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Issue 5
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AN OPEN BOOK How the liberal arts helped Kathi Appelt write her own happy ending.
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS
Letter from the Dean
COLLEGE LEADERSHIP Dean
Dear friend of the college, So much has happened and changed since the last issue of Pillars, yet here we are once again celebrating achievements and philanthropy in the College of Liberal Arts. Thanks to unwavering support from friends like you, the college has a lot to be thankful for this year even as we navigate through a global pandemic and its consequences. Your generosity is responsible for keeping this college going. Thank you! I usually write this message from my desk in the Coke Building, surrounded by patient staff members peeking into my doorway or over my shoulder to make sure I’m on task. This year I find myself writing to you from home while my retired husband gardens and my three-year-old poodle, Geordie, sleeps or stares at us until we take him for a late afternoon walk. It’s been interesting, to say the least, to make the transition to several hours of meetings per day via Zoom. I miss the opportunity to chat casually with my coworkers and colleagues in the same space. This magazine is a year-long project, which means some of the stories were written from our staff members’ homes during the early months of the pandemic. (I imagine their pets looked just as longingly at them with each keystroke as Geordie is looking at me now.) Other stories were written in the Coke Building long before we, or our pets, ever dreamed of what would happen in March of 2020. This issue of Pillars invites you to learn more about our students, former students, programs, faculty members, and friends of the college. It also encourages you to interact with its content in new ways. In addition to our usual stories, you’ll find fun accompanying materials like a recipe card, fact or fiction quiz, and a bookmark with my 2020 reading list for the college, which consists of books written by students or former students or books selected for our incoming freshmen to read. I hope you enjoy some of these and other fun activities. Pillars is just a small sampling of the outstanding things our students, former students, and faculty members are able to accomplish thanks to your generosity. By the time this message is printed and delivered to you, unless things change dramatically, our faculty will be back in their offices, our students will be back in the classrooms (including some virtual ones), and I’ll be back in the Coke Building. For now though, there’s a very impatient dog who needs my attention for a walk outside.
PAMELA R. MATTHEWS ’81 Associate Dean, Faculty
VIOLET JOHNSON Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs
STEPHEN M. OBERHELMAN Associate Dean, Research & Graduate Education
MARIA C. ESCOBAR-LEMMON Associate Dean, I n f o r m a t i o n Te c h n o l o g y & F a c i l i t i e s
PAUL WELLMAN Associate Dean, Inclusive Excellence & Strategic Initiatives
LEROY G. DORSEY Assistant Dean, Finance & Administration
KRISTINE BRISCO Senior Director of Development
LARRY J. WALKER II ’97 Director of Development
ANDREW MILLAR ’14
M AGA Z I N E STA F F Manager of Strategic Communications
HEATHER RODRIGUEZ ’04 Editor
RACHEL KNIGHT ’18 Editorial Assistant
Sincerely,
ALIX POTH ’18 Graphic Designer
ANGELYN WILEY ’17
Pamela R. Matthews ’81
Photography
Dean
MICHAEL KELLETT RYAN PRICE email
On the Cover
Kathi Appelt, photographed by Michael Kellett
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claformerstudent@tamu.edu phone
social
979.862.6699
@TAMUliberalarts
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I S S U E 4 WE ARE LIBERAL ARTS If we are what we do, then the students and faculty who participate in these traveling education programs are better informed liberal arts advocates thanks to the donors who support them.
12 A STORY WAITING TO BE WRITTEN Every College of Liberal Arts student has a story waiting to be written, as proven by former English major Kathi Appelt.
22 THAT'S HISTORY Retired director of the Cushing Library and Texas A&M University archivist, David Chapman ‘67, spent his professional career preserving the truth about Texas A&M’s past. In retirement, he’s investing in Texas A&M’s future.
26 FRESHMAN INNOVATION GROUP This learning community empowers first-generation students in the College of Liberal Arts to overcome imposter syndrome while helping ease financial burden.
Featuring
20 PUTTING OUT FIRES Tim Coombs, communication professor and holder of the George T. and Gladys Abell Professorship in Liberal Arts, is blazing a trail in crisis communications research used globally.
28 BRINGING LIGHT TO THE FOOD INDUSTRY Amanda Light ’18, owner of Ronin Farm & Restaurant, proves that the College of Liberal Arts can empower entrepreneurs with a recipe for a successful innovation & entrepreneurship program.
30 2020 LIBERAL ARTS BOOKMARKERS Reviews of a few good reads from people in and around the College of Liberal Arts, featuring a reading list from Dean Matthews! PILLAR S |
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WE ARE LIBERAL BY ALIX POTH ’18 AND RACHEL KNIGHT ’18
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Walking the stage at graduation should not be the farthest journey college students make. Traveling programs, like those offered in the College of Liberal Arts, help Texas A&M University graduates become global leaders before receiving their degrees. Aggies who study off campus continue to make globally informed decisions long after their diplomas are hung in corner offices.
“These programs provide experiential learning,” Dunn explained. “They give students an opportunity to get off campus, see their learning in action, and experience it firsthand. In addition to that, these programs provide the chance for students to see the full dimensions of their major field of study and develop intercultural competence.”
Texas A&M is the number one public university for sending students abroad, according to the Institute of International Education — the College of Liberal Arts is a huge contributor to this ranking. Despite that, only 12 percent of undergraduates in the college study abroad before graduation, due partly to lack of funding. Generous supporters of these programs can enable more Aggies to impact the world, and the world to impact more Aggies.
Global education programs in the College of Liberal Arts place Aggies among top job candidates and inspire them to become lifelong learners and engaged citizens.
Christie Dunn, international programs manager in the College of Liberal Arts, sees the immediate value of teaching students to apply their knowledge internationally beyond the classroom setting.
“There are hundreds of programs for students to choose from, but if they see study abroad as a luxury that they cannot afford rather than an integral part of their studies, they are much less likely to participate,” Dunn said. “Donors who support programs and program scholarships are a key component of expanding study abroad participation.”
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R E G ENTS’ S C HOLA RS I NI T I ATIVE E S T .
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SERVICE-LEARNING EXPERIENCE
SPRING BREAK TRIP
100% FIRST-GENERATION STUDENT PROGRAM 6
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s a freshman at Texas A&M University, Vanessa Hernandez ‘22 was surprised to find herself 31,000 feet in the air on her way to Costa Rica. But there she was, traveling with the College of Liberal Arts Regents’ Scholars Initiative (RSI) community—a group of first-generation college students focused on gaining academic success skills, engaging with the college and university, and developing leadership skills. As one of the 80 students in the college’s RSI program, Hernandez was about to broaden her horizons, literally and figuratively. “I’ve always wanted to travel,” Hernandez said. “The more you get to explore, the more insight you get into what you do.” College of Liberal Arts RSI students are also recipients of the Regents’ Scholarship, which is designed to assist first-generation college students in achieving their educational goals at Texas A&M. “It is such a big help,” Khiara Estrada ‘22, an RSI community member, said. “Because of this scholarship, I was able to come to my dream school.” Regents’ Scholarship recipients receive up to $5,000 per year for up to four years. However, the scholarship doesn’t include a study abroad experience; that funding is provided by the college, for which international experience is a priority. Hernandez anticipated some of the opportunities RSI offered, such as the small weekly meetings led by peer mentors, who are upper-level former RSI students themselves, and attending local events like guest lectures. However, she did not anticipate gaining an international experience, particularly so early in her academic career.
know there are other students in other colleges who don’t have the chance to study abroad their freshmen year.” Dunn said many RSI students have never traveled outside of Texas, much less the United States, before studying in Costa Rica as an RSI participant. “The purpose is to expose the Regent Scholars to something new and to provide them an opportunity to grow and develop some intercultural competence as well,” Dunn said. “The students have a renewed sense of confidence in their own abilities and a new sense of understanding that they can take with them moving forward.” Students like Ronaldo Duran ‘22 view the spring break trip abroad as a valuable chance to gain international experiences while learning about selfless service. “It helps us open our minds more,” Duran explained. “It helps us to be aware of what’s going on around the world and make a better future for ourselves.” College of Liberal Arts RSI students start their freshman year with a flying leap, and finish it knowing that the sky is the limit in their future endeavors.
“I never thought I’d be going abroad my freshman year,” Hernandez said. “It’s great that the College of Liberal Arts allows us to do this. I
To w a t c h o u r v i d e o a b o u t t h e Regents' Scholars Initiative, scan the QR code or go to tx.ag/RSI2020
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P OTOMAC S U M M ER I NSTI TU TE E S T .
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CLASSROOM & EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
SEVEN–DAY TRIP
FIRST STEP INTO PUBLIC POLICY 8
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he next generation of our nation’s leaders aren’t only built inside a classroom; rather, they’re established as they see firsthand what leadership actually looks like. The Potomac Summer Institute (PSI) has positioned itself to provide that exact encounter for Aggies who are ready to become leaders in Washington, D.C. Joseph Ura, associate professor in the Department of Political Science, learned about American politics as an undergraduate at George Washington University in Washington, and desired to give Aggies that same type of participation. “I wanted to make an educational program for undergraduate students to get a handle on what the practice of politics is like in D.C.,” Ura said. “The goal is to connect what students are learning in the classroom with people who are actually doing that job.” The PSI is designed to be the stepping stone for Aggies to go from studying political science to pursuing careers in public policy and service. Students fly to Washington to spend seven days on Capitol Hill participating in both classroom-based learning and traveling around the city to meet with people working in different areas of public policy. Elected and appointed public officials, government staff members, lobbyists, journalists, and scholars meet with the students throughout the week. “When you take a diverse group of students from across Texas, have them spend a week in Washington talking with people from both sides of the aisle, and from all parts of the policy-making process, they come out in the end that much more prepared to have those conversations,” Ura said. “They identify a place for themselves in the process of leading this country forward.”
Political science students in the College of Liberal Arts are uniquely equipped to launch into the world of public service. According to Ura, exceptional department faculty approach politics from a variety of subfields and are eager to share that interdisciplinary approach with students. A background in political science prepares students for a wide variety of careers in Washington. Bill Flores ‘76, former Representative for 17th District of Texas, knows of the strong presence of Aggies in the nation’s capital. “If you look around congressional staffs, you’ll find probably 200 Aggies that work on Capitol Hill, at least,” he said. Former student Bethany Irvine ‘18 is one such Aggie who currently works in Washington, and credits the PSI for providing a life changing opportunity during her undergraduate years at Texas A&M. “Without the Potomac Summer Institute program, I don’t even think I would be here,” Irvine said. “It provided me a leg up in my career, but also allowed me to network, meet people, and make Aggie connections up here in D.C.” Dialogue in our divided country can seem difficult now more than ever. Students need the tools and the background to meet these challenges, which is precisely what is provided in the study of political science and epitomized in the PSI. “Potomac Summer Institute is the capstone of equipping students,” Ura said. “It makes them that much more prepared for leading the country forward.”
To w a t c h o u r v i d e o a b o u t t h e Potomac Summer Institute, scan the QR code or go to tx.ag/PSI2020
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L EA R N ING W I THOUT B O RD ERS E S T .
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SERVICE-LEARNING EXPERIENCE
THREE–DAY TRIP
INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSES 10
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he U.S. and Mexico border is a breeding ground for debate in American politics, with unending talk about the proposed border wall. In a 2018 survey, Pew Research found that “the vast majority of immigrants in the U.S. are in the country legally—but fewer than half of Americans know that’s the case.” There may be a vast lack of understanding of what life actually looks like along these “borderlands,” with which comes a greater chance of misrepresenting reality. Department of History associate professor Sonia Hernandez sought to be a part of the solution to close the gap of the borderlands’ misunderstanding. Beginning in the fall of 2018, Hernandez, along with associate professor Francisco Olivera from the College of Engineering, began using funding from a $289,000 Tier One grant to bring together students from different majors to study the Texas and Mexico borderlands region. The grant funded the program for two years; additional funding is now sought to keep Aggies learning without borders. In the spring of 2019, Texas A&M University School of Law professor Luz Herrera also participated with a group of fifteen law students, which highlights the interdisciplinary nature of the program. “Students work collaboratively on projects related to the border from different disciplinary angles, with an opportunity to know one of the most misrepresented corners of our nation,” Hernandez said about the project, which includes the course Mexican-American history. “At the same time, they get to learn to appreciate cultural differences as field researchers and observers. It’s learning without borders.”
“I think we’ve produced a new kind of research.”
The bulk of the grant funded the three-day trip to the borderlands each semester, where approximately 100 students conducted field research that was shared on a project website. Students developed brochures and reports on topics related to the U.S.-Mexican borderlands that covered disaster relief, immigration policies, and education, among other issues. The counties in the South Texas borderlands are home to more than 1,500 current and former Texas A&M students. One economics student, Diana Mercado ‘19, traveled to the borderlands in 2019 as a part of the course. “We are all influenced by the people we talk to or the media we see,” Mercado said. “We have this one image the way the world is, but it’s not until you actually get there that you see how everything interlocks.” Similarly, Hernandez believes the borderlands are part of the greater narrative of American history. “The borderlands are not this monolithic thing. Everything is interrelated, so we can’t understand the region in isolation,” she said. Indeed, the importance of this program lies in its interdisciplinary crossover. Supporting this effort builds stronger bridges in the borderlands and beyond. “This is a transformational learning and research opportunity that gets students to interact with each other outside of their majors,” Hernandez said. “It’s bridging the gap between the hard sciences and the humanities. Students also have the opportunity to interact with border residents and workers. I think we’ve produced a new kind of research.”
To w a t c h o u r v i d e o a b o u t t h e borderlands program, scan the Q R c o d e o r g o t o t x . a g / LW B 2 0 2 0
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WAITING TO BE
BY ALIX POTH ’18 | PHOTOS BY MICHAEL KELLETT ARTICLE ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANGELYN WILEY ’17
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When you walk into the Appelt home, you’re met by five friendly felines and an aroma of freshly brewed coffee, flying ukuleles and purple walls, leopard print carpet and shelves upon shelves of books. In other words, you find the perfect abode for an award-winning children’s book author who discovered her passion for the humanities in the College of Liberal Arts at Texas A&M. It’s fitting that Kathi Appelt ‘79 lives in such an inviting home, as she is well-known for her hospitality. After acquainting guests with the magical wonders of her living room, she invites them into her equally stimulating kitchen, complete with colorful tiles that line the walls and deep, twinkling blue countertops. With an offer of homemade cookies and a good cup of coffee, it quickly becomes apparent that Kathi’s home and hospitality are not simply for show — they help tell her story. This is exactly what she views as the heart of what makes us human: we are all storytellers. Indeed, the story of Kathi Appelt, and her journey from the Texas A&M University College of Liberal Arts to children’s book author fame, is a captivating one. Humble beginnings Kathi graduated from high school in 1972 and became a firstgeneration college student when she studied at Texas A&M. Kathi began with hopes to become a veterinarian but said she quickly found her mind was not wired for the hard sciences. However, she was enthralled by the freshman English course she was required to take, and was inspired by the dedication and clear love of the subject shown by the teacher assistant. She switched her major to English before her second semester of college. “I didn’t have a clue what I would do with an English degree, but it felt right for me to be in the English department,” she shared. “The liberal arts courses I took taught me how to think — how to take material and bring my own sensibilities and stories to it, and then come to a thoughtful conclusion.” However, before Kathi was able to return for her second year of school, she needed to return home to Houston for a short period of time. Like many students today, she was in need of funds to help pay for college. Circumstances like Kathi’s are a reminder of the great benefit and educational freedom provided to students through scholarships. “I didn't have enough money to sustain myself, so I started doing temp jobs for an agency and went to business school at night,” she said. “I earned enough and came back to Texas A&M as an English major. But I also had an interest in theatre, so I took
every class I could in the theatre arts, a subsection of the English department at the time.” Kathi’s interest in theatre proved beneficial in more ways than one. She was the first recipient of the C.K. Esten1 Award given to successful theatre students. A few years later, following her graduation in 1979, Kathi married her husband, Ken Appelt, after meeting him at her stagehand work-study job in Rudder Theatre, where Ken was the sound engineer. Kathi and Ken, son of one of Texas A&M’s community pillars Les Appelt ‘41, settled down as College Station locals, had two sons, and were suddenly tossed into the world of parenthood. “I felt ill-prepared to be a parent, and even felt shocked by how much I didn’t know about it,” Kathi said. “I started reading to my boys a lot, sort of as a self-defense, thinking that it certainly couldn’t hurt. I discovered the world of children’s books through them, and I was enchanted.” Kathi described her sons’ childhood years in the 1980s as the “golden age of children’s books,” and marked herself as a beneficiary of that period of wonder. During this time, she grabbed lunch with her friend and former professor, Elizabeth Neeld, who happened to be an English professor of children’s literature. When Neeld asked what she was reading, Kathi laughingly responded that children’s books were her current literature of choice. “Elizabeth looked at me and asked seriously if I had ever thought of writing children’s books, to which I responded no,” Kathi said. “She asked me, ‘Why not?’ Considering my love for children’s literature, I didn’t have an answer to that! It goes to show the power of good, intuitive questions.” Her time and connections with the College of Liberal Arts faculty set Kathi on the path of becoming a successful children’s author. The rest, as they say, was a story waiting to be written. Te l l i n g a g o o d s t o r y As Kathi entered the world of writing children’s books, she credited the study of liberal arts with fostering her ability to view life through the lens of storytelling. “Humans are all about stories, which is what sets us apart,” she said. “We’re the only ones on earth that are like that, and the liberal arts are the examination of the thing that makes us most human.” 1
C.K. Esten was the director of Theatre Arts and known as the “Voice of Kyle Field.”
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Liberal arts is the study of
OUR HUMAN STORY, which teaches us listening,
Art work from Appelt's children's books that illustrate parts of the human experience.
Mogie: The Heart of the House Art by
Marc Rosenthal
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Piggies in Art
Leuyen
contemplating, and looking underneath
THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE. - Kathi Appelt
n a Polka by
n Pham
Counting Crows Art by
Rob Dunlavey
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Her writing process is centered around telling an absorbing story she believes others would want to read. Kathi aims to keep her younger audience in mind, remembering the voracious reader she was as a child. She also draws inspiration from life happening right around her — noting small everyday details, reflecting on past experiences, and observing the world through a child’s eyes. "Most of my books and poems come directly from my own life because that’s what I know best and feel most strongly about,” she said. But Kathi is also honest about what it takes to be an author; even with dozens of published books, she knows it’s a challenging process. Her first book purchased by an editor was never published. Her first published book, Elephants Aloft, was written two years before it was illustrated and released into the world. “I would send manuscripts in the mail and would have to wait six months to a year to hear back about it, so I’d just move on to the next story,” she said. “One picture book bounced around and took 17 years before anything happened. Every book has its own journey and history.” It’s a vulnerable process to get work onto a published page, Kathi said, especially when you put your emotions into a story. She said you want people to respond in extremes to your writing because it means you’ve touched them. “It requires a thick skin to put it out there, and you have to love the work,” she said. “People will either love the story or they’ll hate it, and I’ve seen how one bad review can haunt you — but it’s a risk you take. When you make people respond and think, it means you touched something in them, and that’s really freeing.”
at heart, she spent a few years teaching an upper-level course on writing for children at Texas A&M, and loved it. Today, she continues teaching in the Master of Fine Arts writing program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She firmly believes the key to being a good writer is to always be a student. “I still attend writing classes and workshops every year. My advice to young writers is to read everything. Write like your fingers are on fire — quickly and a lot,” she said. “There’s always something new to learn. Every book and writer has something to teach me.”
Th e h u m a n h e a r t o f l i b e r a l a r t s
Kathi said many of her students over the years would ask her why she believes the liberal arts are useful, and the prevalence of that question has shown her just how shortchanged the liberal arts are.
The transparent, hard work Kathi has put into her stories has paid off. She’s published close to 50 books and has won numerous awards. She noted the awards she received for her first novel, the National Book Award Finalist and Newbery Honor Book distinction given to The Underneath, felt most significant.
She views all College of Liberal Arts departments — history, anthropology, psychology — as studies of various aspects of the overarching human story, and even non-liberal arts colleges come back to a human core. Studying in the college will help a person in their professional life no matter what they decide to do, she said.
“Winning parents’ and children’s choice awards feels really gratifying,” she said. “I got stuck with the plot of The Underneath, and had to make myself keep writing it in small significant scenes, so it was great to be rewarded for that.”
“The liberal arts has a human core. We are storytellers because we ourselves are stories,” she said. “I think it’s something we’ve really lost sight of… which leads us to not listening to each other. We shout, but we don’t listen. Liberal arts is the study of our human story, which teaches us listening, contemplating, and looking underneath the human experience.”
You would think after such a notable career, one might be content to be finished; but Kathi shows little sign of stopping. A teacher
Nestled into their cozy and colorful College Station cottage, Kathi and Ken remain passionate about the arts and humanities in their everyday lives (after all, Kathi is a writer, Ken is in a band, and their sons are jazz musicians). They believe Texas A&M gave them a solid grounding for the wonderful stories that have filled their lives and are now displayed throughout their home. Supporting the College of Liberal Arts is a way to honor stories like Kathi’s, and to allow new stories to be written. “I felt safe [in the College of Liberal Arts], like I was allowed to say what I needed to say,” Kathi said. “I was given the ability to tell a story, absorb it, react to it, and most importantly, honor the stories of others. The College of Liberal Arts showed me that there’s something really powerful about a good story.” The story of Kathi Appelt found its triumph from a foundation in the Texas A&M College of Liberal Arts. Like hers, there are many other stories simply waiting to be written — championing and funding the liberal arts ensures these stories have the opportunity to be told to the world.
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Ace Appelt
Start an Aggie’s Stor y
Mischief Maker of the Appelt House
Without the support Kathi received from generous donors, her stories would still be waiting to be written. There are many “Kathis” who need an Aggie hero to help get their story started. It is easier to be that hero than you may think. Here are three ways to empower students to start their stories in the College of Liberal Arts.
Endowment level gift. This is a $25,000+ gift to the College of Liberal Arts through the Texas A&M Foundation. It starts your Aggie legacy and will continue to serve students long after you’re gone.
Estate plan gift. This means your gift is written into your retirement accounts, will, life insurance policy, or the like. It is important that you get the language used in this documentation correct, which is why the Texas A&M Foundation is happy to help you support both your family and your passion for Texas A&M University after your lifetime when you document an estate plan gift.
Immediate impact scholarship. Immediate impact scholarships are exactly what they sound like. They are one-time scholarships given as soon as possible to the recipient. They require a minimum gift of $1,000; however, the impact you make in students’ lives increases as you increase the amount you give.
Learn more about these and other giving opportunities or make a gift by visiting txamfoundation.com. You can also empower Aggie stories by contacting Larry Walker, senior director of development, at lwalker@txamfoundation.com or Andrew Millar, director of development at amillar@txamfoundation.com.
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PUTTING OUT How Tim Coombs Blazed a Trail in Crisis Communication BY HEATHER RODRIGUEZ ’04 There’s a line in the S pirit of Aggielandthat rings true for both the university and the College of Liberal Arts: “After they’ve boosted all the rest, they will come and join the best.” Thanks to generous donors like *George T. and Gladys Abell, the College of Liberal Arts at Texas A&M University empowers trailblazers to conduct research that benefits everyone. Like a fire, the results of the research you empower faculty to conduct blazes brighter when it’s properly tended and fueled. If you’re interested in fueling a blaze that helps humanity, contact Larry Walker or Andrew Millar.
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From a slow burn to a wildfire: The making of a crisis
Blazing a trail: The Situational Crisis Communication Theory
Putting out fires: Keeping the public safe
In January of 2020, Americans heard whispers of a virus spreading from a place called Wuhan, China. We felt terrible for those affected, yet the situation seemed so far away. Then we began to hear stories of the virus in other countries, and it became harder to ignore. By March, the United States had confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, and the president had declared a national emergency.
Today, he’s known as a pioneer in his field and author of a foundational theory of crisis communication. But Coombs’ career in communication also started gradually; he originally studied engineering at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He found his passion wasn’t there and, fueled by his interest in competitive public speaking, he made the switch to communication.
Between teaching communication classes in the college, Coombs continues his research. In his studies, which he funds with his professorship, he pays non-student populations (required by some journals) to read about crises and the responses to crises. Data is then collected through surveys and used to help influence organizations’ future responses.
Everyone handled the crisis differently. Some people panicked and raided stores in preparation. Some people remained calm and came up with emergency plans. Everyone had questions: What do we do? How can we keep our loved ones safe? Can our country survive this?
It wasn’t until he attended graduate school at Purdue that he realized handling crises sparked his interest, although in an unconventional way.
“This data is necessary to prove why some responses are bad,” Coombs said. “We’ve had to show, for example, why ignoring a crisis is a bad strategy: by trying to protect yourself you are intensifying the damage. And there’s research that backs that up.”
Thankfully, by mid-March, crisis communicators were on the scene. They told everyone the importance of washing our hands for 20 seconds, and gave us ways to make that fun. They explained the need for social distancing to people who thrive on companionship. “And it helped,” said W. Timothy Coombs, crisis communicator and George T. and Gladys Abell professor in the Department of Communication of the College of Liberal Arts. “Those practices help prevent the health care system from being overloaded with patients, and that’s what you want.” According to Coombs, life-saving messages aren’t enough; crisis communication is also about how those messages get delivered to the public. “In a crisis like this, there's certain messaging that needs to get out there immediately that deals with public safety; that is, what you need to do to protect yourself physically,” he said. “Also, you have to keep the message simple. You don’t want to send out long, complicated instructions because anxiety can inhibit your ability to process information. So that needs to be the first message out to the public.” The second message from organizations, Coombs said, is how to help people cope with the situation psychologically. That’s when organizations tell their customers how they are making the situation better. “This is where you see companies like Disney step up and stream F rozen 2and the new T rolls m ovie,” he said. “Or State Farm, who is giving auto insurance rebates to customers. Here in Aggieland, the local restaurant Blue Baker is selling in-demand groceries from their drive-through. It’s all a company’s way of saying, ‘Here’s how we can help, even if it’s not much. And when this is all over, we hope to continue to do business with you.’” That’s one of the core tenets of crisis communication: everyone benefits. “Crisis communicators look at how an organization, corporation, or government entity endures a crisis, and then we identify the optimal response strategy,” Coombs said. “That is the strategy that benefits both the people affected by the crisis as well as the organization. You are trying to balance the demands of both sides.”
“In one of my classes, we looked at different genres of rhetoric, and I was assigned the genre of gallows speeches—what people say to the crowd right before they’re hanged,” Coombs said. “I saw a parallel between those speeches and the way some corporations handle a crisis: they’ve been found guilty of something, and they’re in front of the public... now what do they say?” At the time, Coombs said, there wasn’t any such field as crisis communication; his Ph.D. is technically in public affairs and issue management. Crisis communication wasn’t recognized as a specialty until the late-1980s or early-1990s. And while it is still an evolving field, Coombs’ research sits at the center of it—he is known as the father of the Situation Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT). Posited in 2007, this theory states that there is no one-size-fits-all response to a crisis; instead, the response should depend on who is culpable and how the issue will affect customers’ relationships with an organization. The SCCT is foundational to the field of crisis communications, and his book, Ongoing Crisis Communication: Planning, Managing, and Responding, is now in its fifth edition and is used all over the world in various languages.
While Coombs tends to focus on corporate crises, he says crisis communication affects everyone. “We’ve helped change company policies in a way that benefits the consumer,” he said. “We’ve handled food or product recalls, for example. Or data breaches, which have a very specific effect on people and weren’t typically disclosed previously. If you’re a victim of a crisis, you want leaders to handle it in a way that shows the organization is actually thinking about you.” The same thought process applies to public health crises, like pandemics. “It’s about safety,” Coombs said. “How can we improve warnings for evacuations or shelter in place? That’s where we see an impact for everyone—we have to explain these response strategies to organizations using real data. That’s why my professorship is so important—I can’t collect this data without it.”
“Many public relations firms in China are using my book,” Coombs said. “It was later used in Korea as well, where I’ve gone and given lectures to government officials.” Coombs has also traveled the globe to give lectures in countries including Estonia, Sweden, and Indonesia. But he is proud to call the College of Liberal Arts at Texas A&M his home. “The crisis communication field is one of the broadest fields out there. You need to understand psychology, communication, politics ... if you don’t take an interdisciplinary approach, your research will be weak,” he said. “That’s why the College of Liberal Arts is the best place to house this field—because of its interdisciplinary nature.”
*The Abell-Hanger Foundation established the George T. and Gladys Abell Professorship in Nautical Archaeology in 1985—the first endowed chair in the college. Texas A&M matched the funds and used them to create three endowments to be named George T. and Gladys Abell Professorship in Liberal Arts. The other two current endowment holders are Les Morey from psychology and Clare Palmer from philosophy.
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THAT'S HISTORY P RE SE RV ING T H E PA ST FO R TE X A S A & M’S F U TU R E
BY R AC H E L K NIGHT ’ 1 8 | P HOTOS F ROM DAV E CHA PM AN AN D CUSH IN G M EMO RIAL LIBRARY & ARCH IVES, TEXAS A&M UN IVE R SI TY
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Placing flags on the grave of Col. Wellborn B. Griffith ‘23, an Aggie hero, at the Brittany American Cemetery at St. James, France. Col. Griffith saved the 800-year-old Medieval Cathedral at Chartres from certain destruction. He is honored by the French every year.
David Chapman looking out over the Brittany American Cemetery at St. James, France.
There’s a building in the heart of campus that’s played an influential role at Texas A&M University since it was built in 1930. While its timeless ornamental style is exquisite and alluring, the secret to its value lies in what’s kept inside—the truth about Texas A&M University’s past.
and you could tell from the stenciling what it used to look like,” Chapman explained. “From the photographs, a company out of Houston produced new stencils. Then after they cleaned off the old paint and put back the plaster, student volunteers went back in with the photographs and the reproduced stencils to restore the ceiling exactly the way it was done when it was originally built.”
Cushing Memorial Library is a true campus treasure, and the same can be said about David Chapman ‘67, retired director of the Cushing Library and Texas A&M University archivist. Chapman dedicated his professional career to archiving Texas A&M history, and continues to support the collection and interpretation of history today through the Dr. David L. Chapman ‘67 Graduate Fellowship. This fellowship helps fund the education of future historians and archivists. Chapman said one of his greatest career achievements was helping to restore Cushing Library. He conducted a lot of research on the project, determined to restore the building as much as possible to the original form. Prior to the restoration, the library had been used for many different purposes, and the wear and tear had taken a toll. “It was a wreck of a building inside,” Chapman recalled. “It had been used for several different things, and they’d done all kinds of damage to the building. There was paint and plaster coming off the ceiling; the grand staircase had been taken out, which sadly could not be replaced; and it was just a mess.” Chapman’s job on the project was to find things like photographs, descriptions, and drawings of the building to determine the original architecture that had been chipped away over time. Thanks to Chapman’s work, some parts of the building were replicated exactly the way they were originally built—with the help of students who became part of the building’s history by selflessly serving. One such example is the ornate ceiling in the reading room. “The ceiling in the reading room was photographed inch-by-inch,
Like the students who stenciled the ceiling in the Cushing Memorial Library reading room, Chapman took part in preserving campus history when he was a student. After serving in the Navy for four years, Chapman returned to campus to finish the master’s degree in history he’d already started. Before he left, he’d worked as a graduate assistant. Upon his return, Chapman needed some income, but all of the graduate assistant jobs were full. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise. “I got a student worker job in the archives under Dr. Charles Schultz,” Chapman said. “When I began my Ph.D., I started moving up the ranks in the archives. Every time there was a new job, I was around with my hand out. So I just kept moving up until I eventually became the university archivist. After a while, I took the directorship of the Cushing Library, which we had refurbished. As you’d say, that’s history.” In retirement, Chapman has supported the university in a different way. He gives back to the university by supporting history graduate students. He said the decision to establish the Dr. David L. Chapman ‘67 Graduate Fellowship was an easy one. “I remembered what it was like to be a graduate student,” Chapman shared. “Sometimes it’s hard to make ends meet. I fund fellowships to graduate students in the history department to help them along and to help Texas A&M attract the best graduate students possible.” Chapman knows the importance of graduate students to academic programs, because he spent his career working at Texas A&M. The
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Photo courtesy of Cushing Memorial Library and Archives, Texas A&M University
College of Liberal Arts works hard to get the best faculty; Chapman considers his role as a donor to attract the best graduate students possible to help support the program. The collection and interpretation of our history is so important to Chapman that he added more funding to the fellowship in 2018. He said he intends to make a third contribution to the endowment in the near future to make the graduate program even stronger. “It’s important to collect and accurately interpret our past,” Chapman said. “We need the best people in the world to do that. It is very important to record our history; otherwise, people will make up mythology about it.” Chapman spent his career searching for artifacts that revealed the truth about the past. Occasionally, this meant he quashed mythologies or campusologies. One such myth is that the Coke Building, which was built in 1951, was originally a white brick building. According to the myth, the white bricks that were sold to Texas A&M by a Longhorn started turning a reddish-pink color similar to burnt orange after a couple of years, making it the ultimate rivalry prank. Chapman says this fun tale is simply not true. The bricks were intended to be the reddish-pink color they are today, because in some ways they harken back to the cherry-red brick of the early campus buildings. Throughout Chapman’s career, he got to know the university by getting to know its history. He learned the truth about buildings, people, programs, failures, triumphs, good times, and challenges. Drawing from this knowledge, Chapman said he believes Texas A&M will come through the trials of COVID-19 well. “It’s not the perfect example, but you can look back at the so-called Spanish Flu of 1917, 1918, and 1919,” Chapman said. “It did not look good for the school, but Texas A&M surmounted it, it passed, and we moved on, and we are all the better in a way. This too shall pass.”
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In his retirement, Chapman has not stopped uncovering the truth and sharing what he learned. During a trip to Europe, Chapman visited cemeteries where he knew Aggies who served in World Wars I and II were buried. As he walked through the graves, he realized he didn’t know which soldiers were Aggies. He began researching Aggies who served in the wars and were buried or memorialized overseas. His work led to a list published in a Texas A&M University Press book titled, The Book of Aggie Lists: Texas A&M University’s Military Heritage, edited by James R. Woodall. Through this book, Aggie history comes alive through soldiers’ photos, biographies, and information about their careers at Texas A&M and beyond. This book also helps people pay their respects to these fallen Aggies overseas. While visiting Europe after the book was published, Chapman and his family put three flags on each Aggie’s grave: an American flag, a Texas flag, and a Texas A&M flag. Other Aggies have used the lists in similar ways. In fact, President Young has even used this list while leading a group of Aggies to place flags on the graves at Normandy. Chapman says the work of archivists and historians is never done. There are endless truths waiting to be collected, recorded, and interpreted, but it takes good scholars to do so accurately. Thanks to his endowment supporting graduate students, Chapman will play a role in the accurate recording of our history for many generations to come. “It’s money well-spent to provide for future scholars,” Chapman shared. “This country needs scholars. We need people to provide guidance and to separate the knowledge from the mythology. It’s really important for us as a country to know the truth and to know what’s going on here. History goes toward critical thinking, and that’s so important.”
FACT OR FICTION TEXAS A&M EDITION How well do you know your Texas A&M University history? Find out here! 1. All of the buildings on campus were originally white with copper roofs, just like the Academic Building. False. The original buildings on campus were a red brick similar to the Coke Building’s color.
2. After beating the University of Texas 13 to zero in a football game, a Texas A&M student branded the University of Texas’ mascot “13-0.” The University of Texas re-named their mascot Bevo after altering the brand to make the 13 a B the dash an E and squeezing in a tiny V between the E and 0. False. A Texas A&M student did brand the University of Texas’ mascot “13-0;” however, the mascot was already named Bevo according to University of Texas records published before the game.
3. Of the 1,000 Aggies who were killed in World War II, about 200 are buried or memorialized overseas. True! You can learn more about these Aggies in a book published by the Texas A&M University Press titled The Book of Aggie Lists: Texas A&M University’s Military Heritage.
4. The bricks used to build the original buildings on campus were made with clay extracted from behind where the president’s house sits today.
True! The divot behind the president’s house is believed to have been made when they extracted clay to build the original buildings on campus.
5. Military Walk lost its importance after the Corp dorms moved away from that part of campus. President Gates decided to restore Military Walk after realizing it must have been important at one time while running on campus one evening.
True! David Chapman ‘67 was the university’s archivist at that time. He served on the committee that worked to restore Military Walk to its former glory. Learn more about him in the article titled "That’s History: Preserving the Past for Texas A&M’s Future."
6. Cushing Memorial Library is named after Colonel Edward B. “E.B.” Cushing ‘80, who was a great Civil War general. False. Cushing worked for the Southern Pacific Railroads, eventually achieving the post of Superintendent of Maintenance and Way of the Sunset line between New Orleans and El Paso. In 1909, the governor of Louisiana awarded him the rank of colonel for his extensive work with the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Houston Light Guards.
7. Sbisa Dining Hall is named after Texas A&M’s steward of subsistence from 1877 to 1911, Bernard Sbisa. His name is pronounced “suh-beez-suh.”
False. The dining hall is in fact named after Bernard Sbisa, but students have been pronouncing his name wrong for years, according to the university’s archives. The proper way to pronounce the former steward of subsistence’s name is “speez-uh.”
8. Cushing Memorial Library has a complete collection of The Longhorn. True! Cushing Memorial Library can help you put faces to names of former students, because it has a complete collection of the university's yearbook, which was called The Longhorn from 1903 to 1948.
9. Cushing Memorial Library’s namesake was appointed president of Texas A&M University’s board of directors in 1912. After the mess hall and Old Main burned down on campus, Texas legislators wanted to move Texas A&M’s cadets to Austin and make them a branch of the University of Texas. Cushing prevented this from happening and guaranteed $87,000 of vendor bills to help the college keep going. True! Those who give to the Texas A&M Foundation today follow Cushing’s example and help keep the university going for today’s students.
10. Cushing and Chapman both led by example by supporting Texas A&M University with their generosity. True! Cushing’s gift was an immediate impact gift. It was used immediately to help support the university. Many donors give immediate impact gifts in the form of $1,000 scholarships today. Chapman’s gift is an endowment. Only the earnings from the endowment are used each year, which means Chapman’s generosity will continue to support history at Texas A&M for many generations to come. Contact Larry Walker at lwalker@txamfoundation.com or Andrew Millar at amillar@txamfoundation.com to learn more about how you can selflessly serve Aggies, too.
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u t th e id e o a b o c o d e v r u o h To w a tc n th e Q R ra m , s c a FIG p ro g o to tx .a g /FIG s or g
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On a sunny day in College Station, Ivoree Hernandez ‘22 picked up the phone to video call her mom. The first-generation student’s family lived 10 hours away, and Hernandez felt guilty for being at school while those she loved most were going through a difficult time at home. When her mom called a few days before to explain the challenge the family was facing, Hernandez could tell her mom wanted her to be home with everyone else. She felt a tension that she knew wouldn’t be there if she’d stayed home instead of going to school at Texas A&M University. She wondered if she’d feel that same tension when her mom answered the phone today. Hernandez heard the other end of the line connect. In a warm and loving tone her mom said, “Hi Ivoree! I just want you to know that I am super proud of you. You know this is a struggle, but this is your second year so you’ve proven that you can overcome so many things.” Tears of joy filled Hernandez’ eyes as her mother’s loving words filled her ears. It was just the message she needed to hear that day. Hernandez is one of many first-generation college students at Texas A&M, and like Hernandez, most first-generation students struggle with what Leroy G. Dorsey, associate dean for inclusive excellence and strategic initiatives, calls “imposter syndrome.” “These are students who are at this university, but they don’t quite believe they are good enough to be here,” Dorsey explained. To help first-generation students conquer imposter syndrome and other unique challenges, Dorsey leads the College of Liberal Arts’ Freshman Innovation Group (FIG). The FIG program creates a learning community that helps first-generation students achieve academic success and thrive socially as they transition to college life. “The hope is that we can instill in them a confidence that allows them to free themselves of imposter syndrome and to provide them this seamless transition from what they knew as high school and what they will be experiencing at this research institution,” Dorsey shared. Hernandez said the FIG program played a key role in convincing her mom that pursuing a higher education at Texas A&M was the right thing for her daughter. “At first she was like, ‘There’s no way that I’m going to send you 10 hours away from me,’” Hernandez remembered. “When she met Dr. Dorsey and found out about the Freshmen Innovation Group, she was like, ‘I’m more than positive about letting you come to this campus, because with this program you’ll have people who can relate to you and that’s very important.’” Gunnar Baker ‘22, also a College of Liberal Arts first-generation student who participated in the FIG program, said the program emboldened him to do one of the most difficult things — to strike out on his own and be a higher-education pioneer in his family. “Knowing that I have the support of one of the deans of the College of Liberal Arts is a satisfying feeling,” Baker shared. “Having the FIG program as a backbone and a security net pushed me to do things that I don’t think I would have done if I weren’t in it.” Empowering students to achieve their full potential by intersecting the lines of thinking that make us better as people is simply what the College of Liberal Arts does, according to Dorsey. The FIG program empowers first-generation students to realize their full potential by showing them they not only belong here, but can excel here in the College of Liberal Arts. “The FIG program is about helping students see the importance of the learning process through research papers, reflections on social performances that we take them to at OPAS, and helping them realize that the liberal arts provides instructive insight into who they are and who they want to become,” Dorsey said. “[FIG students] will be successful in whatever they do because of this program and because of the College of Liberal Arts.”
A quick look over the FIG program’s yearly agenda reveals a lot about the secret to its success. Unlike most first-year programs, FIG focuses on both the social and academic transitions into higher education without putting a financial burden on students. The FIG program teaches students to lead by example. It's only fitting that the man behind the program’s success sets an example for us all, not just his students. Dorsey’s favorite feature in the program is the meals he personally buys for FIG students. “It’s a treat to visit with students outside class,” he explained. “And for some first-gen students who were expecting an impersonal experience when arriving on campus, it’s heartening to see the look on their faces when they realize that someone is looking out for them—simply by buying them dinner.” Your support is the key to success for College of Liberal Arts students and programs. If you’re interested in supporting first generation students or the FIG program, contact Larry Walker at lwalker@txamfoundation.com or Andrew Millar at amillar@txamfoundation.com.
Pizza Party & Tour of Campus The Sunday before classes start, the College of Liberal Arts' advisors help FIG students find their classrooms, and students get the opportunity to make new friends during a group campus tour. FIG Class During the fall and spring semesters, students join a learning community of only 25 students per class and gain insightful help from first-generation faculty members and three first-generation student mentors. First Generation BBQ In the first week of class, all College of Liberal Arts first generation students gather for barbeque and fun. They also hear from a first-generation alumni guest speaker! Dinner with Dr. Dorsey During the second week of class, Dorsey treats the FIG students to dinner at Rosa’s Café! OPAS Performances In October and March, the FIG classes enjoy some pizza and attend an MSC OPAS event. Class Dinners Twice each semester, the students share a meal together to bond outside of class! FIGs-giving This is a special Thanksgiving Day celebration at the University Club for FIG students. Guest Lectures Throughout the fall, the students hear from alumni and student services across campus like the writing center. In the spring, speakers include associate dean for research and graduate education and student services across campus like the career center.
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BRINGING TO THE
BY ALIX POTH ’18 | PHOTO BY RYAN PRICE
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Transparency and authenticity. These are not likely the words that come to mind when thinking of today’s food industry. But this is exactly what Amanda Light ‘18, former student of the College of Liberal Arts, and her family desire to restore the way people view food. Ronin, their new farm-to-table restaurant in downtown Bryan, is accomplishing exactly that. When you walk into the restaurant at the Ice House on Main, you get a glimpse of the Lights’ vision coming to life — an open kitchen and long, wooden communal tables. Six years after establishing their local farm, Amanda and her husband, Brian, opened Ronin in May of 2018. “Our restaurant is a reflection of what we do at the farm,” Amanda said. “We wanted to connect the farmer and the neighbor, and rekindle the mentality of being conscious of what you eat.” The business had an organic start. A friend of the family needed a caterer and wanted something different than the usual barbecue options in town. The Lights already had a love for cooking, so they used their home kitchen and took the job on a whim — and the passion ignited. “We learned through trial and error. We always adjust the food to what is available and in season,” Amanda said. “We wanted to create a more connected, genuine product.” Amanda began her education at Texas A&M University in 2008, and returned to finish in May 2017. She studied women’s and gender studies, the perfect combination of her interests and relevance to her roles as mom and business owner. “I found it fascinating to study interactions with people,” Amanda said. “My time at Texas A&M taught me the importance of diligence, and returning to finish my schooling allowed me to see the value of an education. It was the missing piece.” This overlap of business and interpersonal skills is also emphasized in the College of Liberal Arts’ priority of innovation and entrepreneurship. A minor program was added in the fall of 2018 for students who share Light’s entrepreneurial initiative. Dr. Patricia Thornton, professor of sociology and entrepreneurship, said this priority can be a force for positive change when used by students like Light.
“Teaching liberal arts students the skills to start companies is one way to empower students to act on creating social good,” Thornton said. “It can increase sustainability and solve grand challenges through innovation in products and services that move us toward a circular economy — where we make, use, and recycle — rather than a linear economy where we take, make, and dispose.” Ronin is a shining example of the sustainability and social good that’s produced by an entrepreneurship-focused education. The restaurant’s ingredients come from their own farm or are sourced locally. Nothing is ever prepackaged or frozen. Brian, the chef, raises his own chickens, and the staff helps harvest the vegetables used for that evening’s meal. The resulting meal placed on the table is entirely authentic. Authenticity is established not only with the food, but with the community it feeds. Ronin hosts full moon dinners and communal dinner events, where the meals foster connections that would otherwise be missed. “We love watching groups of people come to our dinners and befriend other groups of people sitting right next to them,” Amanda said. “When they come back the next month for another event, they’ve stayed connected.” Amanda’s story demonstrates how a liberal arts degree provides useful skills in countless disciplines. She shared how applying critical thinking to a creative field is crucial for her business, which were developed as she studied in the College of Liberal Arts — something Thornton also believes is a responsibility to encourage in all students. “Liberal arts students are creative and care about social and economic issues,” Thornton said. “Entrepreneurship skills are easy to teach, but creativity is not, yet it is essential to entrepreneurship. Investing in this helps students to have the skills to make a better world.” The creativity Amanda and her family use produces a space that restores something much needed in our day and age — a holistic experience with genuine and transparent products. Their efforts leave people more connected to their food, and to each other. See back cover for a Ronin original recipe!
Recipe: A SUCCESSFUL INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM Details: Time (to complete minor): 1-2 years
Cost to Name Program: $5 million
Yields: 1 minor, 1 healthy economy, & the future of innovation and entrepreneurship
Cost to Endow Faculty & Student Success: $25,000+
Ingredients: 2 entrepreneurial-focused courses, divided 1 course on marketing strategy, societal impact, & organization building 1 course on accounting & management
2 elective courses
2 cups of research
1 capstone course in which students propose launching a product or service solution venture
3 tablespoons of classroom technology
1 opportunity to study abroad 1 cup of creativity
6 Aggie core values Plenty of events to engage students
Instructions: Combine all ingredients in the College of Liberal Arts at Texas A&M University. Add a dedicated and inspiring professor of sociology and entrepreneurship, and a generous donor whose support helps whip up success. Serve immediately as a force for economic and social good.
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2020 Liberal Arts
Bookmarkers
“The story of Harriet Tubman belongs to everyone.”
The Tubman Command Author: Elizabeth Cobbs
Unfolding history is a never-ending process; there are always new stories to be found, fresh perspectives to be seen, and old narratives to be more fully recovered. Elizabeth Cobbs, Melbern G. Glasscock Chair in American History and professor in the Department of History, once again took hold of this lofty task and told Harriet Tubman’s story like never before in her new novel, The Tubman Command. Cobbs’ novel, however, contributes to a larger conversation around Tubman instigated by the vote to make her the face of the twenty-dollar bill. The vote is what piqued Cobbs’ interest in the first place. “When the conversation about Harriet Tubman started, I knew only a little bit about her and was wondering ‘why her?’” Cobbs said. “I wanted to know more, but found that few historians had written on Tubman, and none in novel form.” These questions led Cobbs to do what any good historian would do: dig deeper. As the idea of a novel formed around Tubman’s remarkable story, Cobbs traveled across America to research and experience the same places and settings in which Tubman walked.
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“She had a rocking story — she was a spy, a disabled veteran, a romantic,” Cobbs said. “She had an unmatched career and used every tool available to her to make America more free. I really came to care for her story.” The Tubman Command follows the life of Tubman and one of her spotlight moments as she leads one of the largest plantation raids in the Civil War. The book paints the scene of a society marked by the Civil War. Cobbs is no stranger to having one foot in the world of academia and another in the world of mainstream audiences, something she has always set as a goal in her work. Similar to her successful novel on Alexander Hamilton, Cobbs desired to tell Tubman’s story in a way that could speak to both scholarly and general audiences at the same time. “Both of these audiences need American history,” she said. “It’s similar to what Lin-Manuel Miranda did with his play, Hamilton… it encouraged the study of American history. You have to engage the hearts and minds of people through stories, movies, plays, to help them also care about the history.”
Telling the story of historic figures like Tubman informs audiences that these heroes were everyday people, Cobbs said; having them on an unattainable pedestal doesn't do any good. Tubman was brave because she acted in the face of her fears. Especially in a period where women’s history is still obscure or pushed to the side, Cobbs said people want to hear about stories like Tubman’s — and now happens to be the right time to share them. The liberal arts is at the heart of all of these things. Cobbs noted how the future will be marked by machines that continue to get better at programming, but they will never answer the “why.” Why people do the things they do — and what they should do instead — is the fundamental question of the liberal arts. “We have to understand the past to notice which trends we should continue and amplify, or which trends we need to be careful not to reinforce. But the stories have to be told in order to understand the trends,” Cobbs said. “Celebrating the narratives of national heroes like Tubman shouldn’t belong to a specific political party’s agenda. The story of Harriet Tubman belongs to everyone.”
Some good reads from people in and around the College of Liberal Arts! Reviews by Alix Poth ’18
The Underneath
Temp
Author: Kathi Appelt
Author: Louis Hyman
Kathi Appelt’s debut children’s novel is lyrical, formidable, and inspiring. The Underneath received numerous awards — John Newbery Honor Book, Association for Library Service to Children Notable Children's Book, National Book Award Finalist — for its poignant story of love, hate, and staying true to your word.
The Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research at Texas A&M University awarded the 20th Annual Susanne M. Glasscock Humanities Book Prize for Interdisciplinary Scholarship to Louis Hyman, for his book Temp: How American Work, American Business, and the American Dream Became Temporary, published by Penguin Random House in 2018.
Appelt’s refreshing and poetic voice paints the story of curious calico kittens living in the bayou who make an unlikely friend, a dog named Ranger chained up to an evil man’s house. Ranger urges the kittens to stay where it’s safe — underneath the porch — to be protected from the house’s owner, who is guaranteed to use the kittens as alligator bait if they’re found. All is well until one of the curious kittens, leaving the safety of the “Underneath,” sets off a remarkable chain of events. Author of the classic children’s novel Holes, Louis Sachar describes The Underneath as mysterious, magical, and full of suspense, while New York Times bestselling author Allison McGhee coins the book as a classic. “Rarely do I come across a book that makes me catch my breath, that reminds me why I want to be a writer: to make of life something beautiful, something enduring,” McGhee said. “The Underneath is a book of ancient themes—love and loss and betrayal and redemption-woven together in language both timeless and spellbinding.”
Temp explores the complexities of American business and the stability of the workforce. The premise of the book is that “gig economy” — or temporary gig jobs found among day laborers, office temps, adjunct professors, freelancers, companies like Uber, and more — has upended the “stable work” economy created in postwar America. “Temp is the history of how American work and American business — and perhaps even the American dream itself — became temporary,” author Louis Hyman writes. “This history traces the rise of the stable work and stable investment that happened after World War II, in that period that historians called the postwar — from 1945 to 1970 — and how it became undone.” The Susanne M. Glasscock Humanities Book Prize for Interdisciplinary Scholarship recognizes interdisciplinary scholarly literature that makes an outstanding contribution to the humanities. It was endowed in December 2000 by Melbern G. Glasscock, Texas A&M University Class of ‘59, in honor of his wife, Susanne. "It's distinctive," said Emily Brady, director of the Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research. "Few other university humanities centers have book prizes like the one we award here at Texas A&M."
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Dean Matthews' Reading List Sweet Taste of Liberty: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America By CLA former student Dr. Caleb McDaniel
2020 Pulitzer Prize in History winner
Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World and Why Things are Better Than You Think By Hans Rosling 2020 Common Grounds Book
The Poet X By Elizabeth Acevedo
2020 Brazos Valley Reads Book
Temp: How American Work, American Business, and the American Dream Became Temporary By Dr. Louis Hyman 2020 Glasscock Book Prize winner
The Underneath By CLA former student Kathi Appelt Newbery Honor Medal
The Tubman Command By CLA faculty Elizabeth Cobbs
Grilled Chicken Wings with Spicy Vinegar Sauce 5 lbs chicken wings 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped, including stems 1 head garlic, minced 1 baseball sized onion, finely chopped 2 Tbs crushed black pepper 2 Tbs soy sauce 1 Tbs fish sauce 1 cup vegetable oil
For the Spicy Vinegar Sauce: 2 cups sugar 2 Tbs red pepper flakes 2 Tbs minced garlic 2 cups vinegar, distilled or apple cider
Mince cilantro, garlic and onion together, add black pepper, soy sauce, fish sauce and vegetable oil, stir to combine well. Place chicken wings in a non-reactive dish, add cilantro sauce, and marinate at least 6 hours and preferably overnight.
13 WAYS OF THINKING Place sugar and red pepper flakes in a small pot, put over medium high heat, cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar starts to caramelize. Add vinegar carefully (it will splatter a bit), stir to melt the sugar completely, add garlic, reduce heat to medium and reduce almost halfway, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Fire up your grill. Once it is good and hot, drop the heat down to medium, or bank your coals to one side. Grill chicken, flipping every minute or two, until nicely charred and cooked through, 8-12 minutes. Serve with dipping sauce and enjoy!
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