Fall 2022 Honors Explorations
Successful completion of an Honors Exploration includes attending and actively participating in the entire duration of each session, as well as completing all readings and assignments.
Gossip and Resistance in American Culture
Dr. Amy Robillard, Professor, Department of English
Wednesdays, 2:30 - 4:30 pm: Location: Stevenson 131
- September 7
- September 14
- September 21
- September 28
- October 5
Gossip plays an important role in establishing and destroying reputations; in building and destroying relationships; in confirming or resisting the moral order. Gossip has a rhetoric all its own, as it is fundamental to the development of beliefs and to the circulation of both truth and rumor. In this Exploration, we will examine the rhetorical functions of gossip as both verb and noun. We will consider the relationship between gender and gossip, particularly with respect to the #MeToo movement, as well as the relationship between gossip and storytelling. We’ll perhaps even gossip ourselves as we think through the rhetorical power of what it means to share what we’re doing when, where, and with whom. What does this kind of talk do for us?
In Pursuit of a Better World: The Promise and Challenge of American Philanthropy
Jennifer Sedbrook, Director of Development, University Advancement - Mennonite College of Nursing
Mondays, 5 - 7 pm; Location: State Farm Hall of Business 145
- September 12
- September 19
- September 26
- October 3
- October 10
Explore what the Pill, an LP record and life insurance all have in common (hint- they were all made possible through philanthropy!) and think critically about the role of philanthropy on our campus, community, and the larger society. Through engaging readings from a variety of provocative thought leaders in philanthropy to local guest speakers to lively class discussions, students will have an opportunity to broaden their understanding of philanthropy both locally and nationally and how it is working (or not working) in making our world a better place.
Making Sense of Our National Debt: Decisions and Consequences
Dr. Madeline Trimble, Assistant Professor, Department of Accounting
Dr. Chris Tamm, Associate Professor, Department of Finance, Insurance and Law
Thursdays, 3:30 - 5:30 pm; Location: State Farm Hall of Business 132
- September 8
- September 15
- September 22
- September 29
- October 6
Due to changes in political parties and a global pandemic, the topic of our nation’s economy and debt is often mentioned in the media. In this Honors Exploration, we will unpack the mystery of the national debt, discussing where we source national funds from and on what and how we choose to spend the funds. We will urge ourselves to think critically about these taxing and spending decisions by explaining how public policies concerning debt affects or will affect our daily life. We will also briefly explore the state-level debt issues unique to Illinois and the real-life budgetary impacts of COVID-19 and military spending. Improving your economic literacy is important as you prepare to enter the next stage of your life.
Title IX @ 50
Dr. Jenna Goldsmith, Assistant Director, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program
Wednesdays, 5 - 7 pm; Location: Schroeder 117
- September 7
- September 14
- September 21
- September 28
- October 5
While most of us think of Title IX as the landmark legislation responsible for allowing women to play sports in school, it also provides for many of the protections for survivors of sexual assault, harassment, and misconduct on college campuses, such as no-contact orders and the prohibition of survivors sharing spaces with their abusers. How these protections are applied on college campuses, however, are uneven, clunky, and unclear. This Exploration will commemorate the 50th Anniversary year of Title IX by giving students the opportunity to learn about the legislation in a comprehensive, intersectional way. Students will investigate the legislation through course readings, film, rhetoric, literature, and popular culture.