AMHERST, N.Y. – Daemen College has opened its first-ever dedicated honors facility, dubbed Honors House, located in a newly renovated home near the college’s Getzville Road entrance. The facility will serve as a study and communal space specifically for Honors Program students.

The one-story building is now home to the Honors Program Office, which was previously housed in Curtis Hall, and is open to all honors students. It features a renovated kitchen, new furnishings, an honors lounge, and many amenities, including high-speed Internet and Wifi access.

“Honors House offers our high-achieving students an ideal setting for academic engagement and a place where they can study, relax, and come together as a learning community,” said Daemen President Gary A. Olson.

The more than 1,800-square-foot ranch-style property was purchased by Daemen early this year and incorporated into the campus proper. Work on converting the space into Honors House was completed over the summer to allow for its use at the start of the fall semester.

The Daemen Honors Program is designed to meet the intellectual needs of the college’s best students, who participate in advanced study through honors courses and special learning experiences and research opportunities. Open to students from every department, the program strives to merge academic and social elements of the college experience at Daemen into one community of student scholars.

“Moving the Honors Program to this new location exemplifies the value and distinction of being a part of a special educational experience at the highest academic level,” said Dr. Michael Brogan, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college. “This project is a great example of re-purposing an existing building into communal space where honors students can connect with their peers in a setting that supports their academic exploration.”

Dr. Matthew Ward, director of the Honors Program, pointed out that Honors House will encourage more shared experiences among Daemen honors students.

“The new Honors House and relocation of the Dr. Peter A. Siedlecki Honors Lounge will provide our honors students a wonderful space to explore their own intellectual curiosities, prepare presentations for national or regional conferences, and form strong bonds with their fellow students and faculty in a close-knit learning community,” said Ward.

Mackenzie Pye of Brockport, a dual major in physical therapy and Spanish, is among the first group of Honors Program students to use the new space.         

“The addition of Honors House demonstrates that Daemen truly cares and supports the success of its Honors Program students,” said Pye. “As soon as I enter the building, I immediately feel comfortable and appreciate having a space like this available for honors students. I’m proud to be a part of this great college community.”