Gathered around a conference table in the Humanities Building, eight first-year students argue with Associate Professor of English Hugh Jenkins about the parallels between Thoreau's Walden and the film Terminator II.
Jenkins, maintaining that both deal with technology, urges the students to examine technological issues within the two texts, and soon a dialectical banter emerges.
— What is the worth of technology?
— Can we live without technology?
— Was Walden right?
— Is the Terminator II solution of destroying technology viable?
Such impassioned intellectual discourse is not uncommon at Union, but it may not be common among freshmen. But these eight first-year students — and twenty-two more — are participating in Union's new scholars preceptorial, where heated debates and provocative discussions with small groups are the norm.
In each of the three sections, faculty members (Jenkins, Associate Professor of Classics Scott Scullion, and Assistant Professor of History Joyce Madancy) act as facilitators of discussion. They draw on a variety of topics, ranging from texts chosen by a faculty committee to readings chosen by the students. Recent topics have included evolution and animal behavior, the novel, sexuality and sexual identity, history and memory, man and nature, and American protest music.
“I loved freshman preceptorial,” says Victoria Hargreaves '01. “It has been the most challenging course I have ever taken. I enjoyed the one-on-one relationship with the teacher the class provided and appreciated the relaxed nature of the class and the unique topics we covered.”
While students all say that the scholars preceptorial is a lot of work, most say that it is worth it. Class discussions are almost always engaging, they say, and the debates in each class push them to think critically about new ideas.
“Sometimes I would be talking and then would just sit back and listen to everyone else,” says Ryan Nespeca '00, pointing to the long discussions about the meaning of life. “I couldn't believe the conversations that were coming out of this; I would be in awe of it.”
But the scholars program is more than just discussing philosophies. The scholars preceptorials also have greater flexibility than the traditional freshman preceptorials at Union; sometimes, for example, students attend concerts or lectures together or meet for dinner at a faculty member's house.
“One of the best discussions in my class was when we all met at Professor Frazier's house for dinner,” says Seth Carrier '00. (Adrian Frazier, professor of English, taught one section of the scholars program last year.) “We had this long, heated debate about long-distance relationships and faithfulness.”
“I think that the freshman preceptorial made me a better speaker and a better writer and has helped me to become better at analyzing things,” says Jennifer Jakubowski '00. “It was an effective class because it included all bright and creative people — and that brought out the best in people.”
The second year of the scholars program is centered on independent research outside of a student's major, and topics this year have ranged from Japanese imperialism to jazz.
Jakubowski, a chemistry major, is choreographing and performing a dance piece that incorporates two different mediums, while working with another student to design a set that supports the message of her dance.
“I chose to do my independent study in dance because it is something I really enjoy doing,” Jakubowski says. “It gave me an excuse to try something different.”
Jakubowski has been dancing since she was four years old, but decided to pursue chemistry, not dance, when she entered college. “I wanted to dance for the sake of dancing, not because my life depended on it,” she says.
Choreography is a new challenge for Jakubowski, who choreographed one of her first pieces for a class last term with Miryam Moutillet, visiting guest artist in dance. The challenge, Jakubowski says, is to “create something that is not only interesting to you, but also is interesting to everyone watching.
“There are nights when I will stand for an hour and not be able to come up with four counts of music, and there are nights when in an hour I can choreograph a full minute of music,” she says. “It depends on where your mind is. Sometimes you will hear the music and you will think of the steps very quickly. Other times your mind is blank.”
Jakubowski prepared her piece for presentation at this year's Steinmetz Symposium with all other sophomore scholars program students. Although the independent research is sometimes a strain on her schedule, she thinks it is worth it for the extra time and experience that she is gaining in the dance studio. “I like the challenge of working independently with Professor Moutillet to create something new and pushing myself to try something completely different.”
Building on Union's best
Union's Scholars Program creates a number of special opportunities for talented students eager to take advantage of the diversity of the College's intellectual experiences.
Selected from the top applicants to the first-year class, scholars participate in a program that builds on the best of what Union does — small classes, independent study, and terms abroad. In its first two years, the program has attracted more students than anticipated, with about twelve scholars in the Class of 2000 and another thirty in the Class of 2001.
Linda Cool, dean of the faculty and director of the scholars program, says its thrust is “to enhance the aspects of a Union education that we thought were our hallmark.”
Those include the freshman preceptorials, which focus on developing reading, analyzing, and writing skills; close interaction between faculty and students; involvement in independent research; and terms abroad and other types of off-campus experiences.
In the freshman year, Union scholars participate in a scholars preceptorial — a two-term, small, discussion-oriented class led by experienced faculty members and taken in addition to the normal nine-course load. Students engage in discussion and present their own work, as well as attend special events including lectures, theater, and dinners with faculty who teach in the various areas explored in class readings. Often, scholars will present their work in the spring in a special Union scholars section of the Steinmetz Symposium.
During their sophomore year, students complete a two-term, one-credit, independent research project, working one-on-one with a professor of their choice.
“We think that really talented sophomores will be ready for independent research,” Cool says. “One of the purposes of the General Education curriculum is to get students experimenting with a variety of different disciplines, and we hope that students who are already sophisticated and mature enough would find this a very broadening experience.” The project culminates in a major paper, which the student presents at the Steinmetz Symposium.
The junior year, still somewhat under development, comprises participation in a term abroad or an off-campus internship. During the senior year, scholars are expected to complete honors theses in their majors; they may also carry one extra course without charge.
Scholars have the option of graduating early, but they must enter the program with at least two advanced placement credits, take additional courses including one summer course, and consult closely with their advisors and the dean of the faculty. However, scholars are encouraged to remain at Union for the full twelve terms to take maximum advantage of the educational opportunities offered to them.
Cool emphasizes that the scholars program has tremendous flexibility and that scholars are encouraged to branch out, studying in a variety of disciplines and finding the connections between them.