The Honors College held a Palentine’s Day pancake dinner at the Honor House at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 13 as a way to encourage community bonding within the Honors College as well as a way to welcome those who might be considering joining in their junior year.

The event consisted of eating freshly cooked pancakes that could be garnished with a variety of toppings from chocolate chips to whipped cream as well as a game of get-to-know-you bingo.

The attendees of the Palentine’s Day celebration consisted of a mixture of different majors and classifications from both inside the Honors College and out. Kelley Gonzalez, a sophomore English major and a member of the Honors College, described the event as a friendly Valentine’s Day celebration that started this year.

“We’re starting to try out new things and see how many people we can get to come look at the Honors College because we aren’t that big, and we don’t make up that much of the Southern Miss community,” Gonzalez said. “We just want to be welcoming with open arms and show people what we actually are besides just the scholars and the nerdy kids.”

Many of those at the event who are not currently in the Honors College were mingling with the Honors community and getting a feel for whether they wanted to join.

Freshman accounting major, who was scouting out the Honors College, Shaye Hyer had a positive view of the Honors College based on the event and is considering joining.

“It seems like a great experience,” Hyer said. “Everyone is very nice. You get to meet new friends, get to know new people, get involved and get scholarships if you join. So I really like it.”

Members of the Honors College were also trying to give people insight about the program as well as mingling and building bonds within their own community while enjoying the pancake dinner.

Senior forensic science major and one of the organizers of the event Natalie Hosch described her experience being a part of the Honors College.

“The Honors College has done so much more for me than I ever expected it to. When I was looking at what university I was going to go to as a senior in high school, I knew I wanted some place where I was going to feel at home, and when I came to the Honors College, I felt that,” Hosch said. “Being a part of the Honors College Leadership Council and planning events like this has tremendously helped with my leadership skills and being able to talk to people, and I have made so many friends that I definitely would not have known otherwise.”

She also gave words of advice to those that are currently sophomores or incoming juniors that may be considering joining the Honors College.

“I would talk to your friends that are in the Honors College, specifically juniors and seniors who are going through that thesis writing process because that’s what you’re going to be doing,” Hosch said. “If you don’t know any juniors and seniors, just come by the Honor House. The door is always open, from nine to five. There’s always someone in here that can put you in contact with the right people. Also just don’t be afraid of it; it’s definitely a lot more work than not being in the Honors College, but it’s so rewarding.”