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Honors and Awards

Graduation with Honors

At Commencement, baccalaureate degrees with honors will be conferred on students who have earned a minimum of 90 credits at the Undergraduate College as follows:

  • Summa cum laude on students who have a cumulative index of 3.9
  • Magna cum laude on students who have a cumulative index of 3.7
  • Cum laude on students who have a cumulative index of 3.5

Graduation with Honors for Transfer Students

  1. If transfer students have earned 90 credits for the BA or 96 credits for the BS (exclusive of challenge exams and experiential learning credits) at the University of Mount Saint Vincent, and have maintained cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or above at the University of Mount Saint Vincent, they are eligible for graduation with honors.
  2. If transfer students have not taken 90 credits for the BA or 96 credits for the BS of their credits for graduation (120-126) at the University of Mount Saint Vincent, their cumulative index for all courses accepted in transfer must be the equivalent of requirements for honors distinction at Mount Saint Vincent cumulative index in order to graduate with honors. (That is, students’ transfer credit index as well as the index earned at the University of Mount Saint Vincent must equal the minimum requirements for honors distinction.)
  3. Students who have met the requirements for a second baccalaureate degree and satisfy the requirements listed in A and B above will receive the following distinction:
  • Summa cum laude on students who have a cumulative index of 3.9
  • Magna cum laude on students who have a cumulative index of 3.7
  • Cum laude on students who have a cumulative index of 3.5

Delta Epsilon Sigma National Honor Society

Membership in this society is accorded to students with an overall grade index of 3.6 or better and no failures. Students are eligible to become members when they have completed at least half of their credit requirements for a baccalaureate degree. Transfer students must have completed at least one-half of their total credits at the University of Mount Saint Vincent with an index of 3.6 or better to be eligible.

Honor Societies

The following honor societies have chapters on campus:

  • Alpha Kappa Delta (Sociology)
  • Alpha Mu Gamma (Modern Languages)
  • Beta Beta Beta (Biology)
  • Chi Alpha Sigma (Athletic Honor Society)
  • Delta Epsilon Sigma
  • Delta Mu Delta (Business Administration)
  • Gamma Sigma Epsilon (Chemistry and Biochemistry)
  • Kappa Delta Pi (Education
  • Kappa Gamma Pi (Catholic Honor Society)
  • Lambda Pi Eta (Communication)
  • Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economics)
  • Phi Alpha Theta (History)
  • Psi Chi (Psychology)
  • Sigma Tau Delta (English)
  • Sigma Theta Tau (Nursing)
  • Sigma Xi (Scientific Research)
  • Theta Alpha Kappa (Religious Studies)

Awards and Medals

  • Susanne Breckel, R.S.M. Memorial Award – awarded to the outstanding communication major.
  • Margaret Broderick Memorial Award – Founded by Bishop Edwin B. Broderick in memory of his mother. Awarded to an outstanding psychology major.
  • Patrick J. Broderick Memorial Award – founded by Bishop Edwin B. Broderick in memory of his father. Awarded to an outstanding student in teacher education.
  • Marjorie Connelly Award – founded by the administration, faculty and students in memory of a former Director of Continuing Education. Awarded to an undergraduate student matriculating through the College of Professional and Graduate Studies for outstanding academic achievement.
  • Terence Cardinal Cooke Memorial Award – founded by the Archdiocese of New York. Awarded to the senior who has maintained the highest scholastic standing during the four-year collegiate course.
  • Saint John XXIII Award – Founded by Cardinal Spellman in 1963. Awarded for responsible campus leadership.
  • Sister Francis Dolores Covella Writing Award – awarded to the student who submits the best research paper in the core writing course.
  • Kathleen P. Knowles Award – founded by faculty, alumnae/alumni and friends of the Department of Nursing in honor of the former Academic Vice President. Awarded to a student in nursing for outstanding academic achievement.
  • Solange Bruneau Mally Memorial Award – founded by Michelle Mally in memory of her mother, an alumna and a former faculty member in French. Awarded to an outstanding French Studies or Spanish major.
  • Kathryn Magaziner Award – founded by Kathryn Magaziner, an alumna of the University, who was a communication specialist and television executive in New York City. This award recognizes leadership skills, involvement in extra curricular activities, and scholastic achievement by a communication student.
  • The Marketsmith, Inc. Award for Entrepreneurship – founded by Monica C. Smith ’90, President and CEO of Marketsmith Inc., a multichannel marketing company. Conferred to students in the University’s Department of Accounting, Business, and Economics, the award promotes entrepreneurship among college students by encouraging them to submit business proposals, judged by a panel of alumnae/i entrepreneurs.
  • Joseph McGoldrick Memorial Award – founded by Ann Nugent McGoldrick ’27, in memory of her husband, Dr. Joseph McGoldrick. Awarded to an outstanding biology major.
  • Margaret Catterson McKee Award – founded by Joseph V. McKee, former Mayor of New York City, in memory of his mother. Awarded for volunteer service both on and off campus.
  • Elizabeth Marian Murray, S.C. Award – founded by the English faculty of the University in memory of its former Chair and Professor of English. Awarded for excellence in writing.
  • Kimberly Kennedy Sgammato Award – founded by Joseph Sgammato, Class of 1993, in memory of his wife Kimberly, Class of 1994. This award recognizes excellence, creativity, and technical expertise in the field of communication.
  • Doris Smith, S.C. Award – founded by the faculty, administration, and staff in honor of the former University president. Awarded to the student with the highest index in the Core Curriculum.
  • Dr. Mary C. Stuart Award – founded by the administration, faculty, and staff of Mount Saint Vincent to commemorate Dr. Stuart’s inauguration as President of the University. Awarded to an outstanding history major.
  • Marjorie Walsh, S.C. Memorial Award – founded by friends and former students of Marjorie Walsh, S.C., and is awarded to an outstanding English major. It is given to the student with the highest grade point average. Consideration is also given to the student who has contributed the most to the life of the Department of English.