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For Dominic Minatel ’25 commencement weekend was not only a celebration of his accomplishments, it was a long-awaited reveal. Walking the stage as an Honors Laureate from the John V. Roach Honors College and earning his degrees in religion from the AddRan College of Liberal Arts and communication studies from the Bob Schieffer College of Communication, he disclosed to a packed Schollmaier Arena that he is also known as SuperFrog.

The week before finals, inside the debate chamber of Scharbauer Hall, Roach Honors students gathered for two high stakes debates, each lasting over 9 hours. At the end of each debate, students would make decisions that would carry real-world implications and impact lives across the Fort Worth community.

The culminating event of Roach Honors Week is the Roach Honors Banquet, an evening dedicated to celebrating academic excellence. This formal dinner brings together Roach Honors College students, faculty, and staff to recognize outstanding student achievements. During the banquet, students are honored with scholarships and awards, including the announcement of the Boller Competition winner and the presentation of the Professor of the Year award.

Eighteen students in the John V. Roach Honors College spent their spring break studying abroad on Cultural Routes: Berlin. Designed for first-year Roach Honors College students and guided by Assistant Dean Marie Martinez and Wassenich Family Dean Ron Pitcock, Cultural Routes asked participants to study the sights, sounds, history and culture of Germany’s capital.

Diarra Niang is traveling across the globe for her research, putting herself at the heart of becoming an ethical leader in a global society. The John V. Roach Honors College sophomore, studying business information systems in the Neeley School of Business and international economics in the AddRan College of Liberal Arts, traveled to Nairobi, Kenya over spring break. There, she attended the Yale Model African Union Conference and conducted research for her honors thesis titled “Youth Perspectives on Free Trade and Economic Integration in Africa.”

John V. Roach Honors College student Lexie Woodall is diving deep into the past, focusing on the infamous Salem Witch Trials in her long-form creative fiction project titled “Women Like Us.” Woodall, a senior majoring in writing with a minor in creative writing in the AddRan College of Liberal Arts, blends historical fiction with academic research to uncover the layers of history surrounding the persecution of women during the 17th century.

Andrea Salazar is an international student from Nicaragua and a scholar in the John V. Roach Honors College, Salazar is a senior majoring in speech-language pathology in the Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences and minoring in child development, a cross-discipline minor housed in the College of Science & Engineering. A recipient of an Honors Undergraduate Research Grant, she is exploring effective interventions for bilingual students with learning disabilities.

Students in the John V. Roach Honors College Community Service student led organization are spending their time volunteering across Dallas-Fort Worth. In total they have logged over 458 hours for the 2024-2025 academic school year.

The Fogelson Honors Forum, hosted by the John V. Roach Honors College is a distinguished lecture series that brings together students, faculty, and the Fort Worth community for discussions with influential leaders. This year's Fogelson Honors Forum speaker was world renowned chef and humanitarian José Andrés. José shared his journey, philosophies and impact, leaving a profound impression on attendees.