2018 Spring The Honorable Mention

Honors faculty Jeff Nichols, Russ Costa, and Giancarlo Panagia take Honors students Annette Donald, Alex Frol, Nicole McKenna, Cole Polychronis, Sasha Stein, and Jeremy Dormitzer to Konigstein Fortress in Dresden, Germany during the 2016 “Europe on the Edge” May Term Study Experience. Photo Courtesy of Amy Fairchild Kim T. Adamson Grant for May Term Study Abroad BY SAMMANTHA HERNANDEZ The grant they formed is named for Adamson — a member of More than 80 percent of students in the Honors College have a job — a reality that can make it financially and logistically difficult Westminster College’s Board of Trustees, an alumnus of the college, a world traveler, and a humanitarian. She made an initial for them to study or travel abroad. $20,000 donation in 2013 to Four years ago, not a single kick start the program and domember of the Honors work K I M’S T I P S : nated an additional $5,000 in study staff could afford to em1. Don’t be that “ugly American” because you may be the first bark on a May Term Study 2014. A parent of a former honand only American a foreigner Experience. That’s when Richors student, Sharon Donnelly, may have met. Be polite and ard Badenhausen, dean of the was excited enough about Adcourteous. amson’s idea that she has added Honors College, approached 2. Research the area you will be visiting in detail. $5,000 to support the effort Honors benefactor Kim T. 3. Keep a written log of your photos over the past three years. Adamson about helping create taken. Include date, time, location The grant provides a $2,500 and fund a program that could and any impressions you have. stipend for students to use tofinancially assist those interest4. Learn and memorize key local phrases, especially greetings. ward the Honors-specific study ed in studying abroad. abroad partnership with the “Kim has a particular inKim T. Adamson, a benefactor of the Honors College, takes a hike during a trip University of Glasgow in Scotterest in supporting students to Antarctica. Adamson endowed the chair that brought Honors College Dean land or any Westminster May who may not have the means Richard Badenhausen to Westminster and helped him establish the Adamson Term international class. to study abroad,” Badenhausen Grant to financially assist Honors students interested in studying abroad. Photo Courtesy of Kim Adamson Continued on Page 4 said. PAGE THREE EXPEDITION Q&A with the returned Honors students and faculty from the Westminster Expedition PAGE FIVE 1 Spring 2018 Volume 16 Issue 2 · · ALUMNI ABROAD Honors alumni share how their time at Westminster impacted their time abroad Honors college promotes courteous conversation at civility event Bipartisan experts model a conversation about how to promote productive politics BY ELAINE SHEEHAN Moderator Natalie Gochnour sits with Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams and Josh Romney, who helped his father, Mitt Romney, run his 2012 presidential campaign, as well as with other guest speakers at the Honors College Civility Event on Nov. 2, 2017. Photo Courtesy of Max White District Court judge. “Our students deserve more than that,” he said. Livingston said his disappointment with what appeared to be a systemic problem reiterated the need for thoughtful conversation — a key motivator behind the civility event. At the event, presenters announced the winners of a statewide civility essay contest for high school students, underwritten by WCF, as well as the two recipients of the Horiuchi Political Internship: Honors students Jaedri Wood (‘20) and Sabi Lowder (‘19). Honors alumna Kate Bradshaw (‘03) served as an essay judge and said the contest’s responses gave her hope. “It’s refreshing to know that there will always be this generation of young people who have new ideas and approaches to problems,” said Bradshaw, who works as a lobbyist in Utah and is the current chair of Westminster’s alumni board. Wood, an international business major, said learning to converse with her peers in Honors seminars also helps her work with young Republicans in Utah. “My goal is to get more people knowledgeable rather than just opinionated,” she said. Lowder, a custom communication and global studies major, echoed Wood’s sentiments. She added that the civility event was a positive precursor to her internship with the Utah Democratic Party because it showed her that, at least locally, people can set aside their ideological differences and work together. “Even with different political affiliations, we were able to go up on stage together, receive this internship together, and congratulate each other,” Lowder said. Both Bradshaw and Livingston also noted the importance of higher education in promoting civility, making the Honors College a fitting host for the event. “Higher ed should be the most open and welcoming of any place in our country,” Livingston said. Bradshaw said that the Honors College is a good example of how classrooms can foster the cultivation of civility because students practice civil conversation and their instructors encourage them to challenge and shape their opinions in a constructive way. “A lot of people have stopped listening,” Bradshaw noted. “Honors teaches students how to listen.” Members of Westminster College’s campus community crossed the political aisle to shake hands and take part in a discussion about political conversation on Nov. 2, 2017 in the Vieve Gore Concert Hall. The Honors College hosted the Civility and Politics in Public Life event as a way to foster ideological respect and model for students how to converse about challenging topics civilly. Natalie Gochnour, a Utah educator, moderated the discussion between Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams and Josh Romney, who helped his father, Mitt Romney, run his 2012 presidential campaign. With Gochnour’s help, the prominent Democrat and Republican discussed topics ranging from the United States’ Founding Fathers to the use of social media in political discussion and the importance of women’s contributions in politics. The event had its roots in the Honors Presidential Elections seminar, which is offered every four years. The class has always been co-taught by a Republican and a Democrat in an effort to facilitate bipartisan conversation in the classroom. Roger Livingston, one of the co-founders of the class, also helped plan the civility event. “We were terribly disappointed not just with the tenor of the election of 2016 but also with the lack of civility in politics in general lately,” said Livingston, a former Utah lawmaker and Third Sabi Lowder, a junior custom major, and Calen Smith, a junior neuroscience major, attend the Honors Civility Event on Nov. 2, 2017. At the event, presenters recognized Lowder as one of two recipients of the Horiuchi Political Internship. Photo Courtesy of Max White 2 Honors students and faculty reflect on Westminster Expedition BY SABI LOWDER Four Honors College students and two Honors professors joined ten other students while hitting the road last fall as part of the first-ever Westminster College Expedition. They were ably assisted by Honors alum Brett Carroll (’15), who served as a graduate assistant. They traveled through nine states — Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, and Utah — in two vans. Wherever they went, they asked questions about environmental cooperation and conflict, landscape and meaning, the history of public lands, and the native West. The group spent plenty of days in the sun and nights under the stars getting to know the American West first hand. During the three-month-long trip, they met local residents and experts, Native leaders, writers, scholars, activists, elected officials, and government land managers. Some of the trip participants sat down with Honorable Mention to share their experiences and reflect on their journey. Their responses have been edited for clarity and conciseness. Honors faculty Jeff Nichols and Honors students Josee Stetich, Kara Kornhauser, Bridger Layton, and Naomi Shapiro enjoy the day at the Boiling River near Yellowstone National Park with other students on the fall 2017 Westminster Expedition. Photo Courtesy of Brent Olson How d i d your H o n o rs ex p e r i e n ce co m pl e m e nt t he ex- How did t he ex p edit io n ex p er ience co m p lement you r pe d i t i on ex p e r i e n ce ? Ho no r s ex p er ience? “I think [Honors conversations] — where a lot of folks are coming at the same topic from different angles — prepared me pretty well to go out on the expedition and hear diverse perspectives. Honors conversations also prepared me to synthesize those perspectives and figure out, ‘What do all these guest speakers have to say to me collectively?’” - Bridger Layton, fourth-year environmental civics major “I feel like multidisciplinary learning is so much more ingrained in me now. A lot of things that I think I have formulated opinions about, I actually don’t. The more that I discuss topics with people, I lose my sense of strong opinion and find myself in some sort of middle ground, which I’ve felt in a lot of Honors classes previously.” - Kara Kornhauser, third-year environmental science major What i nsp i re d yo u th e m o s t w h i l e o n th e ex p edi t io n? Who m akes a b et ter ro adt r ip p lay li st—B rent or Jeff? “A lot of our invited speakers are doing these really complicated projects, grappling with problems from hell, … working with local folks, working with tribal folks, and not being paid very much. They are fighting politically, financially, and every other way, and they’re just committed to it and they have been doing it for decades. Students were inspired by these speakers. They said, ‘I want to do that kind of stuff.’” - Jeff Nichols, history professor “Brent. He can tolerate music that Jeff can’t, like Ke$ha, Die Antwoord, and the 10th play of “DAMN.” by Kendrick Lamar. He’s a big fan of Grimes and Green Day. He knows all the words to “Bad Girls” by MIA, so his chain can hit his chest while he’s banging on the dashboard. He also showed us a song about a combination Pizza Hut/Taco Bell that was popular with everyone.” -Josee Stetich, third-year environmental science major I f you coul d go ba ck i n ti m e a n d gi ve yo u rs elf advi ce What i s yo ur f avo r i te m em o r y f ro m t he ex pedition? be fore you we nt o n th e ex p e d i ti o n , w h at wo uld i t b e? “The people in Malheur [National] Wildlife Refuge asked students to talk about their life goals or what they were here for or what they hoped to learn. Students got this question from a lot of people. But this time, everyone was sharp and clear and visionary and imaginative and authentic in a way that they hadn’t been before. And it struck me — it was about halfway through the trip — that things were working. I could see change in students.” - Brent Olson, environmental studies professor “One of our assignments was to keep a journal that we’d turn in to Brent and Jeff sporadically throughout the trip. In the beginning, I was really stressed out about it. I thought of it as a homework assignment and would write what I thought they wanted to hear. But by the end, it became my most treasured possession on the trip. The advice would be to take more time each day to journal and remember the expedition.” - Naomi Shapiro, third-year public health major 3 Honors community inspired one of its first international students to become a successful CEO BY ERIC MELLMER “Experiences like that really make me more patient and [able Mai Ho (‘12), now the international CEO for a global digital marketplace, says Westminster College’s Honors College helped to] learn to build up my tolerance for understanding different perher develop key skills that have contributed to her success — in- spectives,” Ho said. “Nowadays, I get advice from my [colleagues cluding tolerance of all viewpoints, critical thinking, and network and investors] and sometimes I don’t necessarily agree with them to begin with, but…I’ll let the data and the conclusion speak for building. One of the first international students in the Honors College, itself and not just dismiss [their viewpoint].” Bob Haworth, a former manageHo was raised in Ho Chi Minh City, ment professor at Westminster who Vietnam and enrolled at Westminster assisted Ho with BigBalo’s business in 2009 to study accounting and fiplan, said he was impressed with her nance. After graduation, she mancareful thinking and dedication in his aged technology companies’ investmanagement course. ments at Goldman Sachs. “She would ask me tough questions In March 2017, Ho founded Bigthat clearly indicated that not only Balo, an online shopping community did she understand the topic but was based in San Francisco, California drilling down deeper to understand it and Ho Chi Minh. Her business lets on a different level than we were disconsumers purchase products from abroad and offers travelers the op- Mai Ho, a Westminster College alumna, sits on a doorstep in San cussing in class,” Haworth said. The networking skills Ho learned portunity to make money delivering Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood. Ho graduated in 2012 and is now the founder and international CEO for BigBalo, a in the Honors College and beyond those items across borders. global digital marketplace. Photo Courtesy of Mai Ho have also been instrumental in her Ho attributes much of her business success to her academic experiences in the Honors College, where success, she said. Honors College Dean Richard Badenhausen she was a peer mentor for three years, wrote for Honorable Men- helped her connect with helpful and personable alumni, she said, and her caring peer mentors Cassidy Jones (‘11) and Brody Leven tion, and attended numerous research conferences. During first-year orientation, Ho said she realized the impor- (‘10) inspired her, in part, to create her own business. “They opened [themselves up] to new experiences, took risks, tance of tolerance when Dave Goldsmith, an Honors and geology professor, asked the new students if they believed in global warm- and followed their dreams,” Ho said. “Being exposed to those peoing. To her surprise, only half of the students in the class said they ple, it made me feel like I should do the same thing.” did. “They opened [themselves up] to new experiences, took risks, and followed their dreams. Being exposed to those people, it made me feel like I should do the same thing.” Mai Ho Continued from Page 1 Recipients must show financial need, and the best candidates are those who can connect their chosen experience with their lives and future goals. Rosanise Odell, a 2016 Adamson Grant recipient, said she focused her application essay on two things: her desire for an immersive experience to develop her Spanish language skills and her longing to travel out of the country for the first time in her life. “You can only take so many language classes until you want to see if you can do more than conjugate verbs,” said Odell, who went on the Camino de Santiago May Term trip to Spain. “I’d never left the country before,” she remarked, “and most of [the programs] aren’t affordable unless they allow you to use your Westminster scholarships.” Nicole McKenna, a senior psychology major, embarked on a 2016 May Term trip called Europe on the Edge and said the Adamson grant was responsible, in part, for making that experience possible. “I’ve always wanted to [study abroad] and finally I had the opportunity to do that,” she said. “I wasn’t really sure if I would ever get the chance to.” McKenna also said her scholarship allowed her to apply concepts and ideas from the classroom in a real-world setting. “I really liked the content of the May Term trip because it was cross-listed with justice studies, psychology, and Honors,” she said. McKenna also enjoyed “looking at the context of culture, religion, and place and how that tied into different studies of prison systems.” The Honors College prides itself on developing well-rounded students, Badenhausen said — and part of that comes from engaging with the world. “Global experiences and global orientation are a focus of Honors,” he said. “And part of the way that plays out is Honors students are overrepresented in study abroad experiences relative to their population on campus.” Badenhausen concluded, “one of the things I most like about our students is how adventurous and curious they are about our global community.” 4 Honors alumni say their time at Westminster impacted their experiences abroad Dallin Van Leuven travels to meet the nomadic Beja people of the region near Shalateen, Egypt. Van Leuven, a 2010 Westminster College alumnus, worked in Egypt during the country’s 2011 revolution. Photo Courtesy of Dalin Van Leuven BY ELIZABETH JOHNSON And building up that comfort, that ability to communicate in another language definitely is something the seminar style classes made, I think, a big impact on.” Sherry works for Rockwell Collins, a multinational avionics and information technology systems and services provider and is currently conducting research on electron microscopy. For Fehmi Yasin (‘13), a Global Research Opportunities Worldwide (GROW) fellow with the National Science Foundation, Honors taught him to “always be aware of the context that is at play when contributing to the conversation and [to] help move the conversation forward towards a goal.” Yasin, who is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in physics at the University of Oregon, said he learned in his undergraduate studies that communication impacts how others perceive his work and can help the perception of his final product. For Dallin Van Lueven (‘10), a visiting fellow at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, one Honors seminar in particular stands out. The interdisciplinary nature of Science, Power, and Diversity has influenced his work in Lebanon with Search for Common Ground, an international non-profit that promotes peaceful conflict resolution. Though they’re thousands of miles from Westminster College, five Honors alumni who have lived, studied, and worked abroad said their time in the Honors College impacted their experiences overseas. Several alumni said the Honor College’s emphasis on written and verbal communication has made them more successful abroad and provided them with the tools to critically reflect on their experiences in other countries. Marya Smith (‘12) credits the skills she learned in the Honors College with her acceptance into the University of Edinburgh’s linguistics program. She said the strength of her application was rooted in the writing skills she learned in her Honors seminars. Tyler Sherry (‘09) said the seminar format of Honors classes taught him how to listen first and then respond — a skill that has been essential during his time working in Tokyo, Japan. “The language is not something that I can say I have 100 percent understanding of in every situation,” Sherry said. “It becomes that much more important to really be comfortable to sit and listen, to stop people and ask them to re-explain, [and] make sure you’re understanding things as they go along. 5 ’A w h ol e diffe re nt pe rspe c t ive’ The Honors College teaches its students to think critically not only about problems and ideas presented in readings but also about their own ideas, beliefs, and experiences. The five alumni said many Americans have misconceptions about about what it’s like to live in another country, but noted that their experiences abroad differ from those expectations. “You really get to look at a whole different perspective back on the US and back on the country I grew up in,” said Sherry of his experience living in Tokyo. Sierra Kane (‘16) said her friends in the United States repeatedly asked her if she would be safe living in the Netherlands by herself as she prepared to pursue her master’s degree in gender studies at Utrecht University. The idea that the rest of the world is unsafe contributes to many people’s unwillingness to live abroad, she said. Van Lueven agreed that Americans generally view the world through a “security-focused lens.” He was working in Egypt during the country’s 2011 revolution and visited Iran in 2012. Van Lueven said he never felt afraid in either country. However, he acknowledged that some periods of time were scary for his family — especially while internet and cell service were disconnected in Egypt during the revolution, in a government attempt to prevent communication among protesters. A un iq ue oppo r tunit y The alumni said there are endless things to love about living and working abroad and spoke highly of the new experiences and encounters they’ve been exposed to. “Every single thing is a little bit more interesting because everything has the potential to be different,” said Smith who is currently preparing for a two-year contract with a management consulting company in Stockholm. Kane, who received her master’s in gender studies at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, agreed and said she “likes being exposed to diversity,” new cultures, and new adventures in the Netherlands. Yasin said he enjoys working in Tokyo because it’s one of the few places in the world where experts in his field gather together to conduct research. All five alumni encouraged other Honors students to study or work abroad. Smith said moving to another country is hard but not impos- sible. She said the phrase she hates hearing the most when she tells others about her experiences is: “You’re so lucky; I wish I could do that.” “Just do it,” she said. “It is absolutely scary, and there are always reasons not to.” The alumni urged students to study abroad for longer than they think they should and to set attainable goals to make sure they get the most out of their trips. Sherry suggested students look at multinational companies with headquarters in the US who “are looking for highly mobile and low-baggage people.” When they find one, they should express their interest in moving abroad early in their career, he said. Overall, the alumni said the time they spent and the skills they learned in the Honors College have proven useful well beyond the world of academia and serve as a testament to the lasting impact of the Honors experience. Marya Smith (‘12) received her post-grad degree in linguistics at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. She is currently preparing for a two-year contract with a management consulting company in Stockholm, Sweden. Dallin Van Lueven (‘10) is a visiting fellow at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. He is currently working in Lebanon with Search for Common Ground, an international non-profit that promotes peaceful conflict resolution. Dallin Van Leuven, a 2010 Westminster College alumnus, visits the desert in Farafra, Egypt. Photo Courtesy of Dallin Van Leuven Marya Smith, a 2012 Westminster alumna, takes a photo with a Highland cow in Scotland while studying abroad at the University of Edinburgh. Photo Courtesy of Marya Smith 6 Tyler Sherry (‘09) has been working in Tokyo, Japan for six years with Rockwell Collins, a multinational avionics and information technology systems and services provider. Tyler Sherry, a 2009 Westminster alumnus, stands with an A350-1000 at the Singapore Airshow. Photo Courtesy of Tyler Sherry Fehmi Yasin (‘13) is a Global Research Opportunities Worldwide (GROW) fellow with the National Science Foundation and is pursuing his PhD in physics at the University of Oregon. For his GROW Fellowship, Yasin conducted electron microscopy research in Tokyo, Japan. Sierra Kane (‘16) received her master’s degree in gender studies at Utrecht University in the Netherlands in spring 2017. She now works for the American Quarter Horse Association and travels regularly for her job. Fehmi Yasin, a 2013 Westminster alumnus, hikes in the mountains near Fuji, Japan. Photo Courtesy of Fehmi Yasin Sierra Kane, a 2016 Westminster alumna, attended the 2017 Women’s March in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Photo Courtesy of Sierra Kane 7 Student Profile: Zoey Gray B Y H AY D E N K J E L L E R E N Zoey Gray, a senior public health major at Westminster College, Consortium, a select group of honors programs and colleges in the has spent the last four years involved in research, outdoor activities, US that collaborated to create the program in Scotland. Students and leadership roles both on campus and around the world. pay their Westminster tuition as usual, plus housing expenses — making the experience more attainable, as She’s volunteered as an Honors College the cost is roughly equivalent to that of a peer mentor and has served as both the typical semester at home. Most importantly, historian and president of the Student Honors Council. But perhaps her most Westminster’s merit-based scholarships meaningful college experience was her still apply and students can also use federal fall 2017 semester studying abroad at the financial aid to assist with fees and to offset University of Glasgow in Scotland. other study-abroad-related expenses. “It was awesome,” Gray said. “But there At least 16 other Honors students have is a lot of challenge and struggle involved taken advantage of the program so far, with with study abroad because you are dropped two more planning to attend next fall. off in a new country where you don’t know “It’s not a vacation like it may seem before anyone.” going,” Gray said. “It’s a really powerful The University of Glasgow, founded in experience filled with ups and downs, 1451, has almost 25,000 students, 7,000 Photo courtesy of Zoey Gray and you have to get comfortable with living alone. Overall, it can be both really of which are international students from all across the world. It is located in the middle of the historic city challenging but also really rewarding.” Reflecting on her semester in Scotland, Gray encouraged her of Glasgow, an area increasingly known for its thriving art, food, and music scenes, as well as for its easy access to other European peers to take risks and prioritize new experiences. “Don’t be afraid to try new and scary things,” she said. “And countries. Westminster’s Honors College has a partnership with the don’t let something too far out of your comfort zone get in the way University of Glasgow through its membership in the Principia of doing something.” Professor Profile: Han Kim BY ANDREW FRANKS “It sounds cliché when I say it changes lives,” Kim said. “But An avid outdoorsman, mechanics enthusiast, and expert epidemiologist, Honors professor Han Kim could never be it has.” Kim began teaching Honors seminars in fall 2010. He currently accused of having too much time on his hands. On campus, Kim teaches Science, Power, and Diversity and directs the school’s undergraduate public Data/Society/Decision-Making and hopes health program, advises the Students for to help students understand the connections Choice and Asian-American clubs, and between public health and social justice takes students every year on a May Term issues. Study Experience trip to Thailand, a class The Honors College “epitomizes the that is always cross-listed with Honors. mission of Westminster College,” Kim said. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Kim “Not to teach students but for students and his family immigrated to Boston, to learn — not necessarily to have them Massachusetts in 1974. He went on to earn memorize random facts but to [have a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the them] really understand critical thinking, University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, an creativity, [and] communication.” M.S. in public health from the University During his first few years in Salt Lake of Utah, and a Ph.D. in epidemiology from Photo courtesy of Annette Donald City, Kim served in AmeriCorps, a national the University of Washington in Seattle. network of service programs. Now, Kim Kim managed the University of Utah’s Thailand trip before coming to Westminster. When he transferred works to pass on his dedication to service to his students not schools, he decided to bring the program with him in hopes of only through his trip to Thailand but also by emphasizing its engaging his new students in community service and providing importance and encouraging students to get involved with their local communities. them immersive interaction with Thai natives. “We all think about our rights as a citizen,” he said. “We don’t Traveling to Thailand challenges students’ preconceived notions of the country, Kim said — and he hopes that afterward they will really think about the obligations — how we give back.” give more credence to the ideas of people across the world. 8 Let’s Get Your Perspective What were the benefits of your time abroad? Matt Kruback Nicole Rodriguez Cavero I had the privilege of living in Iceland for two and a half months while working on an artist residency in downtown Reykjavik. During the middle of a north Atlantic winter, I worked on my research, rediscovered the importance of articulate and effective communication, and relearned the necessity and difficulty of active and empathetic listening. Photo courtesy of Matt Kruback I became something of a student again. I experienced that glimmer of excitedly exploring the unknown, doubting myself and my work entirely, and redefining my understanding of my work, process, words, and the very nature of visual communication as I defined it. Like many busy college students, I spent days at a time in pajamas and bathed only when absolutely necessary. I realized how easy it is to become scripted and lack innovation. As I worked with my peers, I discovered that my usual feedback and analogies fell flat as I delivered them. I realized the artwork and ideas I had curated did not speak to this international group in the way it had to artists at home. I had to broaden my ideas and reframe the content of my work. I was reminded how difficult active and engaged listening truly is and the energy it requires. I would have been at a complete loss were it not for the ability of every artist in residence to speak English — while I struggled in my privilege to learn even the most basic words in any of the nine languages spoken there. My classmates’ patience and effort in reaching out to me was a reminder and inspiration to speak less and listen more. Growing up in smalltown Cajamarca in northern Peru made traveling to the capital city, Lima, the trip of a lifetime. I never understood the impact my time in that town had on my identity until I transferred to the big city. Four years, three continents, and many lessons later, it turns out I had yet more discovering to do, and I am very grateful for the Photo courtesy of Annette Donald chance to study abroad. Being in Westminster College’s Honors College meant attending Tuesday Conversations, which occasionally meant information sessions about studying abroad. At first, I thought it was funny — I was already abroad! — but my capacity as an international student has taught me the importance of taking new risks when it comes to learning. There are two major benefits of spending time abroad. First, you don’t really know yourself until you’ve been away from home. And trust me, this introspection will come in the most unexpected ways. I discovered, for example, that education styles vary across the world and that conquering your comfort zone translates from travel to work in surprising ways. Second, once you start knowing other cultures, you will never want to stop — which is probably the reason why I’m writing this piece. Traveling abroad is hard work and sometimes even scary. There’s a lot of planning that goes into ensuring you’re getting the most out of your experience. But, in my opinion, it’s one of the most valuable learning opportunities you can have. More than just seeing new places and meeting different people, spending time abroad means opening your mind to new perspectives and feeding that little part of your brain that keeps asking, “What’s beyond my reality?” “ I experienced that glimmer of excitedly exploring the unknown, doubting myself and my work entirely, and redefining my understanding of my work, process, words, and the very “ You don’t really know yourself until you’ve been away nature of visual communication as I defined it.” from home.” 9 N E W S & N OT E S Mike Goble (’04) and his wife live with their five Sabina Schill (’15) is working on her Ph.D. in Zoey Gray (’18) has been hired as a co-lead youth children in Dallas, where he makes use of his biology environmental engineering at the University of coach for First Star, a summer academic and life-skills degree from Westminster College through his work as a Colorado, Boulder and has been working for program working with foster youth at the University cytotechnologist. TeachEngineering, a company that designs STEM of Utah. curriculum for K-12 students. Ambur Staab (’19) is an author of “A Method to Stan Sarkisov (’07) co-authored an essay called “Pronoun Power: The Standard for Gender Neutrality.” Willy Palomo (’15) has had three poems published Define the Effects of Environmental Enrichment on The piece was published in the winter 2017 issue of recently in The Adroit Journal. Colon Microbiome Biodiversity in a Mouse Colon Tumor Model,” which was published in the JoVE Video the San Francisco Attorney, the journal of the city’s bar association. James Steur (’16) has been recognized as an “Excellent Journal. Instructor” during his very first semester of teaching Sharayah Cook (’08) is building a product while in the Ph.D. program at the University of Illinois. Jessica Taghvaiee (‘19) will present her research management team for an international advertising This honor goes to only the top 30% of all faculty at the Alpha Chi National Convention this spring. technology (adtech) startup called AppThis and across campus. She competed in the 2018 National Ethics Bowl competition, attended UNICEF’s student leader is partnering with the startup’s president to scale operations. John Cook (’10) is now in-house counsel at the Debbie Samaniego (’17), a 2017 Marshall Scholar, will summit and advocacy day, and represented Westminster be attending the University of Sussex next year to earn a at the 2018 Utah Intercollegiate Legislature. Recently, Ph.D. in migration studies. she was named the winner of Westminster’s Ellipsis prose contest. international telecom company Zayo Group. Carissa Christensen (’18) will present as a panelist Dallin Van Lueven (’10) is a visiting fellow at Tufts for the Pop Culture Association’s conference in Sabi Lowder (’19) served as ASW president this spring University’s Feinstein International Center, where he Indianapolis, Indiana at the end of March. She and was recognized at this year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. works on issues related to gender and conflict. will present her research on the importance of Day Unity Luncheon as the one undergraduate student comprehensive LGBTQIA+ sex education. to receive Westminster’s Unsung Hero Award. Economy of Conflict, David Luhr (’12) and Sara Holden Rasmussen (’18) was a semifinalist for the Sarah Turner (‘19) presented on integrating Great Salt McCaskey (’14) made things official by getting Fulbright United Kingdom Partnership Award to the Lake science into elementary instruction at the Utah married. University of Warwick and was selected above many Science Teachers Association’s annual conference with qualified applicants, including doctoral students, Dr. Kalani Eggington and Great Salt Lake Institute’s through the competitive and extensive process. Jaimi Butler. professors on the essay “Employee voice: Foundation to Jadie Adams (’18) presented her math research in tiling Scout Invie (‘19) is working with Utah’s online art the scaffolding of CHG Healthcare’s culture journey.” theory at the Joint Mathematics Meeting in San Diego. magazine 15 Bytes to document public art and create The piece was recently published in the academic Her painting “Blizzard” is also being published in the community art walk pathways. journal Organizational Dynamics. national honors literary magazine, Scribendi. Abby Speicher (’13), CEO/Founder of DARTdrones, a Rachel Darata’s (’18) geologic research with Dr. Tiffany Westminster’s Office of Spiritual Life and competed training/consulting company with a presence in over 40 Rivera, a Westminster professor, has been cited by the with Westminster’s Ethics Bowl team at the national locations, including a newly-opened office in Salt Lake United States Geological Survey in its updated field trip competition in Chicago, Illinois in March. City, returned to campus in March to give a keynote guide to Yellowstone National Park. Six years after meeting in the Honors seminar Political Lexie Banks (’12), Alex Martin (’18), and Abby Scott (’18) are co-authors with a number of Westminster Stephanie Held (’19) is a student fellow in Kenzie Campbell (’20) runs the Civic Connections lecture in the Power of Entrepreneurship series in the Taylor Stevens (‘18) will sit on a panel at the Broadcast program through the Center for Civic Engagement at Education Association’s conference in Las Vegas, Nevada Westminster College and began an internship with the Elizabeth Nelson (‘13) graduated from the University this April that is based around her reporting at The Salt Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault. of Utah’s medical school and married Trevor Kade Lake Tribune, where she covers government and politics. Gore School of Business. Mary Grace Lewis (’20) won a U.S. State Department Andersen on Dec. 30, 2017 in Logan, Utah. She will soon start her residency in family medicine in Palmer Larsen (’18) represented Westminster at the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship in Fayetteville, NC, while Trevor is stationed at Ft. Bragg. Collegiate Regional Rock Climbing championships last support of her May Term studies in Thailand. month and placed first in both bouldering and sport Michael Ballantyne (’13) recently completed his M.Sc. Jon Carrillo (’21) will have his sculptural art climbing. photographed and reproduced in Scribendi. in computer science at the University of Utah and is now working on his Ph.D. at Northeastern University Jared Rich (‘18) has become an AmeriCorps VISTA in Boston, Massachusetts. (Volunteers in Service to America) and is offering a year of service to clients of The Road Home Salt Lake City Nicole Holbrook (’14), a third-year law student at and Midvale shelters with a goal of improving disaster Boston University, was honored by the Massachusetts preparedness and response for those locations. chapter of the National Lawyers Guild at its 2018 Testimonial Dinner for her work reviving BU’s NLG chapter and organizing a “Resistance Series” with other schools. 10 Did you do something notable? We want to know! Email your news and notes to Richard at [e-mail]. JADIE R. ADAMS Honors College Campaign Update K I M T. A D A M S O N J E A N N E A M B R U S T E R A N D D AV I D S H E R R Y SUSAN S. ARSHT R I C H A R D B A D E N H A U S E N & K AT H E R I N E V E N T I LEXIE BANKS KARA E. BARNET TE TREVOR E. BEAL NICOLE K. BEDERA C AT H E R I N E R . B L A K E M O R E PETER BOSSART JENNIFER M. BOWEN R AY M O N D S . B R A D F O R D K AT E A . B R A D S H AW D AW N K . B R O C K E T T - LO R G A M Y C . B R YC E JEAN BUTCHER PEGGY CAIN PRESTON CHIARO MICHAEL CHIPMAN CARISSA J. CHRISTENSEN ANDREA CHRISTOFFERSEN (RHODES) D A N I E L E . C LY N E S H A R AYA H E . C O O K R U S S E L L E . C O S TA PA L M E R K . L A R S E N W. M A C K L AW R E N C E And we are off and running! We launched the Honors College campaign just a few months ago and have raised $1.7 million to date with the support of the donors listed in this newsletter. Thank you! This effort began in earnest with a $1 million gift from Kim T. Adamson, whose support for Honors goes back two decades. Adamson endowed the chair that brought Richard Badenhausen, now dean of the Honors College, to Westminster in 2001, and she has been instrumental in positioning our program to make the move to a college. The Honors faculty have also stepped up in a big way, with 100 percent of the 32 faculty who regularly teach in Honors raising over $18,000 for the student scholarship endowment. Even our graduating seniors lent their support when they met Badenhausen’s challenge to raise $500 toward the effort. Over 130 alums and friends of Honors have contributed to this effort so far, which is both gratifying and humbling. Visit Westminster.edu/giving to join this exciting opportunity! B R I D G E R J . L AY T O N C H R I S T O P H E R C . L E C LU Y S E GREGORY R. & MICHELLE LESOINE BR ODY C. LE VEN CHELSEA LINDBECK (DIFRANCESCO) S E T H R . LO N G H U R S T ADAM R. MANGONE G A R Y M A R Q UA R D T ALEXANDRIA R. MARTIN MARIE MARTIN A U D R E Y A . M AY N A R D MARIAH R. MCCOY I A N W. M C C R A C K E N NICOLE C. MCKENNA ROLANDO MEDINA JULIANNE MERRILL EMMA E. ME TOS SCOT T A. MILEY E L L I O T W. M I N K NICHOLAS MORE MEGHAN L. NESTEL JEFF NICHOLS ROSANISE A. ODELL COLIN K. CREBS BRENT OLSEN CHRISTOPHER J. CUNNINGHAM LO R I & M I T C H PA D I L L A A L I C I A A . C U N N I N G H A M - B R YA N T G I A N C A R LO PA N A G I A R A C H E L C . D A R ATA MEGAN E. PETERS MARY DELDUCA JEFFRE Y A. POR TNOY ANDREA DUMKE-MANSHIP & MICHAEL MANSHIP CLAIRE E. PRASAD CHELSEA M. DYE SEAN RALEIGH TERESA M. ELIAS HOLDEN M. RASMUSSEN LESA K. ELLIS JARED A. RICH K AT R I N A M . E N G L A N D SKYLER L. ROHBOCK SARAH R. & DOUGLAS ENGLERT VA L E R I E J . R O S S B I N G & J U D Y FA N G C H A R L E S D. S A A D T H O M A S & LY N N F E Y SABINA A SCHILL LEONARDO E. FIGUEROA-HELLAND CHRISTINE H. SEIFERT V E R I T Y D. F LU R E R J A C K S O N A . S H AV E R BONNIE FROL T O R I & LO R R I S H AV E R KELLIE GERBERS E L A I N E T. S H E E H A N DOUGLAS J. GE T T Y T Y L E R P. S H E R R Y MICHAEL J. GOBLE D AY N E & LO U A N N E S M I T H D AV I D W. G O L D S M I T H S H E L L I E D. S M I T H Z O E Y I . G R AY WA L K E R J . S O R L I E PA U L A G R I F F I T H TAY LO R S T E V E N S WILLIAM E. GRIFFITH J U L I E S T E WA R T G I N G E R A N D J O H N G I O VA L E CAITLIN STRINGHAM E S TAT E O F M Y R A R A C H E L H A R R I S GANO HASANBEGOVIC P E P P E R A . H AY E S JILLIAN C. HILL MARY JO HINSDALE MAI H. HO M C K AY S . H O L L A N D AAMINA R. KHALEEL HONORS WRITING AWARDS WINNING ENTRIES T O F I L . TA’A F UA REBEKAH FORD The Personal Cost of Caring JONNY SHAPIRO Life of John CATEGORY 1 CATEGORY 1 JESSICA TAGHVAIEE Bacon’s Missing Idol SCOUT INVIE “My DNA Not for Imitation” CATEGORY 2 CATEGORY 3 HAN KIM C A N D I S P. K J E L L E R E N LY N N K O E N I G J A C O B M . K O VA C ASHLEY S. KRAMER ELIZABETH LABOND REBECC A E. LANDAU ANDREW B. LARSEN JOHN & STEPHANIE TSOURMAS K AT E I . T S O U R M A S CARISSA A. URESK H E I D I VA N E R T MICHAEL VOUGHT NINA VOUGHT NICOLE I. KREBS M AT T H E W N . K R U B A C K MARY J. SWEENEY TONY AND C AROL SWEE T J O H N WAT K I N S M E L A N I E G . W E N T Z E L - LO N G W E S T M I N S T E R S U P P O R T F O U N D AT I O N S TA C I E L . W H I T F O R D S A M U E L W. W I L K I N S O N BEST OVERALL JESSICA TAGHVAIEE Bacon’s Missing Idol 11 HANNAH M. WILLIAMS JACOB M. WINTER J E N N I F E R M . YO U N G B LO O D CONNIE ZWEIFEL HONORABLE MENTION E D I TO R S 2017 - 2018 Photo courtesy of Cameron Welch Annette Donald (’19) Photo Editor Elain Sheehan (’18) Managing Editor Calen Smith (’19) Layout Editor Taylor Stevens (’18) Copy Editor Scout Invie (’19) Layout Editor Stephanie Held (’19) Copy Editor From the Editors... What travel location has been most impactful on your education? GLASGOW, SCOTLAND COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - Calen Smith - Taylor Stevens ORANIENBURG, GERMANY SUZHOU, CHINA - Annette Donald - Stephanie Held BISCAY, SPAIN - Scout Invie SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, SPAIN - Elaine Sheehan Honors College Westminster College 1840 South 1300 East Salt Lake City, Utah 84105 westminstercollege.edu/honors 12