Paul Garbarino

Current position: Economist

Where I’m from: Utica, Michigan

Within the first week of my honors Introduction to Critical Thinking course, I knew I was going to thrive in BGSU’s Honors College. Contrary to traditional college courses with multiple choice tests and monotonous lectures, honors classes employ an innovative Socratic method of teaching that emphasizes engaging discussions, analytical writing, and critical thinking. As someone who would much rather write and talk than take multiple choice exams, BGSU’s Honors College was the perfect place for my academic and professional growth.

The Honors College opened doors for me I never could have foreseen. Through Honors, I became speaker of the senate for the undergraduate student government, won several scholarships and awards, and—most importantly—made some of my closest friends today. I also largely attribute my career success to the Honors College—my Honors experience helped me land my internship with the FBI that led to full-time employment after graduation.

My primary advice for incoming honors students is to apply yourself. Get involved as much as possible with service and extracurricular activities; develop close relationships with your professors; and seek out scholarship, research, and internship opportunities. While graduating with Honors alone will help you obtain scholarships, enter top graduate schools, and find fulfilling careers, it’s up to you to make the most of BGSU by getting involved and putting yourself out there!