2014 Spring Honorable Mention

Honorable Mention mentioning Westminster Honorables since 2002 The class pictured above is learning, through the Clemente Course, that a college education is within their reach. Using the Humanities to Connect High Schoolers to College This semester, a group of Honors students and Honors professors have begun teaching in the Clemente Course in the Humanities, a community partnership being piloted this year by the Utah Humanities Council in conjunction with Westminster and the University of Utah. Modeled after the Clemente Course in Chicago, the program serves underrepresented high school sophomores in the AVID program at East High School—students who hope to be the first in their families to attend college. The Clemente Course uses the humanities to introduce these ambitious students to a collegiate learning experience. Last fall, faculty and students from the University of Utah’s Honors College taught classes on art history and philosophy. This semester, History professor Dr. Gary Marquardt and senior Nicole Bedera are teaching the history class, while English and Film Studies professor Dr. Sean Desilets and junior Willy Palomo are teaching the literature class. The theme for this semester’s classes is African-American migration patterns. Palomo explained that this topic is relatable for the Clemente students, many of whose parents were migrants themselves. As an overarching project for the classes, students will create oral histories by interviewing someone who has had an experience relating to migration. Each class has taken a unique approach to helping students unpack and make connections with texts. Dr. Marquardt and Bedera have encouraged students to look at history in a different light. “We want them to conceptualize history in a more advanced way with more room for discussion and fewer ‘right’ answers,” said Bedera. Students recently examined historical texts, from newspapers to Twitter feeds, and discussed their properties as primary or secondary sources. Dr. Desliets and Palomo have brought this same critical focus to the literature class. Recently, students learned about close reading by analyzing a song by hip-hop artist Mos Def about living in Brooklyn. “Students came out with some very inspiring and positive… realizations about working through struggle and finding meaning in difficulty,” said Palomo. Bedera and Palomo’s role in the program as “teaching fellows” is a unique aspect of the Salt Lake Clemente course. Bedera described teaching the course as a process of “learning along with the students,” and Palomo has enjoyed facing the challenges of lesson planning while structuring each class with Dr. Desilets. Westminster Honors Program director, Dr. Richard Badenhausen, added that Clemente students benefit from the teaching fellows as well. “Clemente offers Westminster’s Honors teaching fellows a chance to model for these determined high school students what success in college looks like.” The Honors connection in Clemente is also evident through the classes’ focus on interdisciplinary analysis. Students read excerpts from the autobiography of 18th-century Nigerian abolitionist Olaudah Aquiano in both classes, once from a historical perspective and then again as a piece of literature. Moreover, like Honors classes, the Clemente Course teaches students to make arguments about texts. “The students don’t read poems or songs and then say what they mean,” Dr. Desilets said. “Instead they make meaning from the material of the words.” The Westminster Clemente teachers are hopeful that the course will offer these students a new understanding of the humanities and of college, opportunities that Dr. Marquardt called “an invaluable experience for under-represented students.” Bedera said she had reason to be optimistic about Clemente’s impact on students: “Above all, they’re excited and curious— those are amazing things to be.” By: Melanie Long Spring 2014 Finding Our Own Cause From left: Richard Badenhausen, Honors Program Director, Charlayne Hunter-Gault and Nicole Bedera, senior Charlayne Hunter-Gault’s Visit to Westminster page 2 As a noted activist and prominent journalist, Charlayne Hunter-Gault heard one question repeatedly from students over the course of her visit to Westminster: “How do you think we should get involved?” Each time, her answer remained the same—and she wasn’t going to let us off easy. According to her, the best way to get involved is to figure out how to do it yourself. “You need to choose a cause that matters to you,” she advised. “Every generation must find its own cause,” she said, emphasizing that the decision to support a movement (or create one) must come from a place of personal passion and commitment, but that the specific way you choose to contribute to society is merely a detail. Hunter-Gault’s own story certainly reflects the power of supporting a cause with personal meaning, a message she shared with Honors students while meeting with them throughout the day on March 6 in conjunction with her visit to Westminster to deliver this year’s Kim T. Adamson Lecture in International Studies. While she is best known for her work as a correspondent on a variety of esteemed news outlets including The MacNeil/Lehrer Report and National Public Radio, Hunter-Gault began making news long before she sought it out as a journalist. At the age of nineteen, she became the first female African American student to attend the University of Georgia. When asked about her experiences as a college student, HunterGault reframed the questions. She explained that her decision to attend the University of Georgia had nothing to do with wanting to make waves; she just wanted to pursue a degree in journalism that wasn’t available at any of the historically black colleges in the state. Her passion for journalism led her to the struggle for civil rights and, more recently, to women and children’s AIDS prevention in Africa. Choosing a cause, whether you seek it out or let it find you, is just the first step. HunterGault reminded students that, whatever cause they choose, they need to do right by those they seek to help. She spoke ardently about empowerment, reminding us that activism should create solutions rather than perpetuate helplessness. Hunter-Gault also advised future activists to feel free to feel. “I have been touched by my subjects,” she explained, “and that touches my listeners.” By making civic engagement personal, activists not only become more invested in their causes, but they also have the potential to spread their work further and with more compassion. While perhaps initially daunting, HunterGault’s expectation that we find our own causes reflects our ability and duty to do right by the world. Whether we revolutionize some still unrecognized social problem or simply do our part as good citizens, we all have something to contribute and have the capacity to recognize what that is, if we’re willing to try. By: Nicole Bedera Honors student wins state-wide essay contest, meets Madeleine Albright Pratik Raghu, a junior in the Honors program, won the statewide 2013 McCarthey Family Foundation essay contest in November for his essay on the role of independent journalism in diplomacy. The contest was held in conjunction with the eighth annual McCarthey Family Foundation Lecture Series: In Praise of Independent Journalism. Former US Secretary Madeleine Albright was the speaker for the 2013 installment of the lecture series and presented Pratik with a $2,500 check in front of a packed house of about 500 audience members. Raghu based his essay on the work of Gladson Dungdung, a human rights activist and writer from India. According to Raghu, Dungdung brings “marginalized peoples to the attention of mainstream Indian society in the hopes of improving their lives through engagement and dialogue.” After receiving the award, Raghu also had the opportunity to meet with Ms. Albright. “For someone who has shattered so many glass ceilings throughout her career,” he said, “she is very approachable, humorous, and frank.” Raghu encourages all his peers to enter the 2014 McCarthey Essay Competition and attend this year’s lecture. He enjoyed his experience and said that the McCarthey lectures are “excellent opportunities to expand your minds and think deeply about the information-rich, increasingly globalized age in which we live.” By: Anabel Alvarado Pratik Raghu and Madeleine Albright at the 2013 installment of the McCarthey Family Foundation lecture series: In Praise of Independent Journalism. Visiting Sochi as an NBC tour guide during the winter Olympics With twenty-three students participating in the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Westminster had plenty to celebrate this spring. But watching it all was Honors student Brett Carroll, a junior Marketing major with a minor in outdoor leadership, who participated in an NBC internship that took him to Russia alongside the athletes. As a tour guide for NBC’s guests, Brett and his fellow interns herded NBC’s marketing partners and top salespeople through crowds and security to view events. In his (rare) free time, Brett also helped with merchandise work, luggage service, and staffing the ticket desk in NBC’s office. Often getting back from events at 1:30 in the morning only to get up again at 6:30, Brett kept plenty busy. As a guide, he was able to watch many events in person, including both the women and men’s super-combined, ski jumping, team figure skating, and the preliminary match between Canada and the US in women’s ice hockey. He also got to meet some of the Olympians, including women’s halfpipe gold medalist Kaitlyn Farrington and men’s slopestyle coach Skogen Sprang. Although the games were amazing, Brett also enjoyed visiting a different country. Contrary to reports by US media, problems with amenities in Sochi were virtually nonexistent. The hotels were nice, the water clean, and the few stray dogs were very friendly. Brett also enjoyed meeting the Russian people, who, he says, did not smile much, but were very friendly once a conversation got started. Brett did regret not being able to experience more of Russian culture, though—by spending his time solely in the Olympic security “bubble,” Brett was not even able to go to the official town of Sochi, about thirteen miles away. Brett grew up skiing and hiking in Massachusetts, developing a love of the outdoors from an early age. He began to broaden his sporting horizons when he got to Westminster, participating in the freshman outdoors orientation trip. Brett is now heavily involved in the outdoor program, working in the Outdoor Recreation office and frequently leading student trips. His love of outdoor recreation made his experience in Sochi particularly exciting. He hopes to return to Brett Carroll joined other students as an NBC tour guide during the 2014 winter Olympics. the program as a paid senior guide for the Rio de Janiero Summer Olympics in 2016. By: Emma Deloughery page 3 Honors alumni give their perspective in a new video series “ “ “ “ While [students] will be encouraged to participate, they will be challenged ... ultimately for the purpose of growing professionally, academically and personally. Marie Martin, ’08 “ page 4 “ During last year’s May Term serivce learning trip, Honors students traveled to Thailand. The Honors Program taught me to defend a position ... without it being a confrontation. Jay Springer, ’09 Professors were interested in talking to you regardless of whether or not you were in the major that they usually supervised. I think that was really valuable for me to have. Jillian Edmonds, ’12 “ “ Honors classes are, first and foremost, interdisciplinary. You’ll likely be surprised at the things that capture your attention. Cassidy Jones, ’11 Everything shares this really strong interconnectivity. Every seminar is team taught... to really show there are multiple sides to every field of inquiry. David Luhr, ’13 “ A lot of the assignments focus on your own life and your beliefs. So, it helps you find out who you are and express who you are. “ There is a lot that goes into communicating with other people. ... From day one, the Honors Program had a very intensive writing curriculum. That’s something that I carry with me. Jeff Pedersen, ’13 “ “ “ “ I was able to spend an entire summer researching how I wanted, what I wanted, at my own pace. Elizabeth Nelson, ’13 Long term, I do want to be a professor, and not just a research professor, but an educator. That is, in part, due to ... seeing these passionate faculty who really love what they do. Chris Roundy, ’11 “ “ “ “ Over the winter break, a number of Honors alumni returned to campus to be interviewed about their experiences in the program. These alumni are pursuing everything from travel to PhDs or full-time careers. Despite their varying goals, though, they each have found that their experiences in the Honors Program have helped them gain the skills neccessary to be successful thinkers and communicators. While you can find a few of their thoughts below, their full interviews are online at www.westminstercollege.edu/honors. Jillian Hill, ’10 Traveling with Purpose Student Recipients of Kim Adamson’s International Travel Grants In the Honors program, students and faculty strive for active learning strategies that contextualize and invigorate knowledge, making our learning relevant to the complexity and variety of today’s world. Few learning strategies are more active and experiential than travel. This May, seven Honors students will do just that, thanks to a generous grant from Westminster alumna Kim Adamson. Adamson’s previous donations to the college have enabled the creation of the Kim T. Adamson Alumni House, the Anne Newman Sutton Weeks Reading Room in Giovale Library (named after her grandmother), and the Adamson Lecture Series, along with the endowed academic chair currently held by Honors’ own Richard Badenhausen. Travel has been an essential part of Adamson’s life since 1972, when she attended the Munich Olympics as a member of the US Olympic Youth Delegation. After beginning college, she spent many years as a police officer in Salt Lake City and traveled extensively within the United States through the International Police Association. In 1974, Adamson joined the Marine Corps, and during her 30 years of service, she did two tours of duty in Afghanistan and two in Iraq. Apart from her professional experiences, she has also traveled a great deal to pursue her personal interests. She has taken cycling tours through Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and New Zealand, and has also participated in trips designed for aid and disaster relief, including a trip to the Virgin Islands after Hurricane Hugo and one to Senegal with the Marine Corps where she worked with a team offering medical services to villagers. Currently, she has visited 47 US states and every continent except Antarctica—though now that she is retired, she enthusiastically plans to finish off those lists! Adamson’s extensive travels have dramatically shaped page 5 Adamson Grants At a Glance $20,000 donated, supporting seven students on five trips taken to eight countries. 1 The Lessons of Nazi Science: Poland, Austria, Italy 2 Gender Utopia: Norway, Sweden 3 Irish History: Ireland 4 Service Learning: Thailand 5 Glasgow Principia: Scotland her values and views on life. She prefers to “travel with purpose,” approaching each new country and culture not as a tourist, but as a productive, open-minded, and adaptive visitor. Whether her goal is providing aid, working alongside other citizens, learning about history and culture, or participating in events, Adamson travels to fit in, learn, meet new people, and allow each new experience to broaden her understanding of the world and its people. Her generous grants to these seven Honors students will allow them to begin doing the same. During May Term experiences and, for one student, a semester of studying at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, these students will travel to a grand total of ten countries on academic trips that will allow them to experience, study, and actively engage with different cultures. All of the students are incredibly excited for their upcoming trips. Seniors Cera Cantu and Melody Redmond will both be going on the Thailand Service Learning May Term trip, which will involve service projects in rural Thai villages, city tours, a meeting with iconic sexual health activist Mechai Viravaidya, and even elephant rides at the Lampang Elephant Conservatory. For Cera, this trip fits in perfectly with her Public Health major by allowing her to observe the workings of Thailand’s public health system— page 6 particularly the mechanisms in place for dealing with HIV/ AIDS, family planning, and sexual health. According to faculty leaders Han Kim and Peter Ingle, “this trip changes people,” and Cera looks forward to bringing a new, international perspective into her future in the field of public health. In Melody’s case, this learning experience does not directly relate to her Communications major, but like Cera, she has wanted to take this class since her freshman year. She wants to experience a culture that is dramatically different from that of the United States, but more importantly, she wants to spend her time abroad serving other people. Both Cera and Melody look forward to this adventure, and state that without the financial help of the grants, they would not be able to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Senior Marlayna Townsend will be delving into the fields of psychology, medicine, physical sciences, ethics, and history this May in the “Lessons of Nazi Science,” where students will travel through the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, and Italy. This trip will be led by three different professors, including Dr. Russ Costa (neuroscience), Dr. Chris Cline (physics), and Dr. Giancarlo Panagia (justice studies), and one staff member: Amy Fairchild (Adminis- a sociological lens, which has been the focus trative Assistant for the School of Arts and Sciences). It will focus on the complicated place of of her entire academic experience at Westminscientific research during WWII. ster. “Often, we compare the faults in our own According to Marlayna, the gendered system to the greater interdisciplinary nature of equalities outside of the United I am aware of this class makes it the perfect States, especially in northern the importance conclusion to her Honors expeEurope. The Gender Utopias trip of looking at rience. “As a future physician seemed like the perfect opportuand researcher,” she says, “I nity to delve into those differencnot only the am aware of the importance of es (and, surely, similar struggles) conclusions in person instead of through textlooking at not only the concludrawn from books,” she said. In terms of what sions drawn from scientific she hopes to gain from this class, discovery but also the means scientific Nicole eagerly anticipates going by which scientific progress discovery but through the inevitable culture was and is made.” For Maralso the means by shock of visiting a new place, and layna, this trip represents a hopes to “gain some cultural comrare and valuable intersection which scientific between the ever-evolving progress was and passion and perspective” through nature of biomedical science the experience. is made. Juniors Shianne Gray and Megan and the powerful effects—both Peters are bound for Ireland this inspiring and tragic—of the May Term. The “Irish Film & Hisfield for real people. The class tory” class, led by Dr. Natasha Sajé promises to be as eye-opening and Dr. Georgiana Donavin, will focus on the art and personally meaningful as it is academically and culture of Ireland. Megan, a marketing marigorous. jor, chose this trip as a complement to her film Nicole Bedera, a senior majoring in sociolminor and cannot wait to study Irish film and ogy with an emphasis in gender studies, will to learn more about the cultural influences that be traveling with the “Gender Utopias” class to shape the country’s cinematic endeavors. “I Norway and Sweden to study issues of gender love traveling,” she said, “and I love film. I have and equality. This seminar will offer valuable also wanted to visit Ireland since high school, new insight into her study of gender through “ “ Honors Program Director Richard Badenhausen and Prof. Christopher Harmon of the Marine Corps University pose with Kim Adamson at her retirement from the Marine Corps last year. Adamson endowned the chairs that Badenhausen and Harmon hold at their respective universities. page 7 so this trip is a perfect fit!” Shianne, a theatre major and self-proclaimed connoisseur of Irish music, picked this particular May Term experience because the trip is cross-listed for Honors credit, which will allow her to spend time with some of her fellow Honors students in an entirely new, international setting. She’s also looking forward to going on hikes, writing dramatic monologues, and studying dramatic literature. Finally, for one student, the Adamson grant supports a much longer and more immersive trip. Mackenzie Crow, a sophomore studying Management and Sociology, is spending this semester abroad in Scotland at the University of Glasgow. Through the Principia program, Mackenzie is currently taking classes at the university, including a 4-credit Honors course on the Scottish Enlightenment with honors students from other American colleges. In addition to her academic work, she has already had many opportunities to visit many beautiful sites in Scotland, including Glenfinnan (with its viaduct that many refer to as “the Harry Potter Bridge”), the highland glen of Glencoe, Loch Tulla, and the “Granite City” of Aberdeen. Over the next few Allie Roach (’12) has moved to Boston to work as a Research Associate in the department of molecular discovery at Biogen Indec, the oldest independent biotechnology company in the world. Christina Della Iacono (’12) spent the holiday break from her Ph.D. program in Neuroscience at the University of Oregon traveling to Guinea to learn traditional dances and help raise money for the Guinea Land Project. After working at Goldman Sachs for a year, Kayla Whidden (’12) moved to the Masters in Public Policy program at the University of Utah, where she is focusing on food policy. Mackenzie Crow was awarded a Gilman Scholarship to study abroad at the University of Glasgow through the Principia Consortium. Megan Peters was elected ICC President for the 2014-2015 academic year. Willy Palomo had a poem, “The New Spider-Man,” published on Button Poetry’s YouTube Channel. Jamie Resnick had two photographs accepted for publication in Scribendi, a literary and arts journal published by the University of Mexico. page 8 months, she will continue to live in and learn about the culture of Scotland, and when she returns to Westminster in the fall, her experiences and stories will provide our community with even greater cultural depth and global perspective. As college students, and as Honors students in particular, it can be difficult to find the time and resources necessary to travel. With so many other commitments—be they internships, classes, jobs, or research—postponement often seems like the most feasible and efficient strategy. According to Kim Adamson, however, the experience of international travel offers opportunities and insights that are simply beyond our reach here in Salt Lake City. Learning experiences like these broaden perspectives, dispel prejudices, and give life to academic subjects by giving them real human context. Marlayna speaks for all seven grant recipients when she says, “Without the Kim T. Adamson International Study Award, I would not be able to cover the cost of a study abroad experience. I am very thankful to have been given the opportunity to participate in such a life changing experience.” By: Jessica Bowen News & Notes Chris Cunningham, Abbie McKinney, Nicole Bedera and James Steur competed with the Westminster Mock Trial team and won the Spirit of AMTA award at a regional competition in San Diego. Max Rutherford made a time-lapse of Motoi Yamamoto’s Salt Art installation in Meldrum Science Center. James Steur was elected ASWC Chief Justice for the 2014-2015 academic year. Greg Yerkes was appointed SAC Director of Programming for the 2014-2015 academic year. Shianne Gray directed “Hello From Bertha” by Tennessee Williams as part of the One-Act Festival. Jamie Resnick will start medical school this fall at Wake Forest University. Melanie Long will start a Ph.D. program in Economics this fall at Colorado State University. Ben Rackham (’09), currently working on a Ph.D. in Astronomy at the University of Arizona, has received a three-year National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to study the atmospheres of superearths. ! Zak Burkley (‘13) will start the Ph.D. program in Physics at Colorado State in the fall. Methodological thinking Senior John Allred has learned to love philosophy. It’s difficult to be in the Honors program without hearing the illustrious name of senior philosophy major John Allred. His restless, witty, and friendly demeanor leaves an impression on everyone he meets. Plus, John has served as a peer mentor for the last three years, participated in a variety of Honors events, and tries to interact with anyone in the program whenever the opportunity presents itself. John is the youngest of nine children, and his parents began traveling a lot while he was in high Marlayna Townsend will start this fall at the University of Utah School of Medicine. English Professor Natasha Sajé isn’t worried about being conventional. Courtney Hammond won the April SLC Slam Poetry competition, which earned her a place on the SLC Nationals team, which will compete in Oakland, Calif. this August. Jasmine Carlson will spend the summer interning in the D.C. office of Jon Tester, U.S. Senator from Montana. Melanie Long is one of only two recipients of the Robert W. Sledge Fellowship, awarded by Alpha Chi. Pratik Raghu is one of only two recipients of the Edwin W. Gaston, Jr. Scholarship, awarded by Alpha Chi. Did you do something notable? We want to know! Email your news and notes to Richard at [e-mail]. most important in life: critical thinking and self-expression. John’s favorite Honors seminar was Humanities because it sparked his fascination with philosophy. The discussion-based classroom setting allowed him to explore ideas he found intriguing and challenged him to improve through critical reflection. This methodological practice of thinking motivated his love of philosophy because it taught him lessons that guide his decision-making and formulated the basis of what he considers ethical conduct. Reflecting on college, John noted the large impact Honors had on his overall college experience and life. “The program has helped me find some of my best friends and also my voice as a thinker,” he said. “I’m thankful for a great community where I can always show up in Nunemaker and just talk with whoever is there.” By: James Steur On challenging yourself Elhom Gosink and Sierra Kane have been selected to join four other students as Presidential Ambassadors. Nicole Bedera will present her Honors summer research grant work, “‘Never Go Out Alone’: Rape Prevention Tips and their Effect on Women’s Lives” at the American Sociological Association Conference in San Francisco this summer. school, which fostered his personal love of travel. From Germany to Ireland, or even just Colorado, John has seen a large portion of the globe. During his sophomore year, John took his love of adventure into his own hands his by studying abroad in Mongolia. While abroad, he lived with shepherds, rode a horse while herding sheep, and interviewed a monk in the Gobi Desert. According to John, it’s unusual and exciting experiences like these that draw him to travel. In addition to travel, John has a passion for philosophy and writing that extends outside of the classroom and manifests itself in club participation. For the last three years, he has been a member of the Ethics Bowl Team, competing at Nationals his junior year. John also joined the Westminster Slam Poetry Team this past year and discovered a new love of creative writing. These clubs allowed him to cultivate the two abilities he considers Natasha Sajé was born in Germany and immigrated to New York with her parents. After completing high school, she attended the University of Virginia and graduated with a degree in English in just three years. Instead of taking a more traditional approach and pursuing graduate school, Sajé ended up traveling to Europe and working for three years in a variety of nonacademic jobs. But it wasn’t long before she was drawn back to the world of academia, getting her Masters Degree at Johns Hopkins University and her Ph.D. at the University of Maryland. Sajé has published three books (with another forthcoming), and is the adviser for Ellipsis, Westminster’s literary magazine. She is incredibly proud of Ellipsis for getting a large amount of submissions that are solely edited by undergraduates—an uncommon arrangement in the world of college literary publications. The students bring her joy by evaluating all work with objective criteria despite the authors’ (lack of) fame. Sajé believes that Ellipsis gives everybody a chance to be acknowledged. The writer doesn’t need to be famous or previously published; the writing simply needs to be good. This spring Sajé taught the beloved Arts and Performance Honors seminar with art professor Matthew Kruback, crossing off two firsts from her list: teaching in Honors and team-teaching a class. Sajé praised the co-teaching format for enriching both the classroom and teaching experience, especially in a class focused on art, which she believes is more processbased than product-based. According to Sajé, the artistic process is a valuable thing for students to experience, because it opens the doors to different and enriching experiences—instead of always focusing on a correct answer. When asked if she had any advice for Honors students, Sajé reflected on her own undergraduate experience: “Challenge yourself. Don’t just try to get through college fast. Take classes that are outside of your comfort zone. Do something that a) you love, and b) is difficult at the same time.” By: James Steur page 9 In her book, Quiet, Susan Cain discusses the different ways in which extroverts and introverts negotiate a culture that overvalues extroversion. In your experience, how has having a mix of introverts and extroverts influenced your experience in Honors? Matt Kruback, Art Professor I have never really considered myself an introvert with any conviction until asked to write this response. However, after perusing countless Wikipedia entries and Huffington Post articles on the subject, it became glaringly apparent that I am an introvert’s introvert. The “Which Introverted 90’s Sitcom Character Are You?” quiz on BuzzFeed was especially damning, and I read my results in disbelief as my cat cried softly from over my shoulder. Left to my own devices and without an excuse to challenge myself, I could live entirely and comfortably in my own head. As an artist working primarily in isolation for extended periods of time, I not only exhibit introverted characteristics, I cultivate them. For hours, days, and weeks at a time I can work and play in my art without intentionally making any connection to page 10 another human being. The thought of another person, let alone a group of people (gasp!) bothering me induces borderline nausea. But as a teacher, I have an excuse to play across the introvert-extrovert spectrum and develop a side of my personality that leads and directs. I watch for opportunities to play devil’s advocate, interject a big question boldly, or simply seek out the opportunity to contribute. It doesn’t come naturally to me, but it’s a character I am learning how and when to wield. I am ever the introvert, listening to what people are saying and working to keep myself out of their voices so that I may respond honestly and without self-interest. This variety of personality is crucial in the classroom. Amazing classes are driven by a give-and-take dynamic: extroverts are incendiary and incite quick, passionate discussion, while introverts provide the stamina and slow burn to cultivate longevity. An imbalance of personalities turns a class into two hours of shouting, or the opposite: an uncomfortable cricket concert. In this, students are using class time as an opportunity to try on different roles, negotiating their identities and curating personalities. Or at least that’s what my cat tells me. 2014 Spring Semester Paper Winners Announced Category 1 (Humanities) Conscience and Humanity Emma Deloughery Brianne Sandorf, senior “You will be graded on participation,” Richard and Nick told us on the first day of Humanities, “but you will not be given points for simply saying things. If there is quantity, there must be quality. Don’t waste our time.” I have no problem with fulfilling the quality part of Honors participation. I’m quieter—more reserved. I don’t usually say things I don’t mean. To say something for the sake of saying something is an uncomfortable concept, almost blasphemous in my mind. Over the years, I’ve recognized other introverted classmates who feel the same way. We bend over our textbooks, taking notes, sometimes doodling. Always listening, but rarely speaking up. Then there are the extroverted students who love to talk and are eager to share their opinions. Their hands shoot into the air, Hermione Granger-style, whenever a question is asked—or they Senior Class Gift just start talking, confidently and naturally, without raising a hand at all. These students are the lifeblood of a discussion. They keep the ball rolling. However, they don’t always listen, and sometimes key points can be dropped or misunderstood in the rush to speak. The way Richard and Nick responded to different students in my Humanities class—calling on one who never talked, suggesting to an outspoken one that her interpretation of the text could be reexamined— showed me that Honors class discussions aren’t only for us to learn course content from one another. We can also learn from the personality traits that we lack. I still don’t always speak up, but when I do, it’s because I am emboldened by the example of more extroverted classmates that I admire. They’ve shown me how to take risks and let the dusty ideas from the corners of my mind out into the world where they might affect somebody. Likewise, some of those same classmates who used to blurt out answers don’t blurt anymore. They bend over their textbooks and take notes before talking. Perhaps they even doodle. Category 2 (Sciences) Progress and Profit in Science: The Case of Gene Patenting Jorie Page Category 3 (Social Sciences) Representing Girls in Children’s Cartoons: A Mixed Method Analysis of Cartoons from 1990-Present Nicole Bedera, Katrina England, and Courtney Hammond Category 4 and Overall Winner (Special Topics) Lessons from the Forest: How Adivasi Thought Could Address India’s Socio-Ecological Crises Pratik Raghu .. .. This year, Honors Director Richard Badenhausen issued a challenge to the program’s graduating seniors: if the class reached a cumulative gift of $500, he would match their donation. To sweeten the deal, he offered up another $500 if 100% of the class donated. “As you prepare to graduate from Westminster and the Honors program, I want to put one more challenge in front of you: that is, to give back to the program that has given so much to you,” his request read. He pointed to the numerous people who contribute to current Honors students’ successes, and asked the class to join those ranks. While they were just shy of a 100% participation rate, the group did raise $503, which Richard matched. The funds were put into the Student Honors Council Fund. Thank you to the students who donated, and to Richard for his generous (and motivating!) call to action. Correction: There are three Honors babies (and they’re adorable) Honorable Mention would like to correct an error in our last issue. In the “By the Numbers” graphic, we stated there were no Honors babies yet. However, Honors couple Nathan Astin (Class of 2001) and his wife, Marisa (Class of 2003) are the proud parents of three children: Annabelle Carole (age 4), Emerson Thomas (age 2), and baby Emmeline Marie. Nathan and Marisa (née Bedell) became acquainted through Honors classes at Westminster, and have been together ever since. They currently live and teach together in Wallingford, Vermont. Congratulations Nathan and Marisa! By: Jasmine Carlson Thank you, Student Honors Council Fund Donors! • • • • Richard Badenhausen & Katherine Venti John & Regie Bradford Douglas & Kathleen Burroughs Thomas & Kris Carlson • • • • Edward & Sheila Cunningham Jean Butcher & Thomas DeLoughery Kent & Kathryn Fasiang Steve & Diane Green • • • • • Anthony and Natalie Groathouse Kelly Holtman Clayton & Jane McCracken Tori & Lorri Shaver Ann Taylor page 11 Sara McCaskey stm0217 Jessie Smith jda0605 Chris Cunningham cjc0403 Honors Program Westminster College 1840 S. 1300 E. Salt Lake City, UT 84105 www.westminstercollege.edu/honors We will be nationally recognized as an exemplary community of learners, distinguished by our distinctive educational programs, our record of preparing graduates for success in a rapidly changing world, and our commitment to continuous improvement, effectiveness, and value. Jessica Bowen jjb1206 Hannah Williams hmw1029