75 Years of the FCRH Honors Program

Founded in 1950, the Honors Program at FCRH is celebrating its 75th anniversary during the 2025-2026 academic year. 

An exhibit showcasing the program’s rich history is on display in the Special Collections Exhibit Hall of the Walsh Library in the spring of 2026. This exhibit draws upon items from the University’s Archives and Special Collection. Exhibition items range from Fordham University yearbooks and Fordham Ram newspaper articles to Honors Program print material and photographs, spanning the period from the early 1950s to the present day. The varied collection serves as a testament to the Honors Program’s growth within Fordham and the University’s transformation over time – preserving valuable historical items to display for all in the Fordham community to appreciate.

Since its inception, the Honors Program has placed great emphasis on academic rigor, study abroad experiences, and a sense of community. Meanwhile, the exhibit demonstrates how the Honors Program’s student body evolved from a select group of male students in the 1950s to a diverse group of students from across the United States and around the world in the 2020s. Moreover, the exhibit demonstrates that the Honors curriculum has always been rooted in Jesuit values, yet has been revised over time to foster a community of scholars for justice.

This exhibit was curated by Emily Caro (FCRH’28), Honors Program administrator, Gabriella DiMeglio, Archives and Special Collections Manager at Fordham University Library, and Olena Nikolayenko, Professor of Political Science and the FCRH Honors Program director. The Honors Program thanks Linda LoSchiavo, Director of Libraries, and other Walsh Library staff for their support of this project.