Dean's Honor Society

The Dean's Honor Society (DHS) recognizes exceptional Gallatin sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have demonstrated academic excellence and a commitment to academic and civic engagement. DHS serves both to recognize excellent Gallatin students and to enrich their experiences at NYU.

Members participate in academic seminars, cultural activities, and international trips with Gallatin deans and faculty members. Faculty members also facilitate career networking with Gallatin alumni and mentor students on career and graduate school goals.  Members have not only shown excellence in their academic work but have contributed significantly to the Gallatin, NYU, and New York City communities through their commitment to community service.

Year-Long Program

Throughout the academic year, DHS members explore a scholarly theme through bi-weekly meetings with a Gallatin faculty mentor. The majority of DHS activities take place during this time, although some activities such as dinners, performances, and overnight trips may occur at other times. DHS members must attend and participate in all DHS functions.

Examples of DHS Activities:

• Programs on topics ranging from globalization to the information revolution, and from the intellectual autobiographies of faculty to the meaning of interdisciplinarity
• Walking tours of Little India in Queens and Chinatown in Manhattan
• Visits to museums, dance performances, musical performances, and other cultural events
• Volunteering at a local farm to better understand their process and community impact

International Travel

DHS members join the Gallatin faculty mentor and a program administrator to explore the yearly theme through international travel, typically over Spring Break. Upon return, group members prepare a project based on their explorations and share it with the Gallatin community.
 

2023-2024: "Art and Politics in Senegal"
Faculty Mentor: Steve Duncombe
Destination: Senegal

Past DHS travel locations and themes:

• Austria & Czech Republic: "Arts, Politics, and Society in Habsburg Lands"
• Cyprus: "Arts and Activism"
• Portugal: "The Lisbon Earthquake and the Question of Optimism" (group did not travel)
  
• New Zealand: "The Simple Life"
• Iceland: "The Edge of the World"
  
• France: "Crossroads of History"
  
• Ecuador: "Galápagos and Ecuador: Environment, Ecology, and Human Use"
• England: "London as a Model 21st-Century Global City"
  
• Bulgaria: "Sofia: A City's Memory"
• Senegal: "Global Urbanism: Development, Environment, and Social Movements in the Postcolonial City"
• Prague: "Social Movements"
• Greece: "Ancient Texts in the Modern World"
• Ireland: "Mythology in History and Literature"

View photos from recent DHS trips!

Selection Process and Requirements

Gallatin sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have a GPA of at least 3.85 are invited to apply for DHS during the spring semester. Selection is based on a student's academic record, his/her demonstrated interest in global matters, and his/her commitment to civic engagement.

Once accepted to the program, DHS members are expected to:

• Earn a minimum semester GPA of 3.5 during each term of membership.
• Register for and participate actively in their group’s bi-weekly DHS seminar, which is 0 credits and graded on a "Pass/Fail" basis. The majority of group activities take place during these meeting times, although some activities such as dinners and performances may occur at other times. 
• Contribute toward the cost of travel (special provisions such as payment plans are available if financial circumstances warrant; please do not let financial concerns prevent you from applying).

For more information, contact Gallatin's Office of the Associate Dean of Students at gallatin.deanofstudents@nyu.edu or 212.992.6300.

Past Years' Projects

• Scholarly essays and creative reflections in Gallatin's Mosaic publication and on Gallatin's online platform,
  Confluence
• "Sofia: City as Memory," an exhibition of photos and written pieces from the 2014 trip: