By Charisma Holly
One of the highest honors for a senior at Michigan State University is to be selected for Homecoming Court. These are student leaders who represent themselves, their class, and the university. This year, eight incredible Spartans in the Honors College are among those chosen.
Between rigorous classes and a wide variety of campus activities, these students illustrate that being a Spartan is about going above and beyond. Congratulations to the 2026 cohort.
Sarah Bejleri
Sarah Bejleri is a student in the Eli Broad College of Business studying economics with minors in data science, insurance and risk management, quantitative data analytics, and mathematics.
Bejleri has participated in the Honors College First Year Council and the UGS200H course. One of her favorite Honors memories was spending Thanksgiving with the International Scholars Advisory Board who catered for a small group of students from all over the world. In the warmest way possible, the Honors College was a space for the community to come together for the holidays.
“There was something about sitting around that table, far from home, surrounded by people who understood exactly what it felt like to miss family during the holidays, that made the meal feel less like a tradition we grew up with and more like one we were building together,” Bejleri said.
Anastasia Breen
Anastasia Breen is majoring in international relations through James Madison College and acting through the College of Arts and Letters with a minor in musical theatre, and another minor in science, technology, environment, and public policy.
For an Honors option, Breen analyzed how to revive a pre-1965 musical to uplift women’s voices. The process involved writing a research paper, completing script and score revisions, and performing a revised song for a class. This work paid off with a first-place award at the 2025 University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF).
“I have really appreciated the Honors College advising team and the work they do for students. Having access to specialized advisors while balancing multiple majors and minors has been instrumental to my success at MSU,” Breen said.
Roberto (Marcos) Garcia
Marcos Garcia is majoring in English and creative writing through the College of Arts and Letters and sociology through the College of Social Science with a minor in environmental social science.
Garcia has been a mentor for two first-year students through the Honors Navigators Peer Mentorship Program as well as a member of the Honors College student organization MOSAIC. Additionally, he earned second place in the 2026 Honors Giving Back Awards and was the 2026 Student Choice Award winner.
As a first-year student and later as a student presenter for the Distinguished Student Awards Office, Garcia has participated in the Honors Leadership Conference, which was a particularly special experience.
“It felt like a full-circle moment becoming the student speaker with experience talking to freshmen who likely felt like I did in freshman year, so I could relate to them and tell them wholeheartedly that they can make it,” said Garcia.
Maddie Hanes
Maddie Hanes is studying political science through the College of Social Science with a minor in law, justice, and public policy, and another minor in women’s and gender studies.
Hanes is incredibly involved on campus, including serving as president of the Associated Students of MSU. She says that her favorite part of being in the Honors College is the intentionality it adds to her studies.
“Creating Honors projects or taking more rigorous courses has added so much to my academic journey,” Hanes said.
Sumaiya Imad
Sumaiya Imad studies economics through the College of Social Science with minors in sociology and social science quantitative data analytics.
Imad has been incredibly engaged in the Honors College, participating in Honors College Green Teams and the Honors Navigators Peer Mentorship Program. She has worked for the college as a student administrator, served as a member of the Honors College Dean’s Advisory Council (HCDAC), and given the student keynote speech at the Campbell Hall ribbon cutting.
Between supporting new students and helping to recruit incoming scholars, Imad has found impactful experiences as a member of the Honors College.
“Over the years, it has given me opportunities to find community, grow as a leader, and become involved in parts of the university I never imagined I would when I first arrived,” Imad said.
Benjamin Nketsiah
Benjamin Nketsiah is majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology, as well as biotechnology through the College of Natural Science with a minor in pharmacology and toxicology.
An early experience volunteering with Homeless Angels through a UGS201H course illustrated to Nketsiah what it means to use his knowledge to serve others. He went on to earn first place at the 2026 Honors College Giving Back Awards for his continued community engagement.
The Professorial Assistantship program, a paid undergraduate research experience through the Honors College, allowed Nketsiah to complete an internship at Henry Ford Health and present his work at the annual Diversity Research Showcase twice. He was selected as a winner at the 2026 showcase.
What Nketsiah has truly appreciated about the Honors College are the relationships and meaningful memories he has gained from meeting university leaders, and always feeling encouraged and supported.
Nketsiah said, “The Honors College is more than an academic community, it is a community whose members genuinely invest in one another’s success.”
Shrinidhi Pola
Shrinidhi Pola is majoring in neuroscience through Lyman Briggs College and the College of Natural Science.
Pola’s professorial assistantship has been one of her favorite activities as an MSU student. In the Timing, Attention, and Perception Lab, she led her own neuroscience experiment.
Earlier this year, Pola had the opportunity to present at UURAF on campus as well as the Society of Music Perception in Chicago.
Jagger Wraalstad
Jagger Wraalstad studies kinesiology through the College of Education with a minor in leadership in integrated learning.
Since his first year, Wraalstad has been involved with the Honors College Service Club, now serving on the executive board as co-president. Events he has participated in with the Honors College include the Student Leadership Summit, HCDAC’s Dinner with the Dean, the 2025 Homecoming Parade, and Admitted Students Day.
Wraalstad has also had the opportunity to mentor and guide incoming Honors students through the Green Teams program. One of his favorite things about the Honors College is that there are endless opportunities to engage in activities and meet other students.
“Being at such a large school as MSU, it provides a close community feel that has been very welcoming and significantly improved my college experience,” said Wraalstad.