<p>We are thrilled that our DS received an invitation for the Honors Convocation February 28th. We are probably going to attend. Anyone who has attended before either as a parent or student-- please let me know how you liked it, if there's any special place you should sit, how early to get there, etc. It's at Carnegie Music Hall-- which I'm excited to see as I haven't been there yet. </p>
<p>DS also received the invite. Any idea if it is worth a five hour drive and a hotel stay. Our son is not so interested in attending. :)</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about it but I guess your sons are going to receive an award. Looks pretty prestigious. My daughter’s never gotten one but I’d happily make the 8 hour trip from NY if she did. Congratulations!</p>
<p>Thanks! It’s a five hour drive for us but I really feel like we’d regret it if we don’t go. DS is finding out tomorrow what exactly why he’s asked to attend. I believe it’s related to some things he’s done within the School of Pharmacy. A Nobel Laureate is speaking and it will be Nordy’s last Convocation so I’m thinking it will be special!</p>
<p>My husband is driving 8 hours to go! Always nice to have the chance to visit Pittsburgh. It’s a short 4 years for most of our kids, so we don’t want to regret missing anything.</p>
<p>Gonna be the party pooper here and say that the Honors Convocation- while nice- is not really worth the drive in my opinion. You get invited for one of two reasons:</p>
<p>1) Top 10% of junior class/5% of senior class (Those numbers may be a bit off, may be 8 and 5, I forget)
2) Special scholarship awardee (i.e. you are getting a scholarship from an alumnus of your department, etc.)</p>
<p>RARE 2.5) You are in a special honors society (ex. Lambda Sigma officer for sophomores).</p>
<p>The ceremony itself: About 2 hours long, a few people give speeches (Nordy, the guest of honor, plus a student or two). Only one or two students “walk the stage” to receive a special award, these are “big name” students who have done some sort of amazing work or contribution to the school while still being a good scholar (something like junior of the year or so, I forget the details…)</p>
<p>Everyone else is recognized as a massive group, that is you just stand up for your “type” of award, everyone claps, and you sit back down in your seat.</p>
<p>The plus side of attending:</p>
<p>–You get a booklet with your name in it
–Sometimes the speakers are cool
–The after-ceremony “banquet” (heavy hors d’oeuvres) in the Cathedral has great food</p>
<p>A lot of students will go and parents do show up. Mine never bothered because it was (for me) a ceremony for something I had already gotten and needed to stay in college (i.e. I was under a scholarship from an alumnus that made attending Pitt possible, nothing new or exciting for them). In their opinion, not worth the 4 hour driving and taking a day off of work (because the event is on a Friday) and getting a hotel.</p>
<p>BUT anyways if you are into that sort of thing, do go! I did attend as a student myself, it was a nice event to go to, but my parents never bothered to go with me. (I should mention however, beyond moving me in and out every year, my parents have only visited twice (besides graduation) in the 6 years I’ve been here, so maybe they’re an outlier).</p>
<p>DS was invited to attend but we never went. We would have gone but he wasn’t interested in attending. I must say we have visited Pitt more than Awesome’s parents but the amount of visits dwindled as the years progress. We had stayed enough nights at the Holiday Inn (now the Wyndham) on campus to get free nights there!!! Do they still include the ribbon in the invitation?</p>
<p>@MTnest yes he got a ribbon and found out today that his recognition is because he received the honors scholarship. We LOVE to visit Pittsburgh and we do the Marriott points so the Residence Inn on Bigelow is our hotel of choice. Since it’s Nordy’s last event that we would be attending, and there is Nobel Laureate speaking, I think we’ll still go.
Thanks AO for the input! </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Not a problem! I definitely think it’s an interesting event to attend if you’ve never been (why is why I myself attended) but my parents couldn’t justify the trip ever. Hopefully the weather improves enough that you can enjoy your time here! Have fun!</p>