2022 Spring The Honorable Mention

THE HO NOR ABLE MENTION MENTIONING WESTMINSTER HONORS COLLEGE STUDENTS SINCE 2002 Ashlee Szwedko, sophomore neuroscience major, ASW events president, and ASW vice president-elect for the 2022-23 academic year, stands in front of Converse Hall. Photo courtesy of Liliana Sauro Honors students apply communication skills within ASW BY ZIDIA GIBSON (’24) Sophomore neuroscience major Ashlee Szwedko had never been part of Associated Students of Westminster before overseeing activities as events president. Since her onboarding in June 2021, Szwedko has mastered the art of organizing and hosting events through an Honors application of communication skills. “I came to college as shy and not confident in speaking in front of groups, but Honors has really pushed me out of my comfort zone and I’ve improved a lot in speaking [...] in a more intellectual and authentic way,” Szwedko said. Szwedko said the course content taught in Honors is beneficial to her execution of her role as events president. “[Honors] has proved helpful in a lot of ASW projects and practices,” Szwedko said. “I lead a team, so it’s important that I communicate with them for the success of events.” Henry Pernichele, a second-year economics major, also got involved with ASW this year. His role is two-pronged: ASW sophomore class senator and parliamentarian. “As a senator my role is to collaborate with the community and fellow senators to pass legislation and resolutions to help the Westminster community,” Pernichele said. “As a parliamentarian, I am responsible for taking the minutes of each Senate General Session and taking over for the speaker of the senate in the event of absence.” Pernichele said Honors has helped him “develop a mindset of using interpersonal relations and purposeful conversation to achieve a goal.” “Many of the themes of my Honors courses, such as equity Continued on page 2 PAGE EIGHT insightful PAGE An breakdown of FOUR Honors courses · · Spring 2022 Volume 20 Issue 2 Student and Professor Profiles: Yovie Saiz Rodriguez and Nick Pollock Continued from page 1 and the experiences of marginalized communities, have given me a new perspective and insight to experiences other than my own that I can consider when working in the senate,” he said. The ASW events president is responsible for planning, organizing, and overseeing all activities for students. They work with the ASW events team and manage all positions while acting as a member of the student board. Szwedko said she found her footing through the help of her advisor Oliver Anderson, the director of student involvement and orientation. “I learned [from Anderson] the types of events that ASW normally puts on, how to hire vendors and performers, how to send out and receive contracts, how to use my purchasing card, and so much more,” she said. With the assistance of her team, Szwedko planned events ranging from the annual Capture the Flag and Movie on the Lawn (students watched a screening of A Quiet Place II), to a skating Disco Night, Casino Night, and Ice Skating and Momentum Buyout—all sprinkled throughout both semesters. “I began just planning events in the way that I saw fit, while also staying with the standards of ASW,” Szwedko said. “My favorite part of being involved in ASW is learning new skills and gaining new opportunities.” These new skills, such as leading teams, working with others, and general communication, are developed and honed through Honors, according to Szwedko. “I decided to apply to Honors because I really wanted to push myself,” she said. “I loved the concept of Honors seminars and how they bring two different professors and viewpoints together to really push students to think creatively and in ways that they wouldn’t have before.” Pernichele pursued Honors for similar reasons. “I am hoping to get out of Honors a more balanced and multifaceted understanding of the world than I would get if I simply took singular discipline subjects with less emphasis on discussion,” Pernichele said. To any Honors student interested in getting involved in ASW, Pernichele said he strongly encourages it. “I believe that any student with any future career can gain a wealth of experience by working in some section of ASW. [...] Use the skills you have developed in Honors courses to drive whatever passion brings you to ASW.” Honors certificates and degrees: What’s the difference? BY NICOLE KLONIZOS (’23) Every Honors student must make a choice between earning their Honors certificate or their Honors degree. But what are the differences between the two pathways? Steph Santarosa, assistant dean of the Honors college, said both paths fulfill the WCore general education requirements. Specifically, the certificate consists of Welcome to Thinking I and II as well as four 200-level honors seminars, according to Santarosa. When pursuing an Honors degree, students must complete the requirements for the certificate as well as a few additional courses. Santarosa said students who earn their Honors degree will receive an Honors bachelor’s degree and red and gold cords at graduation. According to Santarosa, the degree requirements include: • Five 200-level honors seminars • Four additional credit hours of Honors coursework in either another 200-level Honors course or a 300-level Honors elective course during fall or spring semester. Any May Term courses or study experiences listed as Honors fulfills this requirement as well. • Completion of third-level proficiency in a world language Students also must complete the Honors Capstone course while doing capstone work in their major and present that work in a public setting like Westminster’s Undergraduate Showcase. As an elementary education major myself, I will complete the requirements for the Honors certificate. Elementary education majors are required to have a minor, so I do not have much space in my schedule to spend on additional Honors coursework. 2 As a consequence, Santarosa said an elementary education major has never earned an Honors degree. Char Crear, a senior, will earn her Honors degree in psychology this spring. Crear said she enjoyed taking an additional Honors seminar —Human Culture and Behavior—the most when earning her degree. Crear said this interdisciplinary course helped her dive deeper into the topic Crear chose for her senior thesis. Crear said she appreciated the challenge an Honors degree gave her. “Even when I was a double major, something was really driving me to get the Honors degree,” Crear said. “It was the idea of accepting a challenge.” She has always been passionate about being a part of the interdisciplinary Honors community. “I don’t regret any of the classes that I did; I got something out of all of them,” Crear said. If students need guidance on which pathway will work best for them, Santarosa is an excellent resource because she loves having these conversations with students. According to Santarosa, students often choose the Honors degree pathway one, if it is possible with their schedule and two, if they have the desire to spend more time on Honors coursework because they enjoy and want more of it. Richard Badenhausen, dean of the Honors college, said the majority of Honors students get the certificate rather than the degree. About 10–20% of each cohort earn the degree. However, there is a trend of more students getting their Honors degree each year, according to Badenhausen. Whether students earn the certificate or the degree, they are an important member of the Honors community. The experience of an Honors student living on campus BY SOPHIE CALIGIURI (’22) The experience of leaving home to attend college has often lunch and dinner specials, and plenty of coffee, Garcia said the captured the American imagination. one thing she misses most is home-cooked meals. A rite of passage? Maybe. “Although Shaw has good options, I miss my family’s A coming of age cornerstone? Perhaps. cooking,” Garcia said. A parent or guardian’s worst nightmare? Probably. A primary reason living on campus is encouraged is because Most people are studies show it is one privy to the cinematic of the most important treasures that detail ways to foster the triumphs and community among misadventures of college first-year students. first-years as they learn Garcia said this to navigate roommate has been successfully relationships, campus achieved for her. culture, dining hall “I do think that specials, and, oh living on campus helps yeah!—classwork. build and strengthen But what’s it really my community with like to live on campus? my peers,” Garcia Moreover: what’s said. “It’s easier to get it really like to live to know my peers if on a small, liberal we live in the same arts campus such as place because we can Westminster College? interact with each First-year Honors other on a daily basis Behnken Hall, one of three apartment-style residence buildings on campus, as seen from the Black Bridge. college student Perla and get to see a side Photo courtesy of Ceci Rigby Garcia (‘25) candidly of each other that we shared the good, the wouldn’t be able to see bad, and the snuggly (her roommate has an emotional support if we were in a classroom setting.” kitten!) aspects of on-campus housing. There certainly is a different kind of camaraderie achieved “The best thing about living on campus would have to be the when a student encounters someone from their Welcome to independence,” Garcia said. “I like the idea of taking control of Thinking seminar in the bathroom at eight in the morning on my life and deciding what I do with it.” a Saturday. As many people know, proximity breeds friendship. For many college first-years, living on one’s own often means One of the strongest aspects of friendship is respect. Because experiencing a taste of what it means to be an adult. Honors students live in the same residence halls as their non“[Living on campus] forced me to get a schedule down Honors peers at Westminster, the on-campus community is because now I had built on a foundation control of when I went of friendship and to class, when I did respect. This bleeds homework, and when into the classroom “The best thing about living on campus would have to be the I did other things,” quite easily and fosters independence. [...] I like the idea of taking control of my life Garcia said. “I come a more dynamic from a very tight family learning environment and deciding what I do with it.” so living on my own overall. made me realize what So while Hollywood Perla Garcia (’25) I want for myself and probably doesn’t what is good for me provide the most rather than what was accurate depictions of good for others.” on-campus housing, While oftentimes independence totally rocks, there are they do get one thing right—it’s fun to always be around always things to yearn for from back home. people you care about. Just don’t sluff class, you’ll see your Despite Shaw Student Center’s chicken tenders, fries, daily friends afterwards! 3 An insightful breakdown of Honors courses BY KARLIE ALLEN (’25) taught this fall by Russ Costa, a neuroscience and Honors faculty member, and Honors professor Julie Stewart. The lateral entry course follows the same approaches as Welcome to Thinking I and II—helping students practice foundational Honors skills like critical analysis of texts and argumentative writing. Honors college courses are unique for their diverse, interdisciplinary structure—each is taught by co-instructors from different disciplines who converse with students about a wide-range of topics in a group learning environment. Despite varying subject matters, asking questions and critical thinking are the bread and butter of Honors courses. Arts and Performance (HON 212) Welcome to Thinking (HON 201, 202, 203) Welcome to Thinking is the entry level course for all Honors Expanding students’ awareness of opportunities in students, introducing them to the interdisciplinary aspects of Westminster’s communities is a key focal point in Arts and Honors and the art of discussion-based learning. Performance, along with creating art. There are three versions of Welcome to Thinking, two of The course is taught by arts professors Naomi Marine and which consist of first-year students and a third for students Matt Kruback and focuses on interactions between people, art, joining the Honors college via the lateral entry pathway. experiences, and the community. This year, all of those versions of the class focus on the “We work creatively and intuitively and develop strategies theme of “new beginnings.” for thinking and making Philosophy professor through the visual and the Kara Barnette and theatre aural,” Kruback said. “[This “I want my students to leave my class reflective professor Spencer Potter process] benefits critical and and worldy... I want my students to let go of their explore the theme of new creative thinkers in many beginnings in their Spring aspects of our lives.” preconceived notions of how the world works 2022 section of the course, Students learn to and try to understand people from their own however, they have focused recognize the intersection positionality and approach.” particularly on connections between power, privilege, between family, the use of and the arts, and how this storytelling in linear and interaction between topics Alicia Cunningham-Bryant, Honors professor non-linear ways, and what reinforce inclusion and “growing up” means. exclusion of different people Honors professor Alicia in society, according to Cunningham-Bryant and philosophy professor Nicholas More’s Kruback. version of the course focuses on anthropological, historical, Kruback said students will understand creativity as a and philosophical reflections on new-world building, and new beneficial part of how people express themselves and explore conceptions of identity. their experiences in a non-written format. Students have analyzed the implications of identity and selfMarine and Kruback said they hope students walk away conception on society, and how these ideas rebuild the world to from the course with the ability to critique and analyze creative meet fundamental human needs. works and acknowledge how an individual’s experiences led Cunningham-Bryant teaches two sections of Welcome them to preferences and bias in taste. to Thinking, the second section with history professor Jeff Nichols. In that section, Cunningham-Bryant and Nichols focus on Data, Society, and Decision Making (HON 232) the creation of new chapters in history based on sharp changes “Our class helps you learn how to find the answers to in society. They hope their students finish the course with a questions that interest you,” said Honors professor, Julie better understanding of how to ask meaningful questions. Stewart. “I want my students to leave my class reflective and worldly,” Stewart and business professor, Alysse Morton, guide Cunningham-Bryant said. “I want my students to let go of students through the world of statistics in Data, Society, and their preconceived notions of how the world works and try to Decision Making. understand people from their own positionality and approach.” Students come to understand the uses of data, how data are Welcome to Thinking III, the introductory course for manipulated, and the subsequent limitations of data. students entering Honors via the lateral entry pathway, was 4 Global Welfare and Justice (HON 211) “We want to help people become better consumers of information,” Stewart said. Morton and Stewart hope students walk away from the course with the skills to understand and interpret data. “It is more critical today than ever before [to interpret data] due to the amount of misinformation circulating in society,” Morton said. Mixing data, society, and decision-making disciplines improves the experience of not only the student, but the professors as well, according to Stewart. “From a professor standpoint, team teaching is utterly beneficial because the things that I know about are very different from the things that [Morton] knows about,” Stewart said. “It sort of doubles the expertise in the room.” Global Welfare and Justice is a course where Honors and justice studies professor Connie Etter and University of Utah diversity administrator Dan Cairo share their intellectual passions and interests with students, through texts and discussions. This year the course leans towards the concept of a “home,” according to Etter—Where is home and what qualifies a place as home? “By focusing on home, we discuss how things such as colonialism, racism, and other systems of power are not only global issues that we can understand as contexts for our lives, but as intimate, everyday issues that shape emotions, relationships, and the spaces in which we live our lives,” Etter said. The course introduces social scientific theories with the hope that students facilitate deeper levels of critical thinking and questioning, expanding on the skills they learned in Welcome to Thinking. “We want students to apply their close readings of texts to other contexts to explore what questions emerge,” Etter said. “We emphasize that creativity and imagination, along with clarity and analysis, are required to address the deep-rooted, racialized structures of injustice that manifest [around the globe].” Human Culture and Behavior (HON 231) Assuming students know how to ask questions is a disservice to students, said Kelly Asao, a psychology professor. Kristjane Nordmeyer, a sociology professor, and Asao teach Human Culture and Behavior, a course exploring the intersection of human culture and behavior through the methods and perspectives of various social science disciplines. A wide range of topics can be covered by looking at how humans operate on a social, biological, and psychological level. Through this course, Nordmeyer and Asao said they want students to be able to ask questions. Asao said giving students a place to develop and nurture that skill is important. This year, the course analyzes sexuality through diverse lenses, and encourages students to dive into research that has been done before, and build their own understanding of the information, according to Asao. “The best discoveries, improvements, and moments are when you ask a really good question, not when you have a good answer,” Asao said. Students attend a Welcome to Thinking course. Photo courtesy of Ceci Rigby Environments and the Space of Art (HON 213) “This class is a broad investigation of art and human expression,” said Meghan Wall, chair and professor in the dance program. “How we interpret art, create it, deconstruct it, and move art in relationship to the environment.” Environments and the Space of Art, in its essence, is about relationships, according to Wall and Kellie Gerbers, an outdoor education and leadership professor and director of that program. “We are using art in our environments to explore the relationships between people, places, memories, and spaces,” Gerber said. This course focuses on asking students to generate and ask questions. “[I want] students to realize that learning can be fun and not punitive,” Gerber said. And, Gerber said Environments and the Space of Art is a perfect example of this. Wall asks students to obtain a higher comfort level with ambiguity, and to acknowledge that creativity comes from a place of unanswered questions. “We emphasize that creativity and imagination, along with clarity and analysis, are required to address the deep-rooted, racialized structures of injustice that manifest [around the globe].” Connie Etter, Honors and justice studies professor 5 Science as Knowledge (HON 221) Science, Power, and Diversity (HON 222) Honors and geology professor Nick Pollock and math professor Bill Bynum support students as they answer the question: “How do we know what we know?” In Science as Knowledge, students start by analyzing ancient civilizations and cultures, and the interpretation of the universe by those ancient societies. By comparing past interpretations of the world with the explanations of modern-day science, students can see how the answer to the initial question of “how do we know what we know” has changed as society has progressed, according to Pollock. Pollock said he wants students to finish the course with a “critical appreciation for science.” Students should be able to not only take in information, but digest, analyze, and question the information presented to them, and form their own thoughts and opinions on the topic, according to Pollock. “We like to think of science as objective pursuits,” said Nick Pollock, an Honors and geology professor. “In reality, science is done by humans. And as humans, we have biases that come into play with everything we do, and science is not immune to that.” Taught by Pollock and physics professor Julia Kamenetzky, Science, Power and Diversity is about how science impacts issues of power and diversity—and in return, how issues of power and diversity interplay within science. The course asks students to walk away from the class with a better understanding of how powerful science is, and the power dynamics at play in everyday life. “Every student should feel empowered to better understand how science works and how we can strive towards a more just society,” Kamenetzky said. Understanding the historical implications of diversity in science is a large part of how modern society operates, according to Kamenetzky. “I hope that this class provides a fundamental understanding that we can’t separate ourselves from the science that is done,” Pollock said. Honors professors fun facts quiz 1. They are a STEM professor and published poet. A. Christy Seifert, Communication 2. Their two front teeth are fake because of a rugby injury. B. Han Kim, Public Health 3. They have been on the cover of a French magazine. 4. They were scouted to train as a swimmer for the 1988 Olympics but decided to forego the experience after only three training sessions because it interfered with their sleep. 5. They were a ramp agent at the Martha’s Vineyard airport where they landed jet and prop planes dressed in an orange vest and earplugs while waving parking wands. C. Chris LeCluyse, English D. Jeff Nichols, History E. Sean Raleigh, Mathematics F. Julie Stewart, Assistant Director of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment for Honors 6. First serious high school girlfriend was the result of a “show-mance” while playing the lead in Peter Shaffer’s oneact farce, Black Comedy, where they got to kiss the other lead on stage. G. Meghan Wall, Dance 7. Their mother was a Catholic nun. H. Kelly Asao, Psychology 8. They almost flunked out of college sophomore year. I. Richard Badenhausen, Dean of Honors 9. They read at least 100 books a year just for fun. J. Alicia Cunningham-Bryant, Director of Fellowship Advising 10. They went night-diving with sharks in the Great Barrier Reef. K. Connie Etter, Justice Studies 11. They traveled to Los Angeles to try out for Teen Jeopardy but didn’t make the show because they missed too many questions, mostly from the “Soap Operas” category. L. Kellie Gerbers, Outdoor Education & Leadership 12. They worked six summers as a singing waiter. M. Kenan Ince, Mathematics 13. They used to play paid gigs in a steel drum band. N. Julia Kamenetzky, Physics 14. They went to the Junior Olympics for Racewalking and placed 5th. Answers: 1-M; 2-F; 3-K; 4-G; 5-L; 6-I; 7-C; 8-B; 9-A; 10-H; 11-E; 12-D; 13-N; 14-J. 6 Lateral entry Honors students share their experience B Y VA N E S S A E V E L E T H ( ’ 2 3 ) Students who enter the Honors college after their first year of college are part of the lateral entry cohort. The lateral entry pathway allows students to pursue Honors as internal transfers or as external transfers from outside of Westminster College. Honorable Mention editor, Vanessa Eveleth, sought to learn more about lateral entry experiences and asked Akary Herrera and Paulina Martinez-Koury about their journeys transitioning into Honors. The following Q&A has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity. Paulina Martinez-Koury Akary Herrera Paulina Martinez-Koury is a junior biology and neuroscience major and transferred from outside Westminster into the Honors college. Martinez-Koury joined Honors because she wanted a balanced schedule of science and humanities. Akary Herrera is a sophomore sociology major and an internal transfer to the Honors college. Herrera said she joined Honors because of justice studies professor Connie Etter’s encouragement. Etter said Herrera would be a good fit within the Honors college. Q: What has been your experience coming into the Honors college as a lateral entry student? A: I’ve had an amazing experience, transitioning from community college to Westminster. The transition itself was fairly smooth and it certainly helped to be a part of an Honors cohort, especially during the pandemic. Being a part of a cohort made me feel a lot more connected—even if the connection was virtual. I had an amazing peer mentor who provided great advice and support and was always available to answer questions about resources on campus, writing, and homework in Welcome to Thinking III. Q: Was it difficult to adjust to the Honors-style classes? A: I think what was most challenging for me was to actually get my thoughts into words to share with my peers. I rarely felt the need to share with others what I read and how I interpreted readings. To actually share what was going on in my mind was intimidating because I didn’t want my intellect to be judged. But my favorite thing about Honors is that there are no wrong answers. Q: How has being in the Honors college impacted your college experience? A: Before Honors, I came to college without the slightest idea of what I wanted to do with my life. I mean, I don’t have it all mapped out to the dot, but I at least know what path I’m heading towards. Honors has also gotten me out of my shell a bit. Now, I’m applying to leadership positions and putting myself “out there” when I feel it’s right. I am motivated to make changes in what I see is flawed. And I have met amazing professors and faculty members who genuinely support me and want me to succeed. Q: Was it difficult to adjust to the Honors-style classes? A: ​I came into Honors knowing it would be a challenging course load. But I found the overall structure (which was discussion-based) made all my Honors classes a lot less intimidating and daunting. Writing has always been a challenge for me, but I received constructive feedback from my professors that helped me become a better and more confident writer. Q: How has being in the Honors college impacted your college experience? A: Honors classes helped me be a more outspoken and engaged student. I’m a pretty introverted person but after participating in discussions weekly, I found expressing my opinions and questions during class comes a lot more naturally than it used to. Q: What advice do you have for students transitioning to the Honors classes? ​ A: Don’t be intimidated! Honors classes may have a different structure than other classes but Welcome to Thinking will prepare you for all future Honors seminars. If you find that you are struggling, reach out to your professors, pop into their office, and let them know. Honors is a small community and it’s been my experience that professors are always happy to chat and lend support in a variety of ways. Q: Why should others consider entering the Honors college, even after their first year? ​ A: I would especially recommend the Honors college to students who don’t exactly know what they want to do in college. I think Honors would be beneficial to help students narrow down what they want to study. You get all these professors from different fields in courses where they bring in their expertise. And each student also brings in what they know about their major and applies it to the class. It’s just such a fun experience and to see the course unravel. You will never walk out of an honors class without learning something new. 7 Student Profile: Yovie Saiz Rodriguez Appreciating Spanish culture abroad BY MADELEINE FELIX (’25) Yovie Saiz Rodriguez (‘23), a junior psychology major, spent say that I learned about a beautiful lifestyle that I could have her spring semester studying abroad at Universidad de Granada never appreciated without studying abroad.” in Granada, Spain. After being in Spain for a few months, Saiz Saiz took Spanish-speaking classes on socio-political topics. said her experience was similar to somebody saying, “Welcome, “I’m learning a lot about the culture and the history and I’m I want you to experience this [part] of my culture.” understanding why certain norms are unique to Spain and only “[Spain] is very open to showing how to appreciate culture,” Spain,” Saiz said. “It’s super interesting.” Saiz said. “In the U.S., it’s more possible that someone might Saiz said she reflected on her time at Westminster and how accidentally appropriate a culture instead of the school prepared her for traveling abroad. appreciate it.” “[Westminster’s] point of view on diversity Saiz serves as program coordinator for Raíces and different religions…has prepared me to come Unidas, a part of Westminster College’s Student on this trip,” Saiz said. “I’m realizing that I’m inDiversity and Inclusion Center. In her role, Saiz person [in Spain] learning about these things, said she seeks to give visibility to cultural roots. and I already have this background knowledge In a conversation over Zoom, Saiz said she [from learning at Westminster].” wants people to feel welcomed in a safe space. Saiz spoke highly of Spain and continued Her efforts for Raíces Unidas have been carried to speak about parts of the culture she has over to her experiences in Spain, according to Yovie Saiz Rodriguez (she/her) at appreciated. the Parc Guell in Barcelona. Saiz. “I’m really loving how kind people are here, Photo courtesy of Fiona Gill “In appreciating culture, you enjoy it, but you everyone is just super sweet,” Saiz said in a text definitely do it from a respectable distance,” Saiz said. “I can message. “It’s something I want to take back with me in the never say I was part of the Spanish culture, but I can for sure U.S., even though I definitely do not want to leave.” Professor Profile: Nick Pollock Geology professor prompts questions and research within Honors B Y VA N E S S A E V E L E T H ( ’ 2 3 ) A relatively new addition to the Westminster College questions, to get students interested in those big questions, and community is Honors and geology professor Nick Pollock, to seek answers to those questions through research,” Pollock said. who received his Ph.D. at Boise State University. Pollock’s specific interest is in natural hazards, and here in Originally from Ohio, Pollock was hired to teach in fall Utah those geologic hazards happen after wildfires—known of 2020. Pollock said he applied for Westminster’s position as debris flows. Debris flows are when mixtures of soil, rocks, because of the opportunity to teach a broader range of classes and water are carried down slope after intense rainfall in an and students in the Honors college. area recently burned by a wildfire, according to “The ability to teach a class with a colleague Pollock. in a completely separate discipline is really cool,” “Historically, these have been a problem Pollock said. “I feel like I learn so much in these throughout Central Utah,” Pollock said. “So Honors classes, both from the students but also we’re worried about growing communities from my co-instructors—which is an amazing where they’re growing into the foothills, and experience that I don’t think happens all that the foothills are where these post-wildfire debris frequently in other places.” flows happen.” In true Honors fashion, Pollock said his Pollock said he works with Westminster interest in geology began with questions. Relative Dr. Nick Pollock, Honors and students to look at how often these debris flows to other sciences, people have a poor grasp of geology professor. happened in the past, how climate change will how the Earth works, according to Pollock. Photo courtesy of Ceci Rigby affect their frequency, and how severe they might “Our modern understanding of geology really become in the future. only evolved about 60 years ago,” Pollock said. “So there’s still “I like the field, specifically, because it’s right at the interface a lot of big questions that need answering in geology.” of communities and people and the science itself,” Pollock said. Pollock said he also applied as a professor at Westminster “Geological hazards are something that almost everyone will because of the interesting geological environment of Utah and experience at some point in their lives, and so it’s an important the West. and exciting field for people to care about.” “It’s fun to be able to think about those big [geological] 8 Let’s Get Your Perspective How do you maintain motivation for the future as we have current day struggles? Meghan Wall Mariah Trujillo Professor perspective The world has always (and perhaps only) made sense to me through movement. Excavating time, space, and energy through dance placed me on a lifelong professional trajectory and offered me a guiding metaphor to manage challenges. In dance, time is explored through tempo, duration, and rhythm. Meghan Wall, assistant professor of dance. These temporal tools afford me Photo courtesy of Ceci Rigby perspective when applied to contemporary struggles. How long have humans endured on this planet and how can I absorb and contribute to this resiliency by inserting deliberate accents of ease, syncopating the steady beat of human trauma? The dance element of space references shared or personal space, level, direction, pathway, and focus. Spatial components become welcome guideposts when I am faced with unknown, unwanted, and uncharted territory: How high or low is my anxiety/capacity? Am I directed toward or away from a person, event, or issue? Where is my focus, and what lies outside of my periphery? During crisis, answers to spatially oriented questions motivate me by creating digestible itineraries, nudging me from overwhelming analysis paralysis to advocacy and action. The “how” of my action during struggles is informed by the dancing element of energy: the use of force, tension, and weight as well as variations in movement flow. I am empowered by energy choices—with an infinite range of energetic responses, e.g., free-flowing or frozen, powerful or gentle, loose or tight, light or heavy, etc. My life in movement has taught me energy might change instantaneously with multiple types of energy simultaneously at play. This understanding prepares me with a readiness-stance to withstand prolonged and unpredictable energies coming my way. Of course, I remain hyper aware that my resilient stance toward struggle comes from a place of profound privilege which also motivates me toward advocacy and action. For me, motivation is inextricably tied to movement. Student perspective Reflecting on motivation for the future, I can’t help but feel a nagging sense of melancholy as we approach the two-year anniversary of the dreaded day in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic turned all our lives around. I reflect on all the other collective trauma we’ve experienced over the course of the past two years that’s Mariah Trujillo, junior gone largely unprocessed. Life environmental studies major. Photo courtesy of Ceci Rigby remains painful, and this grief and struggle will never go away, but we must choose to go forward. We must choose to heal. I am lucky to be surrounded by a strong community of people who prove to me every day that a better future is possible, and I am blessed to share this life with them. In my class Global Ethics and Justice, we’ve discussed extensively what it means to have hope and the roles that optimism, pessimism, and realism have in envisioning and building our collective futures. For a simple answer to this prompt, I would like to borrow the words of Angela Davis. In Freedom is a Constant Struggle, she observes, “we don’t have any alternative other than remaining optimistic. Optimism is an absolute necessity.” Having hope and maintaining an optimistic view of the future can be difficult and demanding, but we must not abandon it. To abandon hope in the future means accepting the pain and suffering of our current-day reality as inevitable and eternal. We have to want more! We deserve more! I am inspired and motivated by the joy I see in my communities, united in the hope for a future where liberation and justice are actualized. Think about what kind of world we could build for each other—there are so many possibilities. Look around: The sun is bright and we have a world to win! “Dur ing cr isis, answer s to spatial l y o riented “ L ife re m ai n s pa i nfu l , a n d t h i s g r i ef a nd questio ns m otivate m e by creating digestible s tru g g le w i l l n eve r go away, b u t we m ust itinerar ies, nudging m e f ro m over whelming cho o s e to go fo r wa rd . We m u s t c h oo s e to heal .” anal ysis to advo cacy and actio n .” 9 NEWS & NOTES Mary Dirks McBride (’05) was recognized by Utah Business as a 2022 Sales & Marketer of the Year for Best Digital Marketing campaign for work with Bank of Utah. Lindsey Roper (’09) has been promoted to the rank of Associate Professor of Biology and received tenure at Southern Utah University. John Cook (’10) has been promoted to Director, Senior Corporate Counsel at Ciena in Denver, CO. Paula Griffith (’10) is now Associate Medical Director – East for St. Luke’s Behavioral Health in Twin Falls, ID. Brody Leven (’10) won this year’s “Last Skier Standing” competition on Black Mountain in N.H. by amassing an incredible 69,539 feet of human-powered vertical gain over 65 straight hours, a feat featured on the front page of The Boston Globe. Brody used the competition to raise funds from the climate awareness advocacy group Protect Our Winters. Chris Roundy (’11) is now the State Medical Entomologist for the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment in Denver. Allie Roach (’12) was recently promoted to Senior Associate Scientist at Gilead Sciences in Seattle, WA. Anne Brantley (’13) recently completed her Master of Natural Resources Management degree at the University of Idaho. Zak Burkley (’13) has started a new position as Principal Scientist at BAE Systems. Jeff Pedersen (’13) has started a new position at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Health Institute as an inpatient child and adolescent psychiatrist. Jeremy Dormitzer (’17) has started a new position as Senior Backend Engineer at Spotify. Arielle Mellen (’17) and Rebekah Ford (’21) are in the inaugural class of medical school scholarship recipients in the Population Health Scholars Program at the University of Utah. Olivia Wathne (’17) has joined the Rabb Law Firm in Bozeman, MT as an attorney focusing on real estate law. Jadie Adams (’18) is an ARCS Scholar at the University of Utah doing research that combines machine learning theory and image processing techniques for biomedical data analysis. Charlie Saad (’18) was promoted to Special Assistant to the Senior Advisor on Climate at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Sarah Turner’s (’19) essay entitled “Cosmopolitan Aims/Cosmopolitan Realties: How Immigrant Youth Negotiate Languaging and Identity in One After-School Program”—co-authored with Prof. Anneliese Cannon and initially funded by an honors college summer research grant—appears in the recently published book, Transmodal Communications: Transpositioning Semiotics and Relations. Sarah is the only undergraduate author in the entire volume. Katherine Fredrickson (’20) is now IRB Clerk at the University of Utah. Diana Khosrovi (’20) now works for KSL Newsradio (102.7 FM) as an anchor/reporter. Maya Rockwell (’20) will start medical school at Penn State University this fall. Hailey Brookins (’21) was hired this fall as program coordinator for the Idaho Conservation Corps. Chelsea Anowi (’22), Taylor Baum (’22), Sophie Caligiuri (’22), and William Harvey (’22) made up the entirety of Westminster’s Ethics Bowl Team, which finished first in the fall 14-team regional competition with a 3-0 record, thus earning them a trip to nationals in February as one of 36 qualifying teams from more than 150 across the country. At nationals, they finished in third place overall, dropping a close semifinal contest to eventual champion Macalester College. Obaid Barakzai (’22) was selected as the student speaker for Westminster’s 2022 commencement ceremony. Sophie Caligiuri (’22) received the Student Unsung Hero Award at this year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Gathering honoring her continued commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work on campus. Lienne Cupal (’22) presented the results of her Honors independent summer research grant project on toxic masculinity in the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol at the Sociologists for Women in Society’s 2022 Winter Conference in New Mexico. Paige Llewellyn (’22) has been accepted into the graduate program in Global Health & Development at the London School of Economics. Samantha Paredes’s (’22) story “The Wheat and the Chaff” was the fiction winner of the 2022 Ellipsis student writing contest. Samantha Paredes (’22) was selected as a first-prize winner for the Grand Prize Virtuoso Vienna music competition. She performed the Mozart aria “Durch Zärtlichkeit und Schmeicheln” at the Gläserner Saal Musikverein (Vienna Glass Hall) on April 12, 2022. Faith Staley (’22) presented the results of their Honors independent summer research grant project, “Reimagining Care: Exploring Potential for Street Medicine in Salt Lake City,” at the Society for Applied Anthropology Annual Conference in March. Denise Živković (’22) conducted and presented research with the Agrivoltaics team in Arizona during the summer of 2021. Her research tested water-use efficiency, photosynthetic and transpiration rate of beans and potatoes in increasingly high temperatures. Živković developed a testing procedure, pending funding, will be used in consecutive years for food crops. Saydi Anderson (’23) became the first ever Westminster runner to reach the NCAA Division II Cross Country championships, held this past Nov. in Tampa, FL. Did you do something notable? We want to know! Email your news and notes to Richard Badenhausen at [e-mail]. 10 Hear from the Spring 2022 Student Honors Council B Y VA N E S S A E V E L E T H ( ’ 2 3 ) the feeling of community back to our Honors college,” said Ashton Marcoux, a senior marketing and management major. “I chose to run for president because I wanted the Honors SHC hosted numerous activities for Honors students this college to be a community where you have resources regardless year, according to Marcoux. of where you are,” said Karlie Allen, a first-year public health “We have done a wide range of different events, from yoga major. to movie nights to Pizza with Profs, all in efforts to give every The most impactful event SHC hosted since Allen took opportunity for connection to our student body that we can,” office were movie Marcoux said. nights, according to Marcoux said the Allen in an email. most valuable part “Once a month of her experience as “SHC is wonderful because students of all years are eligible to we stream a movie in secretary was working Nunemaker, and it closely with the run for positions, so you get to know peers you may otherwise gives students a place Honors community. not get the opportunity to become acquainted with.” to relax after a long “SHC is wonderful week,” Allen said. because students of all Ashton Marcoux (’22) Allen’s biggest years are eligible to takeaway from serving run for positions, so as SHC president is you get to know peers “If you are thinking you may otherwise about making the leap and being a part of something bigger not get the opportunity to become acquainted with,” Marcoux than yourself, just do it,” Allen said. said. Karlie Allen, President (She/Her) Negineh (Nina) Asef, Vice President (She/Her) Morgan Madsen, Treasurer (She/Her) “The most memorable experience in SHC this year has been “I hope that I have positively impacted the Honors connecting with students and other fellow SHC members,” community through hosting events that foster a sense of said Nina Asef, a junior sociology major. camaraderie in the program,” said Morgan Madsen, a first-year SHC provides a space for students to interact and build music studies major. relations, according to Asef. She said this process is a teaching SHC is always looking for feedback from students, according moment. to Madsen. “Having this opportunity to meet great students and staff “If members of the Honors college have feedback on what members has taught me a lot of Westminster as a college, and types of activities they would like to see, course content they’d has taught me as a student on the importance of a community,” like implemented or other ideas, please reach out to me or any Asef said. of the other members or Asef said she chose to SHC!,” Madsen said. run for office because she wanted to help create a Emily Hill, Historian “If you are thinking about making the leap and being community that welcomes (She/Her) a part of something bigger than yourself, just do it.” people from different backgrounds. “I chose to run for office Karlie Allen (’25) “I love helping people, of historian because I wanted and raising the issues and to be more involved in the concerns of students is Honors college outside my something very important role as a peer mentor,” said for me because I want this campus to be inclusive for anyone,” Emily Hill, a sophomore political science major. Asef said. Rebuilding a community after a global pandemic has been SHC’s challenge this year, according to Hill. Ashton Marcoux, Secretary (She/Her) Hill said, “I think the events we put on and the effort we have been putting in has been making a positive impact on our “Through my position over the past year, I have helped bring Honors community.” 11 H O N O RAB LE MENTION E DIT O R S 2021-2022 Vanessa Eveleth (she/her) (‘23), Managing Editor, is a communication major with a love for telling stories. Vanessa has a deep appreciation for the power of words. Writing has been part of her life since she was seven years old. At Westminster, she works as the editorial assistant for the Office of Marketing, Communication, and Events. If not writing, Vanessa is likely to be tucked away in a cozy corner with a book in one hand and a hot drink in the other. Zidia Gibson (she/her) (’24), Layout Editor, is a communication major and film studies minor. On campus, she works as a social media coordinator for Westminster and is the Managing Editor of The Forum. Zidia loves playing video games, hiking the valley, and rock climbing with friends. She also has a special knack for seeking out the cats on Westminster Ave. and petting them profusely (much to both parties’ delight). Sophie Caligiuri (she/they) (’22), Copy Editor, is pursuing an Honors degree, majoring in philosophy, and minoring in English. Sophie is part of Legacy Scholars, works at the Writing Center, and serves as an Honors peer mentor. She also dedicates time to the Dumke Center for Civic Engagement and Student Honors Council. Sophie likes spontaneous dance parties with friends and family, reading anything and everything, watching really good and really bad movies, and making extensive Spotify playlists. Ceci Rigby (she/they) (’22), Photo Editor, is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in environmental studies. Ceci is the Environmental Justice Coordinator in the Westminster Environmental Center, a bookseller at Weller Book Works, and has a passion for pollination ecology. In their free time, Ceci loves spending abhorrent amounts of time consuming film & music, reading, climbing, and spending time outside (and staring at bees whilst doing so, of course). Letter from the Editors Resurgence: a rising again into life, activity, or prominence. The new normal—It’s a phrase we hear everywhere these days. What does it even mean? As we look forward to a better tomorrow, our world experiences conflict all around. We’ve focused this Honorable Mention issue on how we are resurging into today’s tumultuous and hopeful world instead of trying to define the new normal at Westminster. Honors courses have never been more invigorating and insightful. Students, faculty, and staff are introducing sapient perspectives and skills to our community. If you’ve been on campus at all this year, you probably felt the vibrant energy bouncing off the buildings and people. So much good is happening at Westminster and in the Honors college. As Mariah Trujillo so superbly said in their answer to the perspective prompt: “Having hope and maintaining an optimistic view of the future can be difficult and demanding, but we must not abandon it.” Let’s keep hope up. And let’s bring ourselves fully into this new normal. Honors College Westminster College 1840 South 1300 East Salt Lake City, Utah 84105 westminstercollege.edu/honors · · Spring 2022 Volume 20 Issue 2