see a room full of future judges, advocates, politicians, nurses, engineers, scientists, doctors, etc., and maybe a couple of psychologists, too, I hope.”

Dr. Stevie Lawrence II, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, greets the 300 outstanding academic students at Honors Convocation.

Offering more than 35 different degree programs for associate, undergraduate and graduate degrees, Lincoln University is known for its supportive academic environment, including academic coaching and small class sizes to ensure students receive personalized attention and support. Lincoln also offers flat-rate tuition, financial aid and scholarship support to help students succeed. For more information on academic life at Lincoln University, please visit https://www.lincolnu.edu/web/academics/academics.

“Ultimately, this program is more than just a certificate to put on your wall or something to add to your resume — it can be a quintessential part of who you are and where you will go,” Starks says. “Even though I must depart soon, Lincoln will always be my home. And as you are endowed today, I hope you can say the same.”

The 2024 LU Honors Convocation is available to watch on Lincoln University of Missouri’s YouTube channel.