2024 Spring The Honorable Mention

THE H ONORAB L E M E N T I ON MENTIONING WESTMINSTER HONORS COLLEGE STUDENTS SINCE 2002 Magnus Shannon (’27) (left) and friends spending time at Bishop's Wall in the Dolores Doré Health, Wellness, and Athletic Center on campus. Photo courtesy of Elena Allred Beyond books and lecture halls: unraveling third places in campus life BY ELENA ALLRED (’27) The term “third place” was coined by urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg in his 1989 book The Great Good Place. With first place being the home and second place the workplace, the third place is a social environment apart from the two. While second place is usually understood as the workplace, it may be substituted for the classroom in a collegiate setting, with first place being a student’s living space. Oldenburg says third places are the “embryo of democracy,” vital to civic life and finding a sense of place in a community. Such places come in the form of coffee shops, public libraries, taverns, churches, and hair salons; places where people can gather and converse free from obligation. Third places serve as equalizers, as everyone is welcome there. PAGE SIX Brushstrokes of knowledge: exploring place-based learning in faculty offices · What is the relationship between third places and collegiate settings? This is a complicated question considering that the university fulfills all aspects of social life for many students. A survey of Honors college students estimates that, on average, they spend 71% of their time on campus. Additionally, 73% answered that they lived on campus and 77% work on campus. The distinctions between different types of social spaces become blurry and intertwined, as they’re all largely experienced within the same small scope of Westminster University’s 27acre campus. First-year music student Magnus Shannon (’27) identified the climbing wall at Dolores Doré Eccles Health, Wellness, and Athletic Center as his third place. “While there are other Continued on page 2 PAGE EIGHT · Spring 2024 Volume 22 Issue 2 Student and staff profiles: Ellie Tille and Kellie Gerbers Continued from page 1 spots to hang out on campus, the wall is the most engaging,” “I’m done with soccer now, so I’m in this weird space of said Shannon. He noted that the social atmosphere at the wall trying to figure out a new third place to be a part of,” said is filled with positive energy and welcoming attitudes. Pierce. Paxton Bennion (’27) said his third place is the outdoors. However, she still feels as if she has a third place, as most “I don’t think there are many better ways to really get of her classes are highly social, and they don’t really feel like to know someone or a group work. of people than when you are Overall, the way third places outside,” Bennion said. manifest for students is varied “I’m done with soccer now, so I’m in this He came to this realization at Westminster. Students attend weird space of trying to figure out a new when taking an introductory university to gain an education outdoor education and leadership in the traditional sense, but third place to be a part of.” class at Westminster, citing inadvertently learn how to exist specifically the friendships he socially as they enter into their Elaina Pierce (’24) made on a two-day backpacking adult lives. These two educations trip. Bennion contrasted the occur side by side and largely vastness of the southern Utah in the same places. Even those desert with a social setting that is “so much more intimate.” whose third places are off-campus take the things they have Bennion said his ability to be in nature “keeps me sane and it learned at Westminster with them. keeps me grounded.” Students learn how to find and build their own communities Reflecting on her experience at Westminster, senior geology around common hobbies and interests. They learn how to grow major Elaina Pierce (’24) identified her third place as her soccer and thrive in social settings outside of their home and their team, specifically soccer practices. However, the soccer season work, developing skills they will bring with them into the rest is over, and this is Pierce’s last semester at Westminster. of their lives. A message from Student Honors Council SHC gatherings: building community at Nunemaker Place BY KARLIE ALLEN (’25), SHC PRESIDENT Nunemaker Place has been the home to many Student Honors Council events over the last three years that I have helped organize. From quiet study events in the basement to welcome back barbeques on the patio, the Honors community has been able to cultivate a safe and welcoming environment for its students, faculty, and staff. Through SHC’s mental health awareness and suicide prevention campaign over the past year, we have had the opportunity to grow as a community, both within the Honors college and the wider campus community. SHC’s Vice President and pre-med music major Morgan Madsen (’25) said, “we want to show people that they have a support system.” This semester, SHC handed out suckers with affirmations and notes for Valentine’s Day, to serve as a reminder that people are loved and cared for in our community. “It can be a really hard time for people, and we want to thank them for being here with us,” says SHC secretary and accounting major Hannah Henke (’25). As a council, we are thankful to have the space and opportunities provided by the Honors college and Nunemaker. Without them, we would not be able to support our community in the same ways. From left to right: treasurer Sophie Mackay, secretary Hannah Henke, president Karlie Allen, and vice president Morgan Madsen. Photo courtesy of Sofia Nyquist 2 From classrooms to canyons: a look at the Westminster Expedition BY THEO BABBITT (’27) Students learning in the field on their semester expedition. Photo courtesy of Elena Allred Every four years, Westminster University takes sixteen students on the road for a once-in-a-lifetime educational experience that uses much of the Western United States as a learning platform. This includes meeting field experts and interacting with nature: everything from mountains and rocky cliffs to deserts and sandstone. Students on the Westminster Expedition will experience it all. Led by Honors college affiliate faculty members Brent Olson (environmental studies) and Jeff Nichols (history), students develop an intimate relationship with the land and engage in learning done primarily through field experiences. By transforming the classroom into something mobile, the whole West becomes a classroom. Lessons are more likely to stick with students because “it’s one thing to read that story but to see, hear, and feel that—it becomes a much more relatable and powerful experience,” said Olson. The semester’s subject matter is tied specifically to where the van is headed. If the class visits indigenous lands, then they’ll speak to native people and learn the cultural significance of that space. The same practice goes for any other place they visit. “Every day is so engaging,” said Boaz Hill (’24), an environmental studies major who participated in the Fall 2021 Expedition. The curriculum is also affected by who the group meets. If 3 they spend time with a small farm owner or rancher, they’ll be sure to learn from them the ins and outs of the field (literally). In 2021 they did just this, and some students even returned to work for the farmer over the summer break. According to Nichols, one of the most important parts of experiences like this is that students are standing beside such individuals, learning from them by “doing the work…right where they’ve done the work.” Students rave about how the Expedition has affected their personal and professional lives. During the trip, cultivating soft skills is just as important as learning tactical lessons. “The Expedition was the single biggest, most impactful part of my entire education. When I think about what my education has been since grade school—when I’ve learned the most, where my ideas come from—it’s from the Westminster Expedition,” said Boaz. The Expedition all came from a conversation between Professors Olson and Nichols around a firepit, on the side of a snowy mountain. “We’re like, ‘oh man, it’d be awesome if we could just go on a big road trip of the West with the students,’” said Olson, and when they went to then-provost Lisa Gentile, she looked straight at them and said, “why can’t you do that now?” And so, the dream became a reality; the third Westminster Expedition will be happening this fall 2024! Nunemaker Place: fostering community, pushing boundaries, and shaping the Westminster experience BY KARLIE ALLEN (’25) AND MORGAN MADSEN (’25) Irene Nunemaker was best known for her philanthropic work article written by Elizabeth Mitchell, the executive director of and passion for the arts and education. During her lifetime, the Utah Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, for Ms. Nunemaker—an executive with Avon Cosmetics—had a the Salt Lake Tribune. Nunemaker was chosen for its ability to history of providing generous donations to numerous college “fit remarkably well” within its site. campuses funding the construction of buildings that would As the building is located centrally on Westminster’s campus, allow for continued education and learning. Nunemaker offers an ideal location for students to study until Nunemaker was a devout Presbyterian, causing her to feel a the late hours of the night. Located near the residence halls, special connection to Westminster due to its origins as a former Nunemaker allows students a space to study that is comfortable Presbyterian mission for them and allows them school. It is through to travel to and from her generosity that the their on-campus housing home base of the Honors easily. “[One] of my favorite things about Nunemaker is when c o l l e g e , Nu n e m a k e r “My favorite part the building gets super crowded and noisy with the bustle Place, was constructed in about Nunemaker is that of students interacting with each other, since the unique 1977. it’s a great place to study W h e n      d o n a t i n g because it’s quiet and architectural design of the building causes noise to the resources for the has snacks,” said secondcascade across all floors at once.” construction of the year psychology and art building,   Nunemaker student Lily Doyle (’26). Richard Badenhausen, Honors college Dean had one request: that the Nunemaker   staff funds be used to create a members, Administrative student-centered space. C o o r d i n a t o r     Yv o n n e At 2,700 square feet, Francis and Assistant Nunemaker Place stands as a symbol of the Honors college’s Dean José Hernández Zamudio, do their best to keep commitment to fostering intellectual exploration, community Nunemaker stocked with snacks year-round, from ramen engagement, and inclusive spaces on Westminster University’s noodles to candy bars, making the building a comfortable and campus. Through its unique history, architectural design, and safe place to get help on essays while also grabbing a quick bite strategic location, the building serves as a hub for academic to eat. support, student organizations, and the cultivation of a vibrant When asked about the role Nunemaker plays for students campus culture. who do not live on campus, Dean Badenhausen said the Nunemaker Place has always been a place dedicated to building “serves as an especially important location for students pushing boundaries and fostering interpersonal connections. to drop by to study, hang out with each other, or even nap on During the 1990s, for example, it was the only campus building the beanbags between classes. It also gives commuter students a that was permitted to serve alcohol. specific space to call their own in the absence of a dorm room.” Later, when the then-Honors program moved into the This statement is echoed by third-year justice studies student building in 2004, it showcased the Honors focus on interactive Casey Berger. “I know that I have a place to go in between conversations across difference, the creation of safe spaces classes, or if I don’t have time to go home for lunch, I know where the collective campus community felt free to express there is always food in Nunemaker.” their opinions. Nunemaker is home to various honors student organizations Nunemaker Place is a campus icon, beloved by students and such as the Student Honors Council, the Student Diversity faculty both in and outside the honors cohort. Council, the Honorable Mention staff, and the Peer Mentor “[One] of my favorite things about Nunemaker is when program. the building gets super crowded and noisy with the bustle “The Honors college serves 20% of the undergraduate of students interacting with each other, since the unique student body,” said Badenhausen. “There are a lot of moving architectural design of the building causes noise to cascade pieces in the Honors college that require physical space: across all floors at once,” said Richard Badenhausen, Dean of advising, meetings, programming, supplies, administrative the Honors college. offices, and so forth.” That unique design was partly responsible for Nunemaker Nunemaker also serves an important role in the introduction being nominated as one of Utah’s thirty “best buildings” in an of prospective students to the Honors college. 4 “Because every institution’s approach to honors is slightly based learning are demonstrated not only through Nunemaker different, having a space tied to the Honors college helps make but also through the Honors college’s most recent addition, the the program ‘visible’ for potential students,” says Badenhausen. Simonds Seminar Room. This sentiment is shared by students across campus. Madi The significance of a classroom dedicated to the pedagogy Fortner (’25), a junior in the justice studies program, said of the Honors college ensures that students can take advantage Nunemaker was significant in creating a sense of familiarity on of a space dedicated solely to honors learning goals and values. campus during her time as a first-year honors student. Nunemaker stands as more than just a building on “Knowing there is a Westminster’s campus; designated supportive space it embodies a legacy of for students in the Honors fostering community, pushing “I know that I have a place to go in between college helped me feel more boundaries, and promoting confident during my first meaningful interactions. classes, or if I don’t have time to go home for few weeks on campus,” said From its unique role as lunch, I know there is always food in Nunemaker.” Fortner. the only campus building Perhaps the most important permitted to serve alcohol Casey Berger (’25) aspect of Nunemaker and its in the 1990s to its current history is its ability to provide status as a hub for academic opportunities for “placeand social engagement, based” learning for the honors Nunemaker has continually community. “Place-based” learning is defined as a process of evolved to meet the needs of students, faculty, and staff alike. using the local community and environment to teach concepts Its significance as a gathering space, study haven, and to students. home to various honors student organizations underscores its Dean Badenhausen states that “this work is best conducted importance in shaping the Westminster experience. Moreover, collaboratively because the different perspectives of participants in partnership with the Simonds Seminar Room, Nunemaker will help complicate and enrich how they process their highlights the commitment of the Honors college to academic observations.” excellence and community engagement. By having a designated honors space on campus such as As Westminster continues to grow and change, Nunemaker Nunemaker, students can feel better engaged with the material remains a steadfast symbol of the institution’s dedication to they are learning and become more involved both within the creating inclusive, supportive environments where all members campus and their broader community. The effects of place- of the campus community can thrive. Students spend time together in Nunemaker Place. Photo courtesy of Elena Allred 5 Brushstrokes of knowledge: exploring place-based learning in faculty offices BY RYLEE CUDNEY (’27) From where we grew up, to where we have traveled, to where we choose to attend college—all these things make up the artwork of our knowledge. Place-based learning is the concept of using the environment and the community to enhance learning, a tool to create our artwork. The offices of our faculty and staff at Westminster University facilitate a unique type of place-based learning. They are much more than places where professors plan classes and students wander in if they are desperate for assistance. Offices become little microcosms  containing Honors college professor Dr. Connie Etter sits in her office. the knowledge a faculty Photo courtesy of Elena Allred m e m b e r      h a s      a c q u i r e d throughout their experiences, which they then get to share that was “the most major ah-ha moment” for Etter—are also with their students and other colleagues. This creates a mapped onto her office space. beautiful environment of education where that knowledge Such experiences create spaces of individualization, which bleeds together in a watercolor-like learning process that leaves add value to an education, according to Etter. each individual more fulfilled than when they first stepped Etter said, “knowledge…has to be connected to our through the door. individual lives because, if it doesn’t, why does it matter?” So, what have these professors brought with them into their Professors also bring their presence and support into their offices at Westminster that make them impactful? office spaces, reflecting life experiences that can be just as At times, it is genuinely the knowledge gained from their impactful as the tangible facts and skills these professors teach. unique adventures all over the globe. Indra Kruger (’27), a first-year Honors college student, Dr. Connie Etter, a beloved Honors college professor, reflected that office hours are “a space where you are guaranteed brings her unique learning from the top of her bike that is support and help…all you have to do is show up.” typically found within her office. Other place-based learning Providing overt support to students is a crucial step in in her life—such as a study abroad experience in South India creating a space where the art of learning can take place. Dr. Kara Barnette, another beloved Honors college professor, also expressed the importance and value of presence in an office space. “Students are coming into a space that already has all the “[Office hours are] a space where you are good philosopher juices in it,” said Barnette, when asked about guaranteed support and help…all you have to do the benefit of offices as a space of place-based learning. Westminster University emphasizes the importance of is show up.” community and connection in an academic setting, and faculty offices are a masterful example of that. They provide an Indra Kruger (’27) invaluable resource for learning. Offices are a place where many aspects of learning collide in an artistry that blends together curiosity, knowledge, questions, and ideas in support of student growth. 6 Journeying beyond borders: exploring learning spaces in Thi Bui’s graphic novel and the power of conceptual education B Y S O F I A N Y Q U I S T ( ’ 2 7 ) A N D M O L LY C O U S I N S ( ’ 2 7 ) The Honors college emphasizes the value of place-based learning. But what exactly is a place? And how does the accessibility of certain places affect the ability to learn? This year’s Kim T. Adamson guest lecturer, Thi Bui, helps us answer these questions through her autobiographical graphic novel The Best We Could Do.Bui’s novel is an embodiment of an alternate place of learning, one that exists outside of a physical space. When talking about a place, we often think of certain spaces—college campuses, lecture halls, classrooms, faculty offices, faculty-led expeditions, among others. Honors college Dean Richard Badenhausen and Westminster Trustee Kim T. Adamson (’79) enjoy the reception following Thi Bui's (center)2023-24 Adamson Lecture. Photo courtesy of Sofia Nyquist 7 These places are dedicated to learning and exist within certain frameworks to create ease in the learning process. However, these places aren’t always accessible, and are restrained in terms of curriculum, time, and instructors. Bui’s novel shows a different type of place, one that exists conceptually rather than physically. As a graduate student at NYU, Bui started what she considered a “revenge project” against films which inaccurately portrayed the Vietnam War. Over the next ten years, she collected stories, oral testimonies, photographs, and other research in order to piece together a history that was otherwise lost. When thinking about a place, it is important to acknowledge that the Vietnam Bui and her family left behind no longer exists. She writes that “the ground beneath [her] parents’ feet had always been shifting…by the time [she] was born, Vietnam was not [her] country at all.” No physical place could capture the history which Bui desired to learn about, and so she had to take a different route to bridge the gap between the past and present. At age three, Bui fled Vietnam, and so relied on the memories of others to conceptualize her project. She describes this as a collaborative experience and found that her project turned into a place of learning as it became a “vehicle for questions.” By interviewing her family, Bui’s project was realized, and transformed into what she fondly describes as a “love letter” of sorts. Bui’s book is a testimony to the lessons that can be learned even when lacking access to a physical space. The product of her efforts resulted in the graphic novel The Best We Could Do, which has landed in the hands of thousands of readers. Although her book is an object, it can still be considered a place of learning. Books allow us to enter a world full of new ideas, characters, and lessons, making it a conceptual place which is also very accessible. One might say that physical places of learning actually rely on objects such as books to become places of learning. Classrooms, libraries, students, and faculty all require these objects to facilitate teaching and learning. Thus, place-based learning doesn’t necessarily require a physical place; rather, learning can happen through more accessible “places” such as conceptual projects or objects. Books like Bui’s allow students and any reader to enter a “place” outside of the physical classroom, widening their understanding and worldview in the process. Student Profile: Ellie Tille Chemistry, compassion, and community BY KYRA CORTEZ (’26) Ellie Tille (’26), second-year chemistry major and biology complexities of a STEM-focused curriculum with grace and minor, feels deeply connected to the Westminster University tenacity. Initially hesitant about Westminster’s liberal arts atmosphere, community, describing this place as “a good environment where students are able to succeed.” Finding her place not Tille felt unsure about how Honors would coincide with her within location but through community and relationships, major because of the discussion-based classes. Tille’s tapestry of extracurricular involvements paints a portrait “I’m very much STEM-oriented, but I find that the blend of her multifaceted character. between student-focused discussions blends Tille spends much of her time in the easily with my STEM courses,” said Tille. Chemistry Coaching Center, tutoring students Tille sits comfortably within both her STEM and simultaneously expanding her own chemistry curriculum and Honors college community. knowledge. She can also be found in the Dumke She also further finds her place through a Center for Civic Engagement working towards deep connection between each of her peers and better student engagement with local non-profit professors. “It’s awesome that the max class size organizations. is 15 people,” said Tille. “I can connect with all Through the Walkways for Westminster my classmates and teachers, which feels so special program, Tille works as a mentor for underserved Honors college student and unique.” youth, in addition to being involved with Ellie Tille stands outside Following university, Tille says, “I plan to community impact scholars, where she seeks Nunemaker Place wearing a attend dental school and become a dentist.” striped shirt. ways to give back to the community. Three words encapsulating her essence are: Photo courtesy of Elena Allred Tille’s journey within the Westminster passionate, goal-oriented, and ambitious. These community has been composed of leadership and determination, characteristics have allowed Tille to find her place here and immersing herself in and out of the classroom, navigating the enabled her to create a path towards a future place. Staff Profile: Kellie Gerbers Never too late to go outdoors BY LUCY SMITH-LAHRMAN (’27) Westminster University is beyond lucky to benefit from for the outdoors really looks like. “I think there is a lot of the talents of associate outdoor education & leadership stigma around the word ‘outdoorsy,’” said Gerbers. “There is professor Dr. Kellie Gerbers, who is in her seventh year at a concern that if you don’t grow up going to summer camp the institution. Constantly finding inspiration in her students or going hiking…you missed the opportunity to become and the world around her, Gerbers teaches that learning can outdoorsy. I’d like to challenge that.” happen anywhere, though she didn’t always see herself in the Coming from a family that wasn’t traditionally “outdoorsy,” outdoor education field. she says that even things like enjoying reading outside means “My undergraduate degrees were in history “you are a person that belongs in the outdoors.” and Spanish,” said Gerbers. “I was so clueless.” As she sees it, the outdoors has something to It was not until later in life that she realized offer everyone, and everyone has something to she “wanted to become better at facilitating offer the outdoors. discussions among groups,” a passion that Currently on sabbatical this term, Dr. pointed her in the direction of outdoor education Gerbers is taking time to continue exploring and positioned her to excel as a faculty member her own connection to the outdoors. Perhaps, as in discussion-based Honors college classes like one is reading this, she is traversing the Western Foundational Conversations and Environments Caribbean or rafting the Grand Canyon. Honors college professor Dr. and the Space of Art. She mentions how grateful she is to In fact, much of her love for the outdoor Kellie Gerbers takes a selfie on Westminster for supporting her personal growth, one of Utah’s red rock hikes. world did not happen until later in life. It wasn’t “I love that Westminster understands that the Photo courtesy of Kellie until she moved to Utah in her thirties that she Gerbers dissemination of knowledge can come in a lot of ventured to try snow sports, for example. Gerbers different forms.” Gerbers said she looks forward encourages people of all ages to learn about different aspects of to her return to campus: “I learn so much from students every the outdoors, since “there’s not a timestamp on that.” day, and I am inspired by students every day. It is something Dr. Gerbers hopes to break stereotypes regarding what love that is special to Westminster.” 8 Let’s Get Your Perspective How does the significance of place impact your work? Ashlyn Gnoyski Matt Kruback Professor perspective Student perspective When I arrive back home from school and work, I often apologize to my roommates for the grime I track in the house with me. Photographic chemicals, garden dirt, and sand from the great southern Utah landscapes layer onto my clothing regularly. And while I see the confusion in Honors college student my roommates’ eyes over each Ashlyn Gnoyski (’25) stands mess, and while I spend more on outside Nunemaker Place laundry than I would without such wearing a white blouse. activities, I adore the marks that I Photo courtesy of Elena carry with me. Allred Each tear or bleached stain on my clothing is a memory of the places I have visited during my education up to this point. My work is incredibly influenced by the places I have had the privilege to visit. Being an environmental studies major and research student, I frequently engage in field work. Standing for hours in a creek to survey water levels and digging holes in the red soils of our arid desert not only brings me immense joy but allows me to form a complete picture of what I am studying. This also has given me the opportunity to learn from voices outside of Westminster’s community, thus broadening my perspective on my work. Additionally, in my on-campus work, I can spend hours in our photography lab and our organic garden, both of which have become havens of individual creativity and focus. Each space provides me with community, as well. Places become more significant to me when I can associate them with collaborative work experiences. Every individual gathers different understandings from their surroundings, and being able to share these ideas has made my work increasingly valuable. Whether in the garden, photography lab, or out and about in the sublime landscapes near Salt Lake City, I am joyous to inform my work with the grit and grime of the places I go. I’m reminded of the countless ways the ideas of space and place impact our lives. They connect us as individuals, underpin our communities, and exist as ever-changing and dynamic throughlines of the worlds we inhabit. Place has always been crucial to Professor Matt Kruback, my teaching and creative practice— of the Honors college and the problematic histories of my art department, sits in the geography, the effects of shifting Maker’s Lab wearing his weather and changing climate, my artist’s apron. relationship to a place stewarded Photo courtesy of Sofia by many long before my arrival, Nyquist and countless other elements that worm and wriggle into my course design and creative process. These form touchstones for creative projects and course content centered around the local landscape of Salt Lake City and greater Utah, the art and environment in Scandinavia and Iceland, and artists and thinkers active around the globe. Creating and nurturing academic spaces means supporting and challenging each other to develop our curiosity for the ephemeral experiences of learning and making. Like a classroom, the studio is an entirely collaborative undertaking built around respect and empathy for risk-taking and mindful action, fueled with just enough humor and legal stimulants to stoke the good work we commit ourselves to daily. Beyond simply welcoming students to the classroom and studio, I earnestly hope students come to know how integral their energy, diversity, and curiosity are to the fundamental nature of these spaces. Studying our similarities and differences helps to reveal our interconnectedness and the responsibilities we share with each other. My personal studio space is likewise an evolving and shapeshifting curation of images and objects along with just enough cat hair to remind one of the importance of surface and the visual experience. Just as the dynamic classroom is conjured through communal energy, the changing experience of my studio serves as inspiration for continued connection and recombination of ideas and inquiry. Time and presence in this space reminds me of what I have learned and where I have work to do and reinforces the habit and importance of simply showing up to do the thing. “Being an environmental studies major and research student, I frequently engage in field work. Standing for hours in a creek to survey water levels and digging holes in the red soils of our arid desert not “Like a classroom, the studio is an entirely only brings me immense joy but allows me to form a collaborative undertaking built around respect and complete picture of what I am studying.” empathy for risk-taking and mindful action…” 9 NEWS & NOTES W.D. Killpack III (’93) took part in the third annual Utah Authors Day (UAD) event on Dec. 2, 2023. Killpack has written five novels in the fantasy and science fiction genre. studies at the Tufts University School of Medicine, which covers all graduate school tuition costs as part of a commitment to provide healthcare services to underserved communities. Tofi Ta’afua (’01) has started a new position as managing director at Goldman Sachs. Holly Howe (’21) has started a new position as an intern for Johns Hopkins University’s School of Nursing Center for Global Initiatives. Paula Griffith (’10), Chert Griffith (’09), and their children moved to New Zealand in 2023. Paula works as a senior medical officer/consultant psychiatrist in Whakatane, Bay of Plenty, NZ. Brendan Sudberry (’22) has been promoted to Alumni Relations & Development Engagement Specialist at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law. Alexandra Monjar (’10) was promoted to senior project manager at Capital City Development Corp in Boise, Idaho. Taylor Baum (’22) just completed his first year of studies at Lewis and Clark law school. Allie Roach (’12) has started a new job as a Senior Program Manager at Mediar Therapeutics, a biotech company that develops medicines to treat fibrosis. Vanessa Eveleth (’23) has started a new position in brand marketing and communication at Enterprise DevOps Solutions. Sam Kilpack (’14) recently graduated from the University of Utah with her MBA and now works as Director of Operations for the Central Wasatch Commission, a coalition of local governments that serves as a convener of community interests to build consensus and coordinate the actions in the Central Wasatch Mountains. Olivia Gregg (’23) has a new role at the American Heart Association as Heart Challenge Development Director. Emma DeLoughery (’16) will start a new role this summer as an Assistant Professor in Oregon Health & Science University’s physician assistant school. Warren Cook’s (’17) latest publication, “Articulating Water Conservation as Colonization: Revisiting the ‘Public Interest’ in Theodore Roosevelt’s First Annual Message,” appears in the latest issue of the Quarterly Journal of Speech. Jeremy Dormitzer (’17) has started a new position as Senior Software Engineer at Hummingbird. Kaitlyn Adams (’24) recently co-published an online bibliography of scholarship from 2019-2023 on medieval poet John Gower, working in tandem with Dr. Georgiana Donavin for about a year. It now appears on the Gower Project website: http://www.gowerproject.org/. Sophia DiGeronimo (’24) was named to the 2023 RMAC Women’s Soccer First Team All-Conference. Akary Herrera (’24) presented summer research “Beyond Female Hysteria: Challenging Medical Exclusion and Validating Migraine in Women” at UCLA McNair National Conference. Akary also participated in the University of Chicago’s Discover UChicago Program. Jadie Adams (’18) was awarded the MICCAI 2023 NIH Star Award for US-based early career scientists. Cleo Walker (’24) is graduating despite much adversity! She has managed to complete their time at Westminster despite severe depression, Covid shut down, financial instability, taking care of their mother through heart failure, and more. They’re graduating with a customized major of interdisciplinary utopian studies. Sierra DuCharme-Hansen (’18) has been promoted to writer at Mythical, the California-based entertainment company. Amanda Lee (’24) is enrolling in the University of Washington School of Medicine in fall 2024. Taylor Stevens (’18) was one of 13 veteran print journalists selected for the “Journalism Journey Initiative,” which places mid-career journalists in settings where they can use their reporting expertise in video-driven platforms. Taylor will do this work with FOX13 in Salt Lake City. Karlie Allen (’25) has started a new position as a Housing Advocate at The Road Home. Jacob Smith (’17) has started a new position as Vice President of Marketing at JumpCrew. Sara D’Agostino (’19) has a new role as Associate Consultant at Cicero, the management consulting firm. Madi Fortner (’25) and Kiva Call-Feit (’25) presented their mission/goals for starting a new student club under the title “Students for Carceral Reform and Engagement: A Proposal” at the December 8th Biannual Utah Crime, Justice, and Equity Student Conference at Salt Lake Community College. Cecil Janecek (’19) has started a new position as Marketing and Communications Assistant at Salt Lake Public Library. Kyra Cortez (’26) recently started a position as an editorial intern at SLUG Magazine. Anisa Dahir (’21) was awarded the prestigious National Health Service Corps Scholarship as part of her Physician Assistant Lila Howells (’26) presented her project, “The Body Disrupted: A Look at My Life Through an Ecocrip Lens,” an 10 autoethnographic poetry and art project that draws on Eli Clare’s work in environmental justice and disability justice, at the December 8th Biannual Utah Crime, Justice, and Equity Student Conference at Salt Lake Community College. Indra Krueger (’27) and Sofia Nyquist (’26) presented their analyses of Mariame Kaba’s abolitionist speculative fiction, “Justice: A Short Story,” in a session entitled, “Abolition as a Creative Project: Building New Understandings,” at the December 8th Biannual Utah Crime, Justice, and Equity Student Conference at Salt Lake Community College. Molly Cousins (’27) will start a new role this summer as an intern at the New England Institute for Clinical Research (NEICR) in Stamford, Connecticut. Some of the current studies conducted right now focus on migraines, cluster headaches, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis, among others. Juanita Galvis (’25) has a new role as the 2024 summer intern with the Marketing team at Dyno Nobel, which is known for its international leadership, commitment to safety, innovation, and inclusivity. Did you do something notable? We want to know! Email your news and notes to Richard Badenhausen at [e-mail]. 2023-2024 KATHERINE METCALF NELSON WRITING & CREATIVE ARTS AWARDS This annual writing competition honors Katherine Metcalf Nelson, an educator, art historian, and painter, who taught classes at Westminster from 1975-1987, including team-taught seminars. The Nelson Writing Awards are selected each year by the Honors Council and presented at the annual Honors college spring celebration. Each award comes with a $1,000 check funded by the Nelson endowment. WINNING ENTRIES BEST OVERALL LAUREN ROTHMAN E T TA S K L A R What has Normal Become? Policy Proposal for the State of Utah: Combatting The Eviction Crisis H O N 202, C U N N I N G H A M B RY A N T & M O R E H O N 232, N E U M A N & P O L LO C K First-Year Seminar Social Sciences AMANDA LEE PAY T O N C A S E Y Science and The Self Cacophony: Creation to Destruction H O N 221, S E I F E RT & P O L LO C K H O N 213, P O L LO C K & WA L L Sciences Arts 11 HO N O RAB LE MENTION E D ITORS 2023-2024 Zidia Gibson (’24), layout editor, is a communication major and unofficially declared film studies minor. She is the Editor-in-Chief of The Forum on campus and works remotely for 360 Media, a PR company based in Atlanta, GA. Zidia loves playing video games, hanging out with her besties, and drinking a caramel latte every other day. She also has a special knack for seeking out the neighborhood cats and petting them profusely (much to both parties’ delight). Sophie Mackay (‘26), managing editor, is a health policy and equity major and Spanish minor. She spends her time on campus working in the Writing Center and as an RA. She enjoys competing for the Ethics Bowl team and acting as a peer mentor. She spends free time with her roommates, coworkers, and friends. Sophie is an avid collector of vinyl records and decorative pins, and is the proud owner of a 1998 Ford Explorer named Charles (Charlie) Montgomery VI. Shreeya Maskey (’25), managing editor, is pursuing a computer science major, along with an applied mathematics minor. On campus, she is a Records and Registration Assistant for the Registrar’s Office and holds help sessions for introductory computer science classes. Shreeya loves walking through the snow, hanging out with friends, and eating rice. She is finally getting over her unhealthy reliance on rice, though. Sofia Nyquist (’26), copy editor, is an arts administration major and arts criticism customized minor. She hopes to pursue a job within these disciplines. During her free time, Sofia likes to explore new areas of the city, spend time with friends, create art, discover new music and sing. She previously lived in Norway, and misses the walkability of European cities but loves the desert landscapes of Utah. Elena Allred (’27), photo editor, is currently undecided but planning on custom-majoring in archivism. She spends a lot of her free time reading and playing video games. Elena is also on the Ethics Bowl team and works at Giovale Library. She is from Toledo, OH, but her family’s roots are in the Wasatch Front, so she spent a lot of time in the area as a kid. She loves living and studying in Salt Lake City; she especially loves the mountains, but misses the Great Lakes. Letter from the Editors This semester’s issue of the Honorable Mention is dedicated to the concept of place-based learning in our community. We took the time to have conversations with Honors college faculty and students, asking them how place signifies in their educational endeavors. Place-based learning transcends the confines of classrooms, inviting students to engage with their surroundings, fostering a deeper understanding of local environment, culture, and community. Through this lens, we discover the rich tapestry of our surroundings and the invaluable lessons they offer. From campus facilities to desert retreats, each locale becomes a living classroom, ripe with opportunities for discovery and growth. We hope these pages inspire you to embrace the world as your teacher. Honors College Westminster University 1840 South 1300 East Salt Lake City, Utah 84105 westminsteru.edu/honors · · Spring 2024 Volume 22 Issue 2