explorate University of Missouri Honors College Newsletter
The final lap
No way they’d rather be
A senior’s experience
Importance of involvement
Healthy food
Eating right can reduce stress
Honors humanities
An academic family
True/False A condensed history MU’s atheltic budget
March 2015 | honors.missouri.edu
- explorate - - (ex-plo-raht) is a explorate plural imperative form of the - - “to exLatin verb explorare, plore.” Drawing on the Honors College motto, Explore. - Dream. Discover., explorate invites students to seek out every opportunity available to them.
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- - contributors explorate editor Jacob Renie staff reporters Morgan Magid Lauren Petterson Kelsie Schrader faculty advisor Megan Boyer
in this issue 3 Announcements 5 No way they’d rather be Importance of involvement
7 Sports: The final lap A senior’s experience
9 MU’s athletic budget 11 News: True/False A condensed story
13 Healthy foods
Eating right can reduce stress
15 Faculty: Honors humanities An academic family Cover photo by Lauren Petterson
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Announcements Honors Advising How to schedule an appointment with a General Honors Advisor: Honors College Students may schedule an advising appointment by calling (573) 882-3893. When you call to schedule an appointment, please have your registration date and time available. You can find your registration date and time in your MyZou student center. We will try to meet with you one or two days before your registration time so that we have a clear indication of what classes will still be open for enrollment at the time of your registration date.
Walk-in General Advising Walk-in advising is available on the second floor of Lowry Hall for non-medopp questions at the following days and times: Monday-Friday: 9:00am-11:00am and 2:30pm-4:30pm Walk-in advising is also available in the Honors Learning Community. Advisors will be available to meet with students in the main lounge of Schurz Hall at the following days and times: Thursday: 2:30pm-4:30pm
LSSP Symposium March 13-15, 2015: Schedule is Up and Registration is Open
We are gearing up for the 2015 Life Sciences & Society Symposium and are excited to announce that the schedule is now available and registration is open! All details can be found on the Symposium website at http://lssp.missouri.edu/epigenetics.
This year’s Symposium will focus on the emerging science of epigenetics and its implications for human health, behavior, and society. Epigenetics (meaning above genetics) is the branch of science that studies the regulation of genes and other genetic material. Epigenetic instructions are required for each cell in each organ to work appropriately, and these instructions may be dependent on the parent of origin (mother or father) and can be altered by the environment—some alterations may even be passed to subsequent generations! The 2015 LSSP Symposium will explore what epigenetics means, discuss how epigenetic effects work, and explore examples of how the environment (e.g. diet, toxins, stress, social trauma) can affect genetic expression. Several speakers will focus on the implications of epigenetics for human health and medicine, while others will explore the history and social implications of the fast-evolving field of epigenetics research.
We have a great interdisciplinary lineup of speakers coming, including neuroscientist Tracy Bale (Penn), pediatric cancer researcher Joya Chandra (The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center), environmental epidemiologist and autism researcher Irva-Hertz Picciotto (UC Davis), cancer researcher Shuk-mei Ho (University of Cincinnati Cancer Center), historian Ted Koditschek (University of Missouri), science journalist Annie Murphy Paul, geneticist and philosopher Massimo Pigliucci (CUNY), biochemistry professor Oliver Rando (University of Massachusetts Medical School), and epidemiologist Shanna Swan (Mount Sinai School of Medicine). The Symposium schedule is here: http://lssp.missouri.edu/epigenetics/schedule Speaker bios and talk abstracts are here: http://lssp.missouri.edu/epigenetics/speakers You can register for the Symposium here: http://lssp.missouri.edu/epigenetics Also, please check out our Affiliated Events including a library exhibit open March 5th-30th titled Generations: Reproduction, Heredity and Epigenetics, a related lecture by anthropologist Karthik Panchanathan on March 9th,
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and the Distinguished Lecture Series talk by developmental psychologist Sir Michael Rutter on March 17th. See http://lssp.missouri.edu/epigenetics/events for details.
Please follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/lsspmu) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/decodesci) for regular Symposium updates. We look forward to seeing everyone at the Symposium!
Office of Service-Learning
The Office of Service-Learning has two new, exciting opportunities for Honors students to earn academic credit for summer and/or fall 2015. ***NEW*** Mental Health Awareness Education, Marketing & Social Media Intern Children’s Grove is looking for a student who enjoys the act of creation to help spread the mission of the organization (spreading healthy mental health community attributes like kindness, empathy, understanding and acceptance) through the marketing of note cards, trees and butterfly benches. As a virgin organization, students will be empowered to help establish further identity and branding. Of primary interest is a student that can establish good social media communication and marketing through website, Facebook, and Twitter. Secondarily marketing note cards to 3-4 retail businesses as well as online, and marketing Kindness Trees and Butterfly Benches to schools, businesses, hospitals, and faith organizations. A student will be offered the ability to make a difference and create synergy with a concept and a dynamic volunteer team. ***NEW***Cultural Orientation Instructor
Refugee and Immigration Services is seeking an intern to serve as an instructor for refugee orientation classes pertaining to one of the most important issues in attaining self-sufficiency: transportation.
Imagine that you are in a new place, unable to communicate in the language, with no knowledge of where to go or how to get there. Even the most basic human needs are difficult to accomplish with these disadvantages. Newly arriving refugees find themselves in such a situation. In this position, you will be an essential part of a team that aims to improve these lives every day. Interns will develop a greater knowledge of resources in the Columbia community, and will gain new perspectives by communicating with people from around the world.
Responsibilities include: classroom management and instruction regarding available forms of transportation and basic traffic safety; addressing concerns about living in and getting around Columbia; following (and adapting) lesson plans with provided materials; as part of the lesson, accompanying students on a bus route to demonstrate how to use the bus system; following up with students after lessons to ensure their understanding of the material; meeting with staff and curriculum developers to enhance or improve the lessons. Competitive candidates will possess strong interpersonal skills, should be comfortable communicating with non-native English speakers, and should have an open mind with a positive attitude. The ideal intern should be compassionate and self-motivated with a willingness to learn. PLEASE NOTE: Prior knowledge of the Columbia bus system is preferred; additional training may be required to become more familiar with it (primarily the Gold route).
To learn more about how you can earn credit for either of these new internship opportunities, or to see our full list of available opportunities for summer or fall, sign up for a non-profit workshop at this link: http://tiny.cc/ muserves Workshops run through April.
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There’s no way they’d rather be
Honors students Kate Hargis and Natasha Brewer on the importance of involvement By Kelsie Schrader While college can provide a unique experience for each student, being busy is equally spread. Each student likely finds him or herself in a situation facing a week filled with three tests, two papers, one presentation, five meetings and a ten-hour workweek. For many students, most weeks are busy, but manageably so, with the occasional hectic week thrown into the mix. For some, though, such as Honors students Kate Hargis (sophomore) and Natasha Brewer (junior), nearly every week is a hectic week — and that’s just the way they like it.
they started school at Mizzou.
Hargis, who is a sophomore studying mathematics and political science, is a member of a sorority at Mizzou, a site leader for Mizzou Alternative Breaks, an executive board member on Tigers Advancing Political Participation, and a member of Mizzou Outreach Student Recruitment team. She recently ended her involvement with MSA, and she is also currently an intern with the Associated Students of the University of Missouri.
Brewer agreed, adding that being involved molds the college experience to each individual student and makes it more personal. “You learn more, and you find your own way,” she said. “Involvement makes college worth your money.”
“I am someone who likes to stay busy, and I knew that college would be a good place to do that,” Hargis said. Brewer agreed, commenting that she was super involved in high school, so she knew she wanted to be super involved in college as well. Hargis and Brewer both see many benefits to getting involved. One benefit is that involvement allows students to explore their interests, which allows them to grow and learn about themselves.
“I think (being involved) teaches you more about When teachers, students and parents told Hargis yourself than you will ever know, pushes you to and Brewer to get involved in college, neither took your limits, and introduces you to hundreds of new the suggestion lightly. ideas,” Hargis said.
Brewer, a junior studying journalism and entrepreneurship, is a also a site leader for Mizzou Alternative Breaks as well as a member of the Entrepreneurship Alliance, the Griffiths Leadership Society for Women, and the Language Partners program. She is also a workshop director for MU Entrepreneurs and was recently selected to be a Journalism Ambassador. In addition to these organizations, Brewer works part-time for the Multicultural Certificate on campus, as well as for Shaffer and Associates in Columbia.
For many students, however, there are multiple challenges to getting involved, not the least being simply knowing where to start. Brewer said that, for her, the best starting place was Orgsync. Using this website, she was able to type in topics related to her own interests—such as entrepreneurship or women’s leadership—and organizations at Mizzou that were related to these interests popped up. She was then able to narrow down the many options to ones she believed she would be interested in. However, noting that one of the biggest barriers to involvement is taking the first step and actually going to a meeting or an event, Brewer stressed the importance of trying new things. “Meeting new people is scary,” she said, “but it’s worth your time.
Both students admit that they are fairly busy on a regular basis, but both agree that they knew they Hargis agreed and suggested that students go with wanted to be as involved as they are even before friends to the first couple of meetings if they are
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Natasha Brewer was recently accepted into the Entrepreneurial Scholars and Interns Program. She was the only female from Mizzou to be accepted into this program.
Kate Hargis recently ended her involvement in Missouri Student Association. She was a member of this organization for a year and a half, first as a Senator, then as an Outreach Coordinator and finally as Deputy Chief of Staff.
worried about meeting people. Moreover, she add- recognize that it’s a priority. You can’t do anything ed, trying new things really does pay off. if you’re tired.” “I would have never become a site leader if I didn't kind of go out on a limb and apply for MAB,” she said. “I was hesitant at first. I am someone who cherishes breaks and free time more than anything so I didn't want to give up an entire to week to exhaust myself more. But I just forced myself to try something new and I'm so happy with where it landed me!” A final barrier to involvement is time management. How, students ask, is it even possible to get As and still be super involved in college, maintain a parttime job, hang out with friends, and get enough sleep?” “A lot of checklists,” Hargis said jokingly. “It’s definitely a challenge,” she continued, “and I sometimes question myself when a busy week rolls around but I manage.”
For both Hargis and Brewer, completing everything can sometimes lead to late nights and early mornings, but both also know their limits. “Getting enough sleep is a challenge,” Hargis said, “but I also All photos by Kelsie Schrader
Brewer agreed, adding that she sets limits for herself each day. “I give myself a specific amount of time for each homework assignment, and if I don’t finish, I stop and do it the next day.” While time management is essential for any college student, it’s not something that can be taught. “Everybody’s so different in how they do it,” Brewer said. What works for her might be completely wrong for someone else.
Most importantly, however, is self-care. “It’s important to note that we all have different limits,” Hargis said. “If we don’t take care of ourselves, we cannot possible take care of others. So don’t try to overwhelm yourself with organizations and social activities just because it makes a resume look good,” she said. As both Hargis and Brewer advise: Do what you are genuinely interested. It really will make the college experience that much better.
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SPORTS
The final lap
Photo by Clayton Hotze
By Jacob Renie
Being a cross-country runner for Mizzou means that you get no breaks. Instead of the usual one season that college athletes have, you get three. That’s right you go from cross-country in the fall to indoor track in the winter and outdoor track in the spring and, depending on how you do, into the summer. You could literally be running from August till June with July being used as a training month before you start again. So how do you get school done, let alone graduate with departmental honors? Well it’s a fast ride but it comes down to two things: balance and planning. At least that’s what senior runner Courtney Wood recommends. She said she spends at least 20 hours a week running, but it’s probably more and she’s not even including the time spent traveling to meets around the country. It’s a commitment, but she recognizes that. “You learn to balance things a lot,” Wood said. “I do a lot of homework on trips. If we have an eight-hour bus ride you can get your readings done. You have to figure out the right balance.”
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For her that means creating a calendar detailing a whole semester’s worth of homework, tests and meets. Because there is often overlap between meets and assignments, she tries to work ahead because she knows how exhausted she will be afterwards.
She described how last year the team traveled to California and she ran at around midnight, just to wake up at 5 a.m. to go to another race. Despite this she loves it. “I love cross-country a lot because the courses are all different,” Wood said. “The places are exciting and the team is a little bit smaller and so it’s really fun to get to know all the cross-country girls.” This family atmosphere has always mattered to her, ever since she was little and first started running. For the Wood family, cross-country was just something that you did. Her parents actually ran for the same team in high school and her uncles, cousins and sisters all ran as well.
Wood said, “I always loved it and it was a kind of interesting thing to do and I think especially when my sisters and my cousins did it, cause we would run together.” She feels the same way about her teammates.
“I think just the family atmosphere on the track team and the cross country team is just something that you can’t really find,” Wood said. “Coming to college and continuing to run you automatically have a family of people to hang out with, that you’re going to like. And everyone is weird, but you’re weird together and it’s perfect to be a part of the little cross-country family. I came
in with 17 friends that I knew I could count on if I needed to study or rides or something like that.”
She said indoor is a little harder, but not because she doesn’t like her teammates as much, but because it’s harder for her to focus. “It’s really boring indoors for a cross-country kid like me because we have to do so many laps,” Wood said.
Outdoors she runs the steeplechase and it’s a completely new situation. “I really like steeple (more than indoor),” Wood said. “I can’t tell you if I love cross-country or steeple more. I kind of enjoy them both for the same reasons.” For her, the barriers and obstacles provide a welcome relief to the repetitious laps.
Wood said, “It’s a little different than running around the track and so I really, really enjoy it too.”
When running, whether it be outdoors or in, Wood has a routine that she sticks to. She doesn’t call it a superstition, but she always wears a certain pair of socks that a crosscountry teammate made for her. She also wears Mizzou earrings and face tattoos during the races. She said she always brings extras for the other girls. “I think the more Mizzou stuff you can be wearing the cooler you look,” Wood said. It’s funny hearing that from someone who originally wasn’t even supposed to attend here.
“I had a rocky start coming here,” Wood said. “I didn’t originally choose to come to Mizzou. Where I was going to, the Photo by Jeff Curry
Photo by Jeff Curry
head coach got fired. It was a big deal and I had to go somewhere and I knew people that came here.”
When she got here, she found that the university didn’t offer her intended major: physical education. Luckily she also planned on teaching biology and so entered the school as a bio major. From there she changed to chemical biology before finally settling on health sciences.
“I hated bio chem,” Wood said. “Not that the program sucked, it just wasn’t for me. I didn’t enjoy all of the intense science classes.”
Throughout it all she said her advisors and the athletic department supported her. They helped her find what she wanted to do and prepared her how to best handle it. And while she would eventually graduate with departmental honors, she originally took quite a few honors classes.
“I’ve always like honors classes better,” Wood said. “And one of the reasons I started picking them my freshman and sophomore years was because they are actually smaller and even though it was a little more intense of a schedule, it’s a lot better to have a teacher that’s really focused on you.” In her spare time Wood likes hiking and crafts. She is really proud of the holiday decorations she and her roommates made for Thanksgiving and Christmas. But most of the time she’s resting, recovering from the hustle and bustle of being a three-sport honors athlete. “It went by really fast … I don’t feel like I’ve been here for four years,” Wood said. “I just love Mizzou.”
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How MU’s athletic budget stacks up By Morgan Magid MU athletics are one of the university’s biggest eco- likely increase this number, although this amount has nomic and popularity draws. There are over 500 stu- not been released yet. dent athletes who represent the university on its 18 teams. In its annual release of college athletics budget, USA Today’s numbers are very telling about how MU disTo keep such a large operation growing, MU athlet- tributes and earns its money and how it stacks up to ics set a budget of 85 million dollars for this 2014-15 other colleges and universities. school year. This money is divided between scholarships for athletes, coaching salaries, facility develop- One interesting aspect of MU’s budget is that its stuments and other various expenses such as travel. dents and university itself does not pay money for its athletics department, unlike eight other members of MU has not always had such a seemingly large bud- the SEC. For example, students at the University of get. In 1998, during former athletic director Mike Al- Florida contribute 2.5 million dollars a year towards den’s first year on the job, he worked with only 14 athletics. million dollars. According to collegeAD.org, Alden ranked among the top 10 fundraising ADs in college The revenue of the department comes from many sports. other sources. Almost half of the money MU made in 2013 came from licensing and rights alone. Another Football coach Gary Pinkel has been another major third came from ticket sales. factor in raising money for MU athletics. The football team’s budget in 2013 was 18 million dollars - a pro- For expenses, 8.5 million dollars went towards scholportional number when one considers that it draws arships and 28.7 million paid for coaching and staff. in a majority of the ticket sales and general revenue for the entire athletics department. As the athletics department’s website says, “The University of Missouri does not receive institutional In numbers published by USA Today, the 2013-14 support for operational and debt service funding tofiscal year showed MU having revenue of 76 million, wards its intercollegiate athletics program.” Much of actually allowing the budget to operate on a surplus. this money comes from the Tiger Scholarship Fund. About 89 percent of ticket sales from this year came from football and men’s basketball. The same year, TSF has helped raise over 200 million dollars in fathe expenses came to about 70 million dollars. cility fundraising efforts according to the fund’s site. This means adding more seats to the crown jewel of While these numbers may seem high, this is nothing MU athletics, Farout Field, renovating Mizzou Arena in comparison to the rest of the Southeastern Confer- again, and improving the golf course and the gymence. Out of the 14 members in the conference, MU nastic teams/Golden Girls’ complex. ranked eleventh in terms of revenue and twelfth in terms of expenses. However, its revenue ranked thir- With so many different contributors, MU athletics ty-fifth in all of Division One schools. department will continue to grow, keeping alive and well for thousands of future Tigers. The move to the SEC has definitely benefited MU’s department. After 2013, the university’s first year in the SEC, MU earned 20.7 million dollars from the conference. The addition of the SEC Network will most
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Graphics by Morgan Magid
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The Condensed History of True/False By Morgan Magid For two Columbia natives, film has become a life long passion that accumulates every year in the True/False film festival. Since 2003, David Wilson and Paul Sturtz have run the now time-honored festival that incorporates much more than a couple of nonfiction movies.
The pair opened Ragtag Cinema in May 2000 to start their tradition of bringing film into Columbia. However, it wasn’t until the summer of 2003 that the idea for the festival was truly born. The festival earned its unmistakable logo and title during a brainstorm session between Wilson and Sturtz. Other names including “Doc Doc Goose” and “Truth or Consequences” were suggested before the True/False moniker and unmistakable encircled T/F design were established. Another graphic designer, Mikey Lising, would design the final product that same summer. During its inaugural weekend from February 13-15, 2004, the festival sold well over 4,000 tickets. The festival contained 29 documentaries and took place at three venues in the heart of downtown Columbia: The Blue Note, Ragtag Cinema and the Missouri Theatre.
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All photos by Morgan Magid
In his 10 year anniversary commemoration book, Sturtz describes the 2004 venues as “a crumbling movie palace, a vaudeville theater turned rock club, and a communal living room filled with seating culled from a dozen surplus
auctions — all within two blocks of each other.” However, in 2012 the festival ended its partnership with Stephens College to put the fesThe three venues of the first True/False fes- tival back in the heart of downtown Columbia. tival were perfect for the still small-scale cel- To make up for the loss in seating, Jesse Auebration of nonfiction storytelling. Their cen- ditorium was added and the 400-seat venue tralized downtown location proved critical to named the Picturehouse rose from a transthe festival’s success. formed Methodist Church downtown. The first year of the festival also brought about the True Vision Award. Sculptor Larry Young created the actual physical award. The award is given to someone “whose work shows a dedication to the creative advancement of the art of nonfiction filming.” After its initial success, the festival has only continued to grow in terms of size and success. Many venues have been added over the years. The biggest addition came in 2008 when the Missouri Theatre underwent renovations. Also that same year Ragtag moved its location to Hitt Street, increasing its space.
2007 saw the birth of the True Life Fund, which donates money to the subjects of one documentary each year, and the March March, a costumed parade anyone can participate in.
Clearly, the festival has grown exponentially in its twelve years. Ticket sales have increased by nearly 1000 percent from 2004 to 2013, going from 4,400 to 43,500. This years 2015 festival featured 38 films and 36 bands throughout the wide variety of festivities as this Columbia tradition continues to flourish.
Although it’s not downtown, the festival added three screens at Stephens College to its list of venues.
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Preparing for Mid-Terms with Healthy Eating The relationship between stress and eating right
By Lauren Petterson As mid-term exams approach, many students begin to experience heightened levels of stress. This can lead to poor eating and sleeping habits, which actually increase stress. Cindy Foley, a Registered Dietician at the Wellness Resource Center, shared information about reducing stress for students.
nents can reduce stress, which in turn may help students to do better in their classes. Foley says that being stressed does affect how people’s bodies intake nutrients.
“(The body) can absorb fewer nutrients. It can acFoley regularly works with students on a one-on- tually have need for more nutrients as a result of one basis to manage their nutrition intake and stress,” Foley said. says that many students come to her with concerns about stress. Along with other staff mem- Resources from Hy-Vee Registered Dietitian, Paula bers at the Wellness Resource Center, Foley edu- Vandelicht, state that foods that contain B-vitacates students about health and wellness with mins, Vitamin C, Calcium and Magnesium all help different visual resources. The Wellness Resource to reduce stress. Center uses the model of the ‘Wellness Triangle,’ which encourages students to “lead a healthy life “Your body responds to stress by … releasing a casby eating nourishing food, being regularly active, cade of brain chemicals and hormones that may and getting quality sleep.” Balancing these compo- stimulate appetite, particularly for carbohydrates
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All photos by Lauren Petterson
students to eat healthy. Using resources, such as the ‘Zoutrition’ website, which discloses nutrition information on many dining hall options, can help students to monitor their nutrient intake and make conscious decisions about their eating habits. Foley also said that several of the managers at dining halls are registered dieticians and may sometimes be able to help students to get the healthy foods that they need.
According to Foley, healthy eating that involves a proper balance between the different food foods (usually sweets),” Vandelicht’s studies say. groups can overall reduce stress, which can in turn The Wellness Resource center also provides resourc- allow students to be more focused. Foley also said es that give advice on practicing habits like cutting that getting adequate sleep can help students to stay out caffeine, eating breakfast and identifying situa- focused on their studies. tions that cause overeating. These habits can reduce As mid-term exams arrive, Foley advised students to stress and improve overall health. maintain a balance between their restorative sleep, Foley explained that an important part of getting the food intake and exercise to reduce stress. For more right nutrients is planning out times to eat. Accord- specialized information on nutrition, the Wellness ing to Foley, eating about every three and a half hours Resource Center offers personal consultations to is healthy for students, if they choose the right foods students. to eat. For some students who have busy schedules, finding time to eat may be stressful, but Foley says that taking time to sit down and eat meals can be beneficial. Cindy Foley is a Registered Dietician at MU’s Wellness Resource Center. She provides students with information about nutrition and also works with the MU Farmer’s Market.
“Actually, eating can be relaxing (for people) if they slow down and pay attention,” Foley said. “You don’t have to be eating a lot, but just let you body have adequate nutrients on a regular basis. (This) is the best way to de-stress the body, physically.” As for students who are restricted to eating in dining halls and other places on campus, Foley says that there are many options for
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FACULTY I mean, I think one of the things that I love most ... (is that) I get to go to hear wonderful lecturers on this campus lecture and teach things that they love, that they enjoy, that they’ve studied a long time from so many different departments.”
Photo credit
Exploring The Honors Humanities Sequence An Academic Community of Literature, Art, Music and Friendship By Lauren Petterson The oldest course in the Honors College, The Honors Humanities Sequence, actually predates the foundation of the University of Missouri Honors College itself. Founded in 1954 as a course based on big books and great ideas, the sequence asks the ‘big questions’ about topics such as suffering, love and what it means to be human. The sequence involves four different courses including The Ancient World, The Middle Ages and
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From philosophy to music lectures, students receive varying perspectives on discussion topics. Harper explained that the professors in the sequence enjoy learning from one another throughout their time teaching together.
This honors sequence is labeled as challenging by some, but Harper said that this should not be associated with the Renaissance, The Early Modern students’ GPAs. World and The Modern Era. The sequence can be taken over the span of “What I think is chalfour consecutive semesters. Profes- lenging about the classsor Rachel Harper, the Coordinator es is that (students are) of the Honors Humanities Sequence, reading difficult texts expressed her passion for the classes and they’re asking difshe teaches and her students. ficult questions, not only about the texts, She said, “I love working with the stu- about the works of art dents. I love working with the texts. I and the music that they get to teach alongside great faculty. listen to, but they’re
asking questions about themselves and what they believe,” Harper said.
munity between students who take the course. According to Harper, students are able to connect with each other on the basis of their love for the class, its professors and the As a humanities course, texts in the class that they are able the series prods at stu- to study outside of their major. dents opinions on topics and is not centered Another part of the sequence that around memorizing is unique is that students are able terms or plot sequenc- to experience four semesters with es. Professors aim to the same professors, if they choose provoke ideas from to complete the entire sequence. students and foster a Harper said this allows her to see greater sense of hu- students develop over the course of manity in them. Harper two years, which creates personal said that this type of relationships between professors liberal arts education and students. is important to any career field. The long-term existence of the series also allows for former students The course also cre- to feel a connection to the sequence ates a sense of com- after they complete it.
“I will say that I keep in touch with students for many years often after they’ve graduated,” Harper said. “And the humanities sequence has enriched their lives in ways that I’m probably not even aware of. In fact, earlier this week I got a letter from someone who had taken the humanities sequence in the 1960s, and said he owes a tremendous debt to the sequence. To be involved in something like that is, you know, pretty exciting.” Harper encourages students to join the sequence as a way to enhance their learning experience at the University of Missouri. The Honors Humanities Sequence will begin its cycle again with The Ancient World in the Fall 2015 semester.
A student created a magazine clipping collage the analyzed two different works from the sequence for their final project. Often these projects analyze two pieces of work on the same type of platform.
All photos by Lauren Petterson
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“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover.” — Source Unknown
March 2015 | honors.missouri.edu