Fall 2022 Sophomore Seminars are Announced
The Sophomore Success Initiative is proud to announce the following six seminars just for second-year students this fall.
AAH/AFAM 211: African American Art and Visual Culture
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:20-3:50 PM; Mark Denaci; 1-unit
This course will examine the history of artworks and other visual images produced by and about African-Americans: How do images construct (or help to construct) identities, and to what extent can they be used to combat as well as reinforce stereotypes? What kinds of responsibilities should or shouldn’t artists, critics, and audiences have in relation to goals of social progress or justice?
ENVS 249: Parks and People
Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:50-10:20 AM; Peter Petengill; 1-unit
National parks have been called the "best idea we ever had." In this course you will be encouraged to question whether or not this is true. Furthermore, you will be challenged to consider if and how, our parks are "absolutely democratic" reflecting "us at our best rather than our worst." To investigate these issues, we will explore a diverse range of perspectives on, and perceptions of, parks and public lands…including your own!. Pre-req: ENVS 101. Fulfills N/S requirement for ENVS majors.
GOVT 3068: Politics and Life in New York City
Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:50-10:20 AM; Valerie Lehr; 1-unit
In this course, we will explore the history of NYC, with a focus on the politics that shaped housing and industry in the city from the depression to the present. We will explore the contribution various industries make to the city, as well as how industries benefit from city policy, and look at housing and housing policy across the five boroughs. Our goal will be for you to picture yourself living in the city, but to understand the challenges that city government must confront. This is an excellent course for anyone interested in the New York City Program since students will meet with career services, connect with an alum living in the city, and complete an application for the program. This course will include an optional 4-day study trip in NYC over the October break.
HIST 200: World War II: Morality, Myth, and Memory
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:40-2:10 PM; Donna Alvah; 1-unit
We will look through various windows into the past to study the Second World War, not only how people in the United States experienced it, but also people in other nations. We will ponder and discuss the complexities of a war that too often is depicted simplistically in terms of "good" versus "evil." We will contemplate moral questions, scrutinize common myths, and examine various forms of collective historical memory of the war. In addition to reading and discussing scholarship, we will examine historical sources such as letters from North Country people who served in the war, movies created during and after the war, photographs, maps, and more. You will engage in the same kinds of thinking and practices that characterize the work of historians. These reading, research, critical thinking, writing, and speaking skills are useful not only to scholars of history, but also more generally: they can be valuable in other courses, the pursuit of rewarding employment, and personal enrichment beyond making a living. This course also invites you to consider your own interests, concerns, character, and values.
ND 100, Careers 101: The Liberal Arts and Careers
Wednesdays, 2:30-4 PM; Michelle Gould; 0.5-unit
This course provides students with the foundational skills, resources, and tools necessary to explore, assess, and pursue a career. It will show how a liberal arts education helps students become leaders, innovators, and global citizens. Through a series of projects and case studies, students will develop and apply their new skills and knowledge. By the end of the course, students will write and revise relevant job materials that will create success in searching for employment. Topics covered include networking with alumni, interviewing, resumes, digital profiles, cover letters, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, skills assessments, developing new skills as needed (upskilling), cultivating resiliency, and critically reflecting on the intersection of the liberal arts and your career trajectory.
ND 3033: The Sophomore Experience: Stories of Agency, Engagement, and Change
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:30-10 AM; Matt McCluskey; 1-unit
Come develop a positive vision for your time at St. Lawrence---one that meshes with the values and commitments you are developing as sophomores---and explore the rich history of engagement, agency, service, and advocacy demonstrated by college students, including here at St. Lawrence. Come learn about history, community, access, inclusiveness, participation, and activism.
Special Opportunity:
Students who register for these seminars and their roommates will have priority access to The Fox Sophomore Engagement Living Learning Community with monthly sophomore-oriented programming in Dean Eaton Hall next year.