By: Sloane M. Perron, Manager of Marketing Communications  

Ambitious, focused, and passionate are all words that describe Lucrecia Acosta Larrama. The honors student will be graduating in December 2022 but will walk in next year’s commencement.  

Larrama is very active on campus as an Anna Maria cheerleader, member of the Once Upon a Campus Club, and the force behind the American Cancer Society club that is coming soon to campus. While Larrama’s participation on campus is notable, it is her unique double major in Theology and Criminal Justice and her minor in Law & Society that is catching the attention of others.  

Anna Maria’s Theology major originally drew Larrama to the college. “Anna Maria was one of the few schools that had that major. I also had a great one-on-one tour, which showed how the school really cared about the individual and that one wasn’t just a number at this school,” Larrama said about choosing Anna Maria, “Another factor was financial aid. Anna Maria does an amazing job at making college affordable.” 

Religion is very important to Larrama and in high school she participated in many retreats where she fell in love with helping others. These experiences in high school made her realize that she wanted a future as a youth minister. However, after taking an honors section of Murder, Mayhem, and Madness, a Policing in America class, and the Foundation of Social Justice course, Larrama’s interest expanded to Criminal Justice.   

Larrama credits Anna Maria’s Honors program for pushing her academically and helping her thrive as a student, “I think the best way to describe being an honors student is being challenged to be the best version of yourself. I have been in a sort of honors program since 3rd grade; therefore, I think that all honors programs help to deeper develop our minds and help us challenge ourselves. Most people might view enrolling in Honors as a simple method to improve their resume and boost their prospects of finding employment after graduation. However, being an honors student has a number of additional advantages that make the experience not just informative and helpful, but also fun!” 

Some of the perks of being part of Anna Maria’s Honors program include a more personalized experience with honors courses, earlier class registration, and the ability to select housing options ahead of other students. Class trips, guest speakers, and special events also bring new experiences to honors students and help them bond with others in the program. In the past, a trip to New York City, pizza nights with professors, and day trips to King Richard’s Faire are just some of the adventures honors students have enjoyed. The Honors Club is open to all students and is another way for Anna Maria’s student body to engage in unique yet educational opportunities.   

Incoming students who have a high school GPA of 3.5 are automatically invited into the program. However, students who are interested in joining the Honors program can also apply at any point until their sophomore year. Because of the focus on academic success, Honors students are expected to maintain their GPAs throughout their four years in Undergrad.  

Currently, Anna Maria’s Criminal Justice program helped Larrama earn a job as a 911 Dispatcher. Because of Larrama’s diverse majors, she has many future career opportunities that she is eager to explore. Whether law school, working for a college ministry program, or working with juveniles in the court system, Larrama is proud of how she has grown as an individual during her time at Anna Maria College.  

“I used to be an individual that I allowed to be talked to, but now I am a leader on campus, and I am not afraid to let my voice be heard,” Larrama said.  

For more information about becoming an Honors student visit the Honors Program webpage here or contact Dr. Lisa LeBlanc at lleblanc@annamaria.edu