Fall 2012 University Seminar Descriptions

The Center for Academic Success and First-Year Experience focuses on your successful transition into the Maryville community. Maryville has a comprehensive and integrated approach to assisting you in your academic, financial, and personal transition to Maryville. One of the many exciting opportunities for you as a first-year student is the University Seminar course which all first-year students enroll in during their first semester. Maryville's University Seminar is more than a required course - it provides a distinctive opportunity to work closely with your peers and instructor on an important topic of mutual interest. All seminars focus on three goals: critical thinking, community, and communication. In each seminar, students and faculty explore a topic of common interest while meeting the goals through writing, oral presentations, research, critical reading of texts, and conversations. Each seminar is limited to 18 students to create a true "seminar" in which faculty can engage you and every student in the exploration of ideas.

Unique University Seminar Opportunities for Residential Students

The following University Seminar themes are opportunities reserved for residential students only who are living together. Students reside in a designated living/learning community together. Living-Learning Communities extend the learning beyond the classroom and into the everyday lives of students. Students live with other students who share common interests and together, they share a common experience. National research has shown that students who participate in living/learning communities experience a smoother transition to college than those who do not participate. If interested, please include these in your rankings.

The following two University Seminars will live together as Living-Learning Communities in Mouton Hall:

Blog, Tweet, Follow, Share: Who's Afraid of Social Media?

Pay it Forward: Giving 100%, 100% of the Time!

(Pay it Forward)

Kelly Mock
As a college student, you have the power to create your own identity. Who will you be? What will you become? Have you ever stopped to think, "Could I be doing more for myself? my community? my world?" This course is designed to challenge you to consider how you contribute to the community and world around you. You will explore what internal and external influences impact your decisions to get involved. You will be challenged to think about what you will do to insure you make the most of your college experience. Together, we will explore our own roles in developing a positive impact on community through hands on experience, discussions, journal entries, films such as "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Pay It Forward," and readings. Students in this University Seminar will live with other students in this course on a designated floor in Mouton Hall.

The following two University Seminars will live together as Living-Learning Communities in Potter Hall:

A Clean Slate: Identifying Your Self in the Maryville Community

(A Clean Slate)

Tammy M. Gocial
"Who am I? What are my values, beliefs, and attitudes? How did I become who I am? Am I comfortable with who I am?" Using personal experiences, novels such as "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," films such as "Precious" and "Dead Poets Society," and case studies, this course will explore many of the biological, psychosocial, and cultural influences on identity development. From social networking, alcohol and drugs, dating, and "hooking up" to personal attitudes about religion, relationships with parents/family, attitudes toward school, and influence of peers, adolescents are inundated with messages about who to be and how to be, and they must sort through and experiment with all of these ideas to find the ones that seem to define themselves best—at least for the moment! Join us to continue to examine who you are and who you hope to become.  Students in this University Seminar will live with other students in this course on a designated floor in Potter Hall.

Connecting the dots…Homework, Food, Sweat, and Zzz's

(Connecting the Dots)

 Holly Stanwich
Are you a morning person or a night owl? Do you think well when you are hungry, or after a good meal? Do you exercise or do you not have the time or the energy to exercise? We all know that we need study tools in college, but do you think of your body as a study tool? This seminar will help you understand the importance of maintaining and improving your physical health, and the relationship between mind and body, to ensure your success at Maryville University. Together we will discover how to improve your study habits and your performance in class by listening to the needs of your body. We will connect the dots between physical fitness, mental fitness, good nutrition and stress management. We'll also play brain games, and get active to prep for success both in class and in life. Students in this University Seminar will live with other students in this course on a designated floor in Potter Hall.

University Seminar Sections Open to All First-Year Students

Battle of the Sexes: Men and Women in America Today

(Battle of the Sexes)

Michael L. Neiduski
What does it mean to be a man or a woman now? Are there certain values implicit in each? What do they look like? How are they melding with current times? Is it helping or hindering men and women in American society? This course will focus on these questions and more by looking at television, film, and essays, tackling the representation of masculinity and femininity in a variety of areas such as family, sports, fashion, politics, the workforce, the economy, and values. Students will develop and share their own definition of "What is a Real Man?" and "What is a Real Woman?"

Changing Ourselves, Changing the World: Social Justice, Peace, and Spirituality

(Changing the World)

Johannes Wich-Schwarz
Do you want to make this world a better place, but don't know where to start? This seminar could be that start! It offers you the opportunity to find out what issues concern you, and how you can work towards positive change in our society. We will look at various ways people have tried to improve our world, especially to create a more peaceful society. We will explore the relationship between personal spirituality and social activism, analyze philosophical and psychological aspects of war and conflict, and investigate the development and content of human rights. Our class will also feature guest speakers from the St. Louis area, sharing their experiences working for a better world.

Executing Justice: Controversies in the Legal System

(Legal System)

Geri Brandt
This course will ask students to consider their beliefs about justice: life sentences for minors without the possibility of parole, the death penalty as punishment for juvenile offenders, our current federal sentencing guidelines, and more. Is the U.S. experiencing a crime problem as a result of a failure to get tough on offenders? Should the criminal justice system abolish the Exclusionary Rule of evidence in federal criminal cases? In addition to these and other questions, we will discuss movies, hear from guest speakers such as criminal judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys, and take a field trip to a court sentencing, juvenile detention center, and county jail.

Google Me! Technology and Our Lives

(Google Me)

Sam Harris
We are inundated and influenced daily with technology. What most don't realize, however, is that this influence on culture and society is not new, only more prevalent with the rise of the digital age. In an attempt to better understand and participate in today's technological dependent society, we will examine technology from its very beginning to its current state to answer what role, if any, technology should play in our lives. In the end, we will be able to answer what is arguably the most significant question of our time. How do we use technology to become outstanding global citizens?

Here, There, and Everywhere: Discovering Emotional Intelligence

(Emotional Intelligence)

Lillian Curtis
Evidence of "emotional intelligence" can be found in a variety of places, but it may go unnoticed without special insight. Learn to recognize and connect the critical pieces that help make up emotional intelligence. We will study emotions ranging from anger to love to sadness and more. Using a broad range of material, we will work towards gaining important knowledge about how to understand and manage our emotions effectively. A special feature of this seminar will be the opportunity to take an emotional intelligence (EQ) Inventory. Each student will receive an individual Summary Report which will show strong points and areas that need improvement. Overall, this in-depth look at the elements of emotional intelligence will be a memorable and eye opening experience.

How Boys and Girls Look at Boys and Girls: Identity (gender, race, religion, and others), Stereotypes, and Mass Media

(Boys and Girls)

Christie Cruise-Harper
American popular culture, cultural activities or products that reflect the perceptions of the general population, is heavily influenced by mass media. Much of America's attitudes and beliefs are shaped by media outlets such as films, magazines, music and television. Throughout history mass media has set trends as well as define cultures. On what are these trends and definitions based? This seminar will examine social and historical influences on media and the role of stereotypes in mass media. Who controls America's media outlets? Why are particular groups portrayed in certain ways in the media? How do stereotypes influence these portrayals? Students will engage in critical review and critique of mass media to determine its role in shaping attitudes and beliefs of Americans in relation to gender, race, religion, ethnicity, class and ability.

Life According to Our Favorite TV Shows

(Favorite TV)

Brian Gardner
What life lessons can you learn from your favorite TV shows? You watch them every day—shows like "The Office," "Glee," and "One Tree Hill"—but have you ever thought about what you could actually gain from analyzing those shows? This course will examine how certain television shows can get us thinking about our own lives, attitudes, and decisions. Students in this class will be examine what TV has to teach about topics important to college students, including relationships, diversity, family traditions, and figuring out who we are and want to become.

"Like" This Course! Living in Social Networks

(Like this Course)

Kristen Wellinghoff
Facebook, Skype, G-Chat—these words didn't even exist when you were born. As a teenager in an age of technology, you have grown up in a virtually connected world with unlimited information at your fingertips. From YouTube to smartphones, you have the ability to connect to a world-wide, diverse society in seconds. How has social media influenced your development and perception of community, culture and communication? How will social media affect your college experience including relationships, social life and studies? In this course you will learn how to build professional networks using various social media applications and explore the power of networking in relation to careers, hobbies, and relationships. Through films such as The Social Network, readings, guest speakers and a team project, this course will examine the culture of social media, its impact on the millennial generation, and the power of social media in creating a positive (or negative) image.

The Power of Design

(Power of Design)

Darlene Davison
Have you ever thought about the process by which your cell phone, laptop, alarm clock, backpack, and dorm room came to look and feel the way they are? Many college students contemplate the idea that they've spent their entire lives surrounded by the work of designers. And while you might not be a designer we are all clients for designers. In this seminar, we will explore the meaning of design and the design process that enables us to identify and explore complex problems and generate creative solutions that support human behavior. As one of our course films, Objectified, puts it, "What can we learn about who we are, and who we want to be, from the objects with which we surround ourselves?"

Role-ing With It

(Role-ing With It)

Leah Schwartz
We're social animals. Knowing ourselves and intuiting other people's point of view are key to personal satisfaction and career success. Playing roles gives insight into how others see the world and surprises us with latent aspects of ourselves. In this class, we will examine plays and films to observe how characters respond differently. We will discuss the works, act parts of the plays, and see a live professional play production. Improv exercises will encourage students to expand their willingness to show many sides of themselves and to respond to other players. The course project will be a choice of research-based paper on an aspect of role-playing, theatre or film—or a solo or group creative project employing theatre or film techniques. Course questions: How can we speak truth to power? If we all expect to be "above average" isn't "above average" the new average? What does our use of language say about us and about our audience? What roles do we play? How can points of view be bridged?

Secret Worlds: Fantasy Novels and their Fans

(Secret Worlds)

Jesse Kavadlo
Everywhere you look, the story is the same—a child or teen, different from his or her peers, discovers a hidden world that he or she must enter and, later, rescue. From Neverland to Narnia, we can't seem to get enough. But why? This class will analyze selected novels and movies, including Harry Potter, Coraline, and The Wizard of Oz, in order to ask and answer questions about the works, popular culture, and ourselves. What are the bases for these stories' appeal? What makes them work, both as novels and, in many cases, movies? What does their success say about their readers and fans, who range from children to adults? How do you analyze, understand, and feel about what we're reading and discussing? And how do these stories especially pertain to first-year college students?

Teaming Up for Kids the Maryville Way

(Teaming Up)

Robyn Otty
Teams are now forming and we are looking for YOU to join. Calling all interested students to join Team Maryville and collectively address the national problem of childhood obesity. Have you ever wondered why children are considered obese now more than ever? What are the associated health related implications that threatens to shorten the lifespan of entire generation? Does mental health impact unhealthy food choices? Discover the myths and facts associated with childhood obesity by joining Team Maryville to actively address these questions. With coordinated student teams, this class will develop a program that addresses known factors of childhood obesity. Through each team member's path of self-discovery and on-the-ground program development, each student will not only impact another child's health and well-being, but also create a positive influence that can impact a child's self-esteem and confidence.

The Webs We Weave

(Webs We Weave)

Kathy Quinn and Tonya Charland
From athletes to musicians to celebrities, what do all these people have to do with you? How does what they do impact what you do? Why should you care? Do you believe that no action of yours is without consequences for others? It seems easy enough to say "Treat others as you want to be treated". Is this something you learned as a child and are you putting it into practice now? How do you perceive yourself? How do others perceive you? How do the choices you make influence the webs you weave? In this seminar, we will discuss these questions to take a close look at the 'webs we weave'. Together, we will examine how the choices we make impact us as individuals and collectively as a community through interactive activities and dynamic discussions. We will do this through the exploration of media and pop culture as well as current issues in local, regional and national news, and through various readings. Finally, we will examine whether or not the civil actions of one person can make a difference in the world. What difference will you make?

Where in the World Will You Travel? 30 Places to See Before You Turn 30

(World Travel)

Deborah Knaust
The world is calling you to see its wonders, so plan your 30 must-see places to visit before your 30th birthday. Spend the decade of your 20's experiencing natural and man-made marvels found in every corner of the planet—thriving global cities like London, Edinburgh, Paris, Rome, Venice, Madrid, Mumbai, Cairo, Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, Tokyo, and Mexico City; modern human-constructed wonders like the Three Gorges Dam in China and the Aswan Dam in Egypt; awesome structures built in earlier times like the Great Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Wall of China, the Roman Coliseum, and the great works of art and architecture; and natural phenomena like Iguaçu Falls, the Cloud Forest of Costa Rica, the first golf course at St. Andrews, and great rivers of the world. This course will help prepare you for your future journey by taking you on a virtual tour of various global locations and learning about cultures and traditions through an international lens. We will use film and video, historical and travel essays, pictures, and the Internet.