‘I have learned and gained so much’: ϲ salutes student achievement as graduation day nears

by ϲ News

A student receives an award from President Milton Moreland at the 2023 Honors Convocation.

ϲ’s annual celebration of student achievements was held on Tuesday, May 2, in Newlin Hall at the Norton Center for the Arts. The Honors Convocation featured addresses by senior keynote speakers, Weston Brown and Melissa Perello, who were selected by the graduating class of 2023.

Brown, a Kansas City, Missouri, native, came to ϲ on a James Graham Brown Fellowship. As a philosophy and history double major, he has held positions in student organizations such as the Student Government Association, Student Judiciary, the John Marshall Harlan pre-Law Society, Beta Theta Pi and Phi Beta Kappa. After graduation, Brown plans to attend Columbia Law School in New York City pursuing a J.D. 

Weston Brown '23 spoke at the 2023 Honors Convocation
Weston Brown '23

In his remarks, Brown spoke about how the simple act of talking has helped him immensely during his time at ϲ.

“In my time as a Colonel, I have talked to some of the most incredible people I will ever have the pleasure of meeting,” Brown said. “I’ve asked questions during lectures that taught me more than I thought possible. I’ve had conversations that have impacted my personhood on a fundamental level.

“By speaking with with this amazing community of intelligent, kind, warm individuals, I have learned and gained so much.”

Read Brown’s full address here:

Perello is a Behavioral Neuroscience major and Bonner Scholar from Louisville. She volunteers at the After School Program as a parent contact and with Centro Latino, where she works with the local Latino community. She is the president of the BNS/PSY club and is the “senior-at-large” for the Pre-Health Society. After graduation, Perello plans to take a gap year in her hometown to work as a CNA  and case manager for a pharmaceutical company. 

Melissa Perello '23
Melissa Perello '23