We live in an era of unprecedented access to information and in these moments of extraordinary change, reading books or diving into history seem at best, quaintly out of date, or at worst, an indulgence that cannot create the same opportunity that we see in other growing fields like computer science or marketing. As someone who works in higher education, I can tell you that there is always talk about the demise of the humanities. In moments of technological innovation, these conversations intensify, and yet, these are the points in history that need the humanities the most.

The humanities—the study of literature, language, history or philosophy—offer opportunities to think about why our world is the way it is, and give its students the tools to meet the changes we face. , but not always obvious, even as humanities students find their paths in education, law, business, management and the not-for-profit sector. The humanities invest in processes—developing critical thinking skills, intellectual creativity and flexibility. Put simply, humanities students know how to learn. At Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, we have seen our graduates go on to become published authors, teachers, lawyers and technological innovators, finding jobs and building careers in unexpected and thrillingly varied fields. To follow the humanities is to pursue a passion, but that doesn’t mean that those of us who do so have to choose between that and a satisfying and lucrative career. We consider ourselves the lucky ones—more often than not, we can have both.

Here’s the thing about the humanities: The path ahead isn’t always clear. We take a road map, and set out on a path, perhaps stopping to listen to the stories or histories that will guide us on our path, and keep moving forward. As we study the humanities, building vast reserves of intellectual curiosity, empathy and problem-solving skills, we are moving toward jobs that we haven’t yet realized exist—or perhaps even jobs that don’t yet exist. We move with creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit that will serve us well in the world—not only as an employee, or (better yet) a boss, but as a human being, navigating the rapidly changing world with a sense of history, a sense of compassion and a sense of purpose. We understand how history and culture have brought us to this point in time, and we have the ability to imagine what comes next. We are, as Shakespeare put it, makers of manners.

In a world where technology insists that answers can be given instantly, and the world can feel increasingly unsettled, it can be hard to invest in a long-term strategy that can only promise to take you to places you are willing to go. But the outcomes are always worth it.

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Located inside Swirbul Library, the Center doesn’t feel like your usual classroom—it’s a flexible space designed to meet the needs of all students. The Center supports hands-on projects, research and creative work while offering opportunities to engage with leading-edge technologies in its key focus areas: artificial intelligence, extended reality and digital studies. Some students come to experiment with cutting-edge technology, while others arrive seeking a space to think differently and connect across disciplines.

“The mission of the Innovation Center is to empower the University community via interdisciplinary thinking and leading-edge technology in order to take on the challenges of our ever-changing world,� said Lee Stemkoski, PhD, director of the Innovation Center and professor and associate chair of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. “We inspire, support and showcase innovative and interdisciplinary activities within the University and in cooperation with industry and community partners.�

That mission comes to life every day—making the Innovation Center one of the most dynamic spots on campus.

A Place for All Majors to Gather

For Katelyn Schwab ’25, who majored in psychology and minored in social work, the Innovation Center wasn’t an obvious destination. She first walked in while reporting a story for The Delphian, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­â€™s student newspaper. That one assignment led her to a campus job and eventually a deeper connection to the Center.

“As a psychology major, I wasn’t sure if I’d feel like I fit in at a space that seemed focused on tech and innovation. But when I got there, I immediately felt accepted,� Schwab said. It was one of the few places on campus where your major didn’t matter. That sense of inclusion and creative freedom really drew me in.�

Schwab said the Center gave her confidence and leadership skills she plans to carry into her future career in counseling. “It felt alive and personal in a way that traditional classroom learning rarely does,� she said.

A “Third Space� for Big Ideas

Ovundah Okene Jr., an interdisciplinary major in mathematics, art and computer science, describes the Center as a “third space�—somewhere between home and the classroom.

“It’s an ambient space like a coffee shop,� Okene said. “Ultimately the atmosphere is calm and inviting for all regardless of majors.�

One moment in particular that stuck with him was watching high school students tackle wildfire prediction during a hackathon in which they came up with a database model to track vegetation and forecast fire paths. “The determination in their eyes to complete their work in the time crunch, high-pressure event was inspiring,� Okune said.

That same spirit of exploration and persistence pushed Okune to rethink his own path. What began as curiosity soon became transformation. “I was following the will of my parents and was going to be a doctor,� he said. “My time at the Innovation Center made me see that one day I could also make a fine professor or a game developer … I’m glad I stumbled into Professor Stemkoski’s office that day.�

Turning Passion into Action

For Christopher Sciortino ’25, a computer science major now pursuing his master’s degree at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, the Innovation Center became the perfect place to share his passion for video game design.

“I hosted an interactive video game design workshop at the Innovation Center. It went so well, I ended up hosting part two of the workshop,� Sciortino said. “The Innovation Center provided the support and community to help me share my knowledge.

Those workshops not only connected him with other students who share his interest in gaming and artificial intelligence, but also improved his own skills. “The Center has opened my eyes to how many different disciplines utilize the different technologies we showcase at the Center,� Sciortino said.

Preparing for Future Careers

What makes the Innovation Center stand out, students say, is that it prepares them for more than just the next exam. Whether it’s learning how to collaborate or finding the courage to chase a new career path—the lessons go beyond the classroom.

“The Innovation Center is a special place,� Sciortino said. “I see it as the hub for innovation, collaboration and growth for both students and professors.�

Okene put it simply: “It’s my home away from home.�

And for Schwab, it’s proof that innovation isn’t just about technology—it’s about people. “It’s one of the few places on campus that breaks down barriers between majors and encourages everyone to work together. It makes Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ feel more connected, more creative and more human,â€� she said. “If you’re curious, creative or just looking for somewhere to belong, you’ll find your place here.â€�

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The professors collaborated on the design of a software program that analyzes live video of dancers’ movements and generates music. Based on their discussions, Stemkoski created a series of prototypes that Duckstein tested in the studio. Using an iterative design process, Stemkoski incorporated his colleague’s feedback and suggestions to continuously update and improve the software.

“It was really fun watching the dancers interact with material in a new way,� Duckstein said. “The dance is called, ‘It Happens This Way Once,’ and it’s really just like life. It’s the same and different every day, and the choices we make affect things in small and beautiful ways.�

Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ dancers’ movements are analyzed by a software program that generates music.

Generative Music

The collaboration took off during a rehearsal for the Mad Professors Band, which Duckstein and Stemkoski are in with two other Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ faculty members.

“I had this idea kicking around for a long time and mentioned it to Lee after a band rehearsal,� Duckstein said. “I told him that I wasn’t sure how to set something up that would react the way I had in mind, and two days later Lee had worked something up. I was stunned at how fast.�

Stemkoski explained that their inspiration was a mutual interest in Brian Eno, an experimental musician and visual artist who coined the term “generative music.�

“Eno created the iOS smartphone apps Bloom and Trope, where the user taps and swipes the screen to create a randomly generated musical composition, which we were both familiar with,� he said. “We tossed around some ideas about, instead, using the movement of dancers to generate music, and thus the concept was born.�

Stemkoski said he and Duckstein implemented the music-generating program as a web app for ease of use. Anyone can open the app’s webpage in their browser.

“It uses the video feed from your camera and scans for clusters of pixels within a specified color range—shades of reds, blues, etcetera. As these clusters enter or exit different regions across the screen, different preselected tones are played,� he said.

Duckstein said the tones were recorded and provided by composer Carson Moody, who also had great ideas for tones and how to adjust the musical dynamics for future versions of the software.

Choreographing in Real Time

While the students were excited to be part of the piece, knowing that their movements would impact the music, Duckstein said that starting the choreography without music was challenging.

“It was definitely work getting 12 individual students to think as a group and develop a dance in real time together,� he said. “But in both instances, it was rewarding to come out on top. Every dancer in the piece was seen, every dancer contributed and came to the stage alive and in the moment.�

Duckstein added that it was also a challenge—yet exhilarating—to let go, trusting the dancers to produce something interesting in the moment. “The cast and I were really excited to see what was going to happen every night. In fact, that’s how we came up with the title of the piece,� he said.

Potential for More Interaction

For Dr. Stemkoski, who is also the director of the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Innovation Center, this interdisciplinary collaboration is just one example of how to use a collaborative and innovative mindset to support the University at large.

“The mission of the Innovation Center is to inspire, support and showcase innovative and interdisciplinary activities across the University,� he said. “This collaboration between dance and computer science is a perfect example of what we’re trying to accomplish. In fact, early versions of our music generation app were featured as the weekly tech exhibit in the Innovation Center. .�

Duckstein and Stemkoski are already thinking of their next dance collaboration. “While the November dance performance was my first time collaborating with Lee, it’s sparking a whole bunch of other ideas,� Duckstein said. “I think we’re going to come up with some bigger ideas for next time.�

Stemkoski added, “It would be really cool to also tie this in to dynamically adjusting the stage lighting or to project a dynamic art piece in the background, all driven by and synchronized with the movements of the dancers.�

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The “Tar Baby� tale is best known from the Uncle Remus stories, collected and published in the late 19th century and immortalized in the 1946 Disney animated movie Song of the South. In the story, Br’er Fox makes a baby out of tar in order to trap his longtime adversary, Br’er Rabbit. Despite being a part of African and African American folklore, the title came to be used as a racial slur used against Black people.

An English major and writer of creative fiction herself, Conner is looking to the history of the “Tar Baby� story to see what it can show us about the lives of enslaved Africans and their descendants in the first century of the United States.

“A lot of what I’m doing and a lot of what I think is important about this research is that this is history,� Conner said. “In learning about ‘Tar Baby,’ I’ve also learned a lot about what it was like to exist in the times when this story was created.�

Storytelling through the diaspora

Conner started researching Caribbean and transatlantic slave trade stories in the Black Writers I and II classes taught by Patricia Lespinasse, PhD, associate professor of African American literature in the African, Black, and Caribbean Studies program, and continued in an African Diaspora Myths and Legends independent study under Dr. Lespinasse. Conner considered digging deeper into several folk tales, finally settling on “Tar Baby.� The first task she set for herself was to reread Toni Morrison’s Tar Baby, a novel about love, classism and challenge within the African American community, and write about each chapter. She looked into a passage from Frederick Douglass about a tar trap around a garden on a farm where he was enslaved. Douglass describes how he and the other enslaved workers would be whipped if they were caught with tar on them. Ultimately, they found ways into the garden without touching the tar.

“The way African American folklore was made was because people were captured and enslaved and made to forget,� Conner said. “The impact that I’m looking at is the loss of culture along the way. They were not allowed to talk about how they got there. The stories that they had grown up with, their culture, was forced out of them, along with their language, their way of life.�

Conner’s project began as an independent study in Spring 2024 and is continuing through the summer with the help of the prestigious Undergraduate Research and Creative Works Summer Fellowship. Dr. Lespinasse is Conner’s mentor on the project.

“When Ennie came to me with her proposed research, I was impressed by her intellectual curiosity, and her strong work ethic exceeds expectations,� Dr. Lespinasse said. “Ennie is taking every opportunity to read, write and do archival research at the . She is doing graduate-level research as an undergraduate student.�

Telling her own stories

In addition to all of her deep-dive research, Conner’s primary focus is her own writing.

“My work is mainly in creative fiction,� she said. “Along with the history, I’m also looking at the future and how I can tell my own version of the ‘Tar Baby’ story.�

Conner grew up in Houston in a family of storytellers and benefitted from the opportunities and attention she got in private schools, being encouraged to take on research projects by the time she was 10 years old. A recruitment package from Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ convinced her to continue her research and writing in the Northeast.

“It was in New York,� she said. “I’ve always wanted to live in New York.

“I was always a very read-and-write kid,� she added. “I was a very big nerd. One of the things that I like about research is that it lets you do that while you’re learning. It’s a way for me to gain knowledge and also have fun.�

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The justices ruled 6–3 along ideological lines that Muñoz does not have a fundamental liberty interest in her noncitizen spouse’s ability to be admitted to the United States. For Jumper, the result was disappointing, but also motivational.

“Working on immigrants’ rights activism and cases became an important part of my law school career and is something I hope to keep working on,� she said.

She credits her time as a Panther with preparing her to excel at a prestigious law school, graduate with honors and secure a position at a New York law firm.

Honing Her Skills at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

Jumper began to focus on immigrants’ rights and environmental justice as an undergraduate. With the support of the Honors College, she created an interdisciplinary studies major enabling her to study political science, economics and philosophy. She said her interdisciplinary major enabled her to look at environmental justice through the economic, political and philosophical lenses. For her honors thesis, she researched worldwide water quality issues.

Jumper said Katie Laatikainen, PhD, professor of political science and international relations, initially mentored her interest in international law and international legal affairs. She participated in Dr. Laatikainen’s National Model United Nations course and in her study abroad partnership in Finland. “I took a lot of her classes because I really love learning international politics from her,� Jumper said. “And that really pushed me toward doing international law.�

She also joined The Delphian as a reporter and was named editor in chief in 2020. “I was writing articles so quickly and getting them out and proofing them, and that was really helpful in law school,� she said. In May 2023, she was named editor in chief of the Cornell International Law Journal.

“Coming into a small school and being in the Honors College, I really was able to do everything that I wanted to do,â€� she noted. “That’s not something that a lot of my colleagues who went to bigger schools could say. I was able to shape my degree and figure out exactly what I wanted to research, and I had the support of professors in doing that.â€�

Future Focused

Jumper is spending the summer studying for the New York state bar exam. She already has a job lined up in October as a first-year associate with Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft in downtown Manhattan, where she worked last summer in the litigation department.

“Law school has been awesome. I’ve done a lot of really cool projects and got to take a lot of great classes and meet great people—and I’m excited for what’s to come,� she said.

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As Strelick began the process of mentoring her dance students who planned to create performances for Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­â€™s 21st Scholarship and Creative Works Conference, she encouraged them to think about current social issues and contemplate how they could express their feelings about them through dance.

“We take time to do research, question what is happening in the world and explore issues through movement investigation,� Strelick said. “Together we use the dance studio as a movement research lab seeking how to express our views and opinions on things such as human caused climate change; equity; belonging; community; standing up for rights and freedoms; and challenging dance and its gender norms.�

The result? Deeply personal, evocative performances that tell a story—whether the student’s own, or a greater societal issue they care about.

The Foundations of Professor Strelick’s Exploration Through Dance

Strelick’s approach to teaching is grounded in the layers of inspiration she gained while earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts in Germany.

“When I was a student, I had the opportunity to witness one of the most important contemporary dance choreographers of the 20th and 21st centuries, William Forsythe, create work,� Strelick said. “Watching his process and observing his performance pieces shaped my understanding of what dance could be—his approach to how the audience engages with dance and how he challenges dancers by stretching the norms of what can be done on stage like talking, acting and singing.�

She was greatly influenced by how Forsythe modified the lines and recomposed notions of ballet aesthetics, challenging the viewer and the art form. Strelick was also exposed to European choreographers and companies that broadened her notions of where dance and theater intersect. She says that dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch, one of the most prominent creators within Tanztheater (dance theater), also influenced her aesthetics and beliefs about how one can approach creating works.

“Pina Bausch’s company featured dancers of all sizes, ages and styles, widening the vocabulary and possibilities of exploring dance on stage,� she said. “Her approach to choreography and its sense of humanity, social awareness and humility is something to which I am drawn.�

Strelick’s training in Germany provided an important base for the dancer and teacher she would become. She cites how the German dance/theater world’s openness to pushing boundaries and the cultural permission to take risks helped further the art form, allowing those who influenced her most to explore and challenge norms.

At Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, Strelick teaches Ballet Technique, Dance History and Criticism, and Dance Theory and Composition, impressing upon her students the importance of bringing something of themselves—something new—to dance.

Making Statements on the Dance Stage

Students mentored by Strelick took on topics from imposter syndrome and political expression to missing children. Their time onstage at the conference not only reflected their dance skills but also the depth of their research and the poise of their presentations.

Clara Ossandón’s project, “Dance as Political Expression: A Poetic Act That Links, Heals and Unites That Which Was Separated,� was inspired by the death of Joan Jara, a Chilean British dancer and activist. Ossandón was struck by one of Jara’s statements: “Dance is a form of communication that is impossible to censor; the only way to do so is by persecuting the groups that dance.� She delved into this censorship in the context of her country, Chile, during its period of dictatorship 50 years ago.

“Jara’s reflection has a powerful meaning, representing dance as an act of resistance to social division and restrictions—more than simply creating an assignment, I wanted to challenge myself and take this opportunity to learn more about my background and process my life experience,â€� Ossandón said. “Through this process, I gained a deeper understanding and connection to my family’s and nation’s past.â€�

Ossandón also notes the interdisciplinary nature of her project: “I tried to connect my two majors and passions, dance and psychology. Processing life’s experiences through dance has enabled me to conduct research within the social, clinical and psychological domains and make correlations to the performing arts.â€�

With her performance at the Scholarship and Creative Works Conference, student Sophia Minich explored the topic of missing children.

Sophia Minich explored the topic of missing children in her research and performance. “Code Adam: Finding a Voice in the Silence Through Movement,â€� originated from a Dance Theory and Composition course and is the first of many works she hopes to create to highlight injustices toward missing people, specifically children. Minich’s research follows stories of those who have been silenced, repetitive behaviors that society continuously allows, as well as various compositional tools. Her choreography expresses through movement her research into specific missing children’s cases, both famous and not.

“Professor Strelick continues to open my mind as to what choreography and performance can be,� Minich said. “She has guided my work both directly and indirectly, offering tools and constructive feedback to help me further develop this piece and teaching me how important research can be in the arts.

Minich hopes to someday orchestrate a performance with all of the proceeds going to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children or a similar organization. She said, “This piece is obviously only a start—there is so much more awareness to be raised and work to be done, but I would like to contribute through dance as it is such a powerful and emotional art form.�

Alena De Leon choreographed “Acknowledging Who I Am: Imposter Syndrome in Studentsâ€� to take a deeper look at first-generation college students who share this persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of their efforts or skills. Inspired by her own life experiences as the child of a first-generation Mexican American, a key element of her performance is the gestural motif of taking off her shoes—representing the gratitude she feels toward her mother who she wishes could walk in her shoes.

“As a performer, I constantly embrace the responsibility of creating,� De Leon said. “The Scholarship and Creative Works Conference means a great deal to me because it is an opportunity to express why my compositions are important and to elaborate on my own narrative.�

De Leon’s study and choreography investigates the conflicting emotions of deep-seated gratitude coupled with a sense of unworthiness of opportunities. She says the importance of this study is in giving those who paved the way before her a voice. “As a Mexican American, I dance with two flags, and the weight of this is tremendous—it is my obligation to dig deeper and find a way to be recognized and achieve success.�

Research Brought to Life

Taking a break during the Scholarship and Creative Works Conference

The audience members gathered in the University Center ballroom for the Scholarship and Creative Works Conference were both moved and entertained while viewing the product of Strelick’s dance students’ research—as was she.

“I enjoy how students find their own voice and challenge themselves to go deeper into research to find their own unique way of being an artist in our contemporary moment,� Strelick added. “It is rewarding to see them grow through their artistry and discover themselves as part of a community, ultimately finding belonging.�

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He’s been onstage in New York City and Chicago bringing to life characters and puppets from Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, helped in the performance of major and minor characters on Sesame Street, and in a Super Bowl ad, and—one of his personal favorite milestones—performed on Sesame Street’s float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.

“It’s hard to put into words how much it meant to me—going 40 blocks through the heart of New York City, peeking out the window to see thousands and thousands of people, shouting out our characters’ names,� Ricci said. “That was the largest group I’ve performed for to date and, of course, there’s a huge television audience as well. It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid.�

Ricci has single-mindedly made his dream of a career in the industry come closer to reality, first building puppets at his family’s home in Franklin Square, New York, starting a YouTube channel and account featuring his work, and networking in the professional world. He used his years at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ to explore his interests, hone skills and be ready for the next steps.

A Puppeteer’s Dream, Advanced at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

Ricci credits many in the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ family for supporting him along the way: in particular, John McDermott, associate professor of theater; John Drew, associate professor of communications; and Christopher Saucedo, professor of art and art history.

“They were very supportive, taking me under their wing, showing me their knowledge and how I could incorporate that into what I want to do,� Ricci said. “For example, I learned about art and sculpture with Professor Saucedo and understood how I could incorporate that into my work building puppets. With professors McDermott and Drew, I saw how puppets can work on the stage and in film and TV.�

His advice to students? “I highly recommend interdisciplinary study—and if it makes sense, design your own major.�

Ricci was also supported by Department of Communications technical director John Furtado in scheduling his studies—he double majored in puppet arts (self-designed) and digital media production—and Cory Poccia ’04, an adjunct faculty member in communications and founder of Mainstream Entertainment Group, who gave Ricci work as a film editor while he was getting started in the world of puppetry. “It was a great experience,� Ricci said. “Much-needed financial support, but he was so understanding and told me up front that the work shouldn’t stand in the way of any puppetry jobs that come along.�

A major break came when Ricci got a gig with Rockefeller Productions in February 2021, initially as a puppet builder. He then auditioned and was cast in a new stage production of Winnie the Pooh.

“I was a little hesitant to audition because, believe it or not, I had stage fright! “he recalled.� I built some of the puppets used in the show, performed as Tigger and Eeyore, which was a blast. And I was a puppet wrangler, cleaning and taking care of the puppets and repaired them if anything was broken. And then I became the puppet captain, whose job it is to teach puppetry to the other cast members.�

The show ran off-Broadway in New York and then had a run in Chicago and another back in New York. As it was ending, Ricci got an invitation from the lead Muppet performers with Sesame Workshop to participate in its mentorship program. “Among other things, we get to perform small parts on the show. Basically, they’re training the next generation of puppeteers for Sesame Street, and I’m honored to be part of that group of very talented folks.�

Pulling a Few Strings—and Working on a Super Bowl Ad

A native Long Islander who now lives in Manhattan, Ricci is also working at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, located on the west side of Central Park. He discovered a love for marionette puppetry, different from what’s seen on Sesame Street or in shows such as Winnie the Pooh. “We’re 10 feet up in the air working the puppets below.� The group is staging an adaptation of Sleeping Beauty called Wake Up, Daisy through June.

At Sesame Workshop, Ricci is doing background work, assisting performers—for example, being a right hand for a puppet, as some take more than one person—playing minor characters in the background, taking on small roles—a talking banana, a dog and a little robin on a spinoff show on HBO Max called My Sesame Street Friends. He’s also been a background singer on Sesame Street and worked on a PBS Kids show called Donkey Hodie, a spinoff of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.

The work also got him a last-minute gig helping with the appearance of Cookie Monster in a that also featured, among others, Sylvester Stallone, Kate Hudson, Liam Neeson and Jay Leno.

“It was super cool,� Ricci deadpanned.

The Cookie Monster (assisted by Sebastiano Ricci ’20, not shown) appeared in an ad that ran during the 2023 Super Bowl

The post Master of Puppets: Sebastiano Ricci ’20 Created His Own Major and Used It to Launch a Career appeared first on Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­.

Still, there are many who aren’t sure of their academic direction. To help them, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ has launched an innovative program of interdisciplinary courses and workshops introducing the many paths of study and providing the support needed to select an appropriate major.

Early in 2023, this program for undecided and undeclared students gained national attention when it received the prestigious Innovative Academic Support Initiative award from the (CASHE).

“Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ is very focused on giving students personalized attention. This is especially true for our students who haven’t declared a major yet,” said Andrea Ward, PhD, interim associate provost for student success at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­. “This recognition by CASHE reaffirms the success of our commitment to offering creative, fresh solutions for our students to create their own unique academic path.”

One Course, Many Disciplines

Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­’s program began in the fall of 2019 with the introduction of interdisciplinary 360 courses. Offered through the College of Arts and Sciences, each 360 course focuses on a general topic and is taught by a team of faculty members from across the academic disciplines. The goal is to provide a variety of perspectives and a 360-degree view of the subject matter.

“We believe in the 360 courses as an innovative way of exposing students to a number of different disciplines in one course,” said Margaret Lally ’82, associate dean of faculty programs. “Topics such as water, food and race are explored from multiple perspectives, contributing to our commitment to interdisciplinary learning.”

According to Tandra Chakraborty, PhD, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­’s interim associate dean for student success and strategic initiatives, at least two 360 courses will be offered every semester. “The courses are interdisciplinary and can be taken by all students,” Dr. Chakraborty said. The different perspectives of various faculty, varied topics and interactive nature of the courses appeal to the students. Undeclared students get a chance to explore courses and decide their future paths.”

A New PATH for Self-Discovery

Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­’s focus on exposing students to the many disciplines and academic perspectives has sharpened with its newly revised General Education program. Planned to launch this spring, PATH (Preparation, Awareness, Transformation, Hands-On Learning) is a General Education program designed to promote self-discovery, shared experience, diverse and inclusive instruction, and socially engaged community action. Its goal is to encourage student success—and it will be particularly helpful for undeclared students still finding their major.

“We want our students to reimagine their place within the community,” said Jacqueline Johnson, PhD, associate professor of sociology and interim department chair. “Every step on the PATH is designed to help students succeed in studies, find their strengths and thrive in an ever-changing society.”

Another innovation for undecided students is a series of guided workshops organized by the College of Arts and Sciences. The most popular workshop, in conjunction with the Office of Academic Services and Retention, teaches students how to approach registering for classes, including what to think about—their strengths and weaknesses—before meeting with their adviser. Additional workshops are offered through the Center for Career and Professional Development, the Center for International Education, the Innovation Center, and the Learning and Writing Centers.

Delivering Results

The results of these initiatives are promising. Between Fall 2019 and Fall 2022, the number of undecided students decreased 21 percent, from 285 to 224. In Fall 2019, undecided students represented 12 percent of the new undergraduates, compared with 9 percent in Fall 2022.

To maintain the momentum of this success, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ is introducing a new cohort teaching model for First-Year Seminars. The new approach has faculty members from the College of Arts and Sciences teach interdisciplinary courses with related themes to multiple classes. Throughout the semester, students from the different classes meet together to hear from a speaker or attend an event or trip related to the themes. Students then take a 360 course in a semester following their First-Year Seminar.

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A signature initiative of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­’s College of Arts and Sciences, 360 courses represent a new approach to learning, one that breaks down the barriers between the traditional academic disciplines. The courses, which are named for the 360-degree perspective they take, are particularly valuable for first- and second-year students who have yet to decide on a major. They can give students a taste of art, anthropology, political science, environmental studies, languages, history and biology—all in one class.

The College of Arts and Sciences has offered 360 courses on a range of topics since their introduction in Fall 2019. Food for Thought, taught by assistant professor of anthropology Kathryn Krasinski, PhD, surveyed the history, production, distribution, ethics and cultural significance of food. Water, taught by Kellyann Monaghan, associate professor and chair of the Department of Art and Art History, explored the aesthetic, environmental, political and cultural aspects of the vital resource. And Race, led by the former director of African, Black and Caribbean Studies (now special assistant to the president for strategic initiatives), Marsha J. Tyson Darling, PhD, examined the social, cultural, political and economic consequences of race as an idea and a social construct.

The College is preparing as many as three new 360 courses for Fall 2022.

A Serious Look at Parties

In her Party class, Dr. Rosenblum, who is a lecturer in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­’s General Studies Learning Community, covered everything from the Boston Tea Party to Judy Chicago’s feminist art installation The Dinner Party. She encouraged students to look at parties in all their manifestations, from the political to the social. “We investigate why people are motivated to gather, and we take a closer look at parties as celebration, entertainment, political allyship, resistance and artistic expression,” Dr. Rosenblum said.

Like other 360 classes, Party favored student-led research assignments over essays and quizzes. Dr. Rosenblum had her students plan a party reflective of a decade between 1900 and 1990. “They had to plan a theme, activities, food and music,” she said. “We also had them look at exclusion, at who’s not invited to a party, because that helps students build critical thinking skills—and helps us understand who Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ was historically and where we can grow as a university.”

To research the assignment, students were sent to the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ library archives to look at old yearbooks and campus newspapers to get an idea of each decade’s social mores, pop culture, fashion and political issues. Yes, in the age of Google, Dr. Rosenblum got students to do original source research. “Information literacy is one of the goals for the class,” she explained, noting that 360 classes help student fulfill the University’s General Education—or core curriculum—requirements. She added, “Teaching students to do research beyond basic internet searches also prepares them to navigate research projects connected to their disciplines and future careers.”

Dr. Rosenblum drew on a variety of resources for her class, without relying on a single textbook. News and academic articles filled her syllabus, as did aspects of popular culture. “We started off every class with a music video,” she said. “Students can make requests, as long as the video is connected to the party in some way. This resulted in a number of compelling discussions about how the party is portrayed in different cultures and time periods.”

Teaching a Range of Skills

The 360 courses have become popular with faculty and students. “The students love the interdisciplinary nature of the class,” Dr. Rosenblum said. “They love getting to know how other disciplines work. And in keeping with the party spirit, we built a community of students with different interests and goals. They learned just as much from one another as they learned from faculty.”

Students are gaining valuable academic and careers skills along the way. “They’re learning about history, literature, art history and sociology, for example,” she explained. “They also are learning how to connect these disciplines in ways that lend itself to the critical thinking skills they will need outside the academy; and they are learning sophisticated research, writing and presentation skills.”

Just as important, students are also gaining valuable life skills from 360 classes. “In the class, we see the world in terms of what brings people together or pulls them apart,” Dr. Rosenblum said. “Students learn the value of connecting with one another and with people outside of their immediate social groups, geographic location and historical time period. In this way, the course enables students to practice and build empathy.”

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