HM
Transition.
Life is all about transition. Becoming a college
student. Graduating from college. Leaving old friends
behind and making new ones. Leaving one home and
finding a new one. Honorable Mentions will be making
a transition soon, too. We are saying goodbye to our
co-editor Lisa Plachy, who graduates at the end of this
quarter. We know she will be successful in anything
she does in the future, and wish her the best of luck.
We will miss her.
With that, we welcome our new co-editor,
Emma Potter. You have big shoes to fill, Emma, but we
know you’ll do a great job.
Honorable
Mentions
fall.2013
A collaboration by DePaul University’s Honors Program
Table of Contents
Campus Resources.................................................................................. 3
Honorable Announcements..................................................................... 4
Honors Events.......................................................................................... 5
Home Isn’t Stable: Lessons from Jane Hamilton (Theresa Bailey).................................................. 5
One in 1,400: The Honors Team at the Heart Walk (Taylor Gillen)..................................................... 6
Heart Walk Photos..................................................................................................................................... 7
“All Walks of Life Coming Together for One” (Sydney Sewell)............................................................. 8
Act Out: Exposure to a Life in Drag (Taylor Gillen)................................................................................ 10
History in our Presence: Author Fern Schumer Chapman Shares History with Honors Discover Class (Gabriella Calderone)...
Honorably Involved.................................................................................. 9
Hoopla on the Quad (Shaza Loutfi)...................................................................................................... 9
HON......................................................................................................... 12
12
DePaul Honors Freshmen and Their Chicago Quarter (Anneliese Girson)............................................ 14
HON110 Pictures....................................................................................................................................... 15
Profile: Dr. Ann Stanford (Megan Pietz).................................................... 16
City Life.................................................................................................... 18
Smart Choices and Lucky Opportunities: Finding the Perfect, Affordable Apartment (Alex Devine) 18
Guess Where This Is? (Gianna Sutley).................................................................................................. 19
The Privilege of Learning (Anna Nettie Hanson)................................................................................ 20
Reflection: Don’t Be Young and Carefree (Lisa Plachy)........................... 21
Creative License (Alex Jewell)................................................................. 22
Darndest Things...................................................................................... 23
Thanks to everyone who contributed!
Co-Editors: Alex Jewell, Lisa Plachy, and Emma Potter
Advisor: Jennifer Kosco
hsgnewsletter@gmail.com
Cover photo provided by Briana Briscoe.
Campus Resources
3
Visit the Career Center
You may think the Career Center is only a place to go to find an internship. Sure, they do that, but
they also offer so much more! The Career Center can help you decide on a major, a career choice, help
you polish your résumé, conduct mock interviews to hone your skills, and much more. The Career Center
offers workshops ranging from job search strategies to interviewing skills to graduate school information
sessions. To find out more about what the Career Center can do for you, visit their website: www.
careercenter.depaul.edu. You can also visit one of their offices at these convenient campus locations: in the
Loop, they are located in Suite 9500 of the DePaul Center (1 East Jackson); on the Lincoln Park campus,
they are in Room 192 of the Schmitt Academic Center (SAC) at 2320 N. Kenmore.
Have a Big Paper Due Soon? The Writing Center Can Help You
Make it the Best it Can Be!
The Writing Center provides help free of charge to all members of the DePaul University
community—including students, faculty, and staff. The Writing Center tutors offer assistance in
developing successful writing strategies, and their goal is to help visitors become more comfortable with
writing tasks and more aware of composing processes that will allow them to complete these tasks well.
They work with writers on many kinds of projects from research papers and lab reports to Master’s
theses and personal projects. They offer techniques to help writers focus and develop ideas, evaluate and
summarize sources, and edit and revise their drafts.
Visit the Writing Center’s website to find out locations, hours, services, and much more! http://
condor.depaul.edu/writing/
Need a Helping Hand? FREE Tutoring is Available for You
Visit CSH’s Science and Math Learning Center (SMLC). It’s a one stop shop for free tutoring and
academic support in O’Connell Hall 300 in the LPC. Tutors cover chemistry, mathematical sciences,
physics, psychology (for statistics), quantitative reasoning (for LSP 120/121), and writing in the sciences.
The SMLC operates on a walk-in only basis and is available to any currently enrolled DPU student with
a valid student ID. Students must bring their valid student IDs with them. Here is a link to the SMLC
website, including the AQ1213 tutoring schedule of walk-in availability: http://csh.depaul.edu/studentresources/advising-student-services/Pages/Science-and-Math-Learning-Center.aspx
WWVD? (What Would Vincent Do?)
Are you interested in serving others? As a DePaul student, you have the opportunity to honor the
Vincentian spirit by getting involved in DCSA, the DePaul Community Service Association. Choose from
any number of weekly service options, and serve with other DePaul students. Visit the DCSA page on the
OrgSync site, and start volunteering this week: https://orgsync.com/custom_pages/34496/show/6139
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Honorable Mentions
4
Honorable Mentions Wins AGAIN!
Following last year’s First Place Win in the same category, Honorable Mentions has won second place
in the 2013 National Collegiate Honors Council Annual (NCHC) Newsletter Contest in the Student Published
Electronic category. The Honorable Mentions’ co-editors, Alex Jewell (senior, CDM, Interactive Media) and
Lisa Plachy (senior, CMN, Public Relations/Advertising) are responsible for all editing and layout of the
newsletter. Each issue features content and material about various honors activities and events, awards, and
general honors news, all contributed by Honors students. To see issues from the past academic year, go to:
http://las.depaul.edu/honors/CurrentStudents/Newsletter/index.asp
The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) is a national organization of honors programs and
colleges from universities all over the country. NCHC is the professional association of undergraduate honors
programs and colleges; honors directors and deans; and honors faculty, staff and students.
NCHC provides support for institutions and individuals developing, implementing, and expanding
honors education through curriculum development, program assessment, teaching innovation, national and
international study opportunities, internships, service and leadership development and mentored research.
Congratulations in Order for This Outstanding
Honors Student
Senior American Studies major (and Honors Student Government President)
Caelin Niehoff was recently named the 2013 Lincoln Academy Student Laureate
by the Lincoln Academy. The committee recognizes one outstanding student from
each participating university in Illinois. Caelin was recognized for her academic,
co-curricular, and community service achievements, and as an example of the
Vincentian mission at work!
Caelin received:
• The Lincoln Academy Student Laureate Medallion
• A certificate of achievement
• A monetary grant in the amount of $1,000
• Recognition at DePaul University’s Awards Banquet in June
She received her award on Saturday, November 2nd at the Academy Luncheon in the Executive
Mansion in Springfield, hosted by Governor Pat Quinn. Congratulations
to Caelin on this prestigious honor!
Honors Program graduates from the Class of 2011: Briana
Briscoe (CMN), Angelika Piwowarczyk (LAS/ART) Saumbera
Wiedenmannott (BUS), Jorie Grizzle (BUS), Claire Beiermeister (LAS),
Megan Ashley (LAS) at the Alumni Weekend Reception at the Palmer
House on Saturday, October 19th.
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Honors Events
5
Home Isn’t Stable: Lessons from Jane Hamilton by Theresa Bailey
When my non-Honors Program friends at DePaul ask, “Why are you
even in the Honors Program?” I usually have an arsenal of answers. “For the
advising staff and super awesome teachers,” I say. And “I get to write for an
award-winning newsletter.” When it’s near registration, I always answer,
“Well, I get to register the first day, so that’s pretty great.” Lately, though, my
answer has been, “I was able to attend a lecture by award-winning author
Jane Hamilton, who had two of her books selected for Oprah’s book club.
Oh, and then I was able to sit down with her and about ten other people, and
we were able to ask this accomplished author questions. No biggie.”
That’s the glorious thing about the Honors Program—it provides
some amazing opportunities, like meeting Ms. Hamilton and hearing her
discuss writing. When she took the stage for her short lecture on October
Jane Hamilton
11, I was struck by how human she was. She apologized for stumbling over a
few of her words, saying, “I just had two Diet Pepsis, which for me is like being drunk.” After I read her
novel, A Map of the World, I definitely didn’t expect this side of Hamilton; the book dealt with the death
of a young girl, accusations of child abuse, the loss of home and the splintering marriage of two main
characters. Hamilton’s lighthearted spontaneity and wit was vividly different from her darkly gorgeous,
emotional prose. She continued her entire discussion continued with the same endearing sense of fun
and humor, with laughter and smiles prevalent amongst the listeners. From the perspective of this
English major, hearing Hamilton discuss her own stories provided an intimate look into the way she saw
the world. And that world was, above all, fun.
The most profound moment for me occurred when Hamilton discussed her thoughts on the
Honors Program theme for 2013-2014: “Searching for Home.” “Home isn’t stable,” Hamilton said,
and she was right. As college students, I think we can all agree with that assessment. Whether it’s
the first time you call your dorm room “home,” or the day you find yourself in your childhood house
wishing you were back at “home” in Chicago, the concept of home constantly shifts. During the small
group discussion, one student asked Hamilton to name her favorite books; Hamilton went into a long
list of novels, and then turned the same question over to us. In that moment, each person who spoke
about their favorite tome talked about their own kind of special home; as the old adage says, “Home is
where the heart is,” and the manner in which everyone shared the books they loved spoke to a sort of
home. Home isn’t stable—Hamilton is most certainly correct, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The
inconsistency of home allows us to grow and change, to experience new things, and to gather new people
into our lives.
My answer as to the reason I’m a member of the DePaul Honors Program has shifted and
changed since I first started. Like my definition of home, the answer isn’t completely stable. As for right
now, though, the answer is this: the DePaul Honors Program is its own sort of home, where students
are nurtured, guided, and told that whatever they might want to do, they can do it. That is the type of
home— and in it, the type of people—that I want in my life.
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Honors Events
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One in 1,400: The Honors Team at the Heart Walk by Taylor Gillen
The warm sun, the vibrant blue lake, and the presence of friends combined to make a
pleasant afternoon walk. But contributing to a cause made the walk even better. On Friday,
September 27, approximately 1,400 teams of walkers descended on Grant Park to embark on
the 2013 Metro Chicago Heart Walk to support the American Heart Association. This day was
the culmination of fundraising efforts that raised more than 2.2 million dollars for the American
Heart Association. According to the organization’s website, this money helped fund “179 current
research projects totaling more than 23 million dollars in the Metro Chicago area,” data which
proves that people truly can make a difference. As DePaul’s Vincentian values are at the core of
the University, it is only natural that DePaul’s students and faculty would contribute a fair share
to this event.
Twenty-three Honors Program students participated in the 2013 Heart Walk as part of
a team. One, freshman Mallory Garrison, had a personal connection with the American Heart
Association: “My dad had a heart attack recently,” Garrison said. “He is okay, but he did have to
go through surgery. It inspired me to walk for other people who are dealing with heart problems.”
Garrison’s father even made a donation to the 2013 Metro Walk, and the two of them have walked
for causes in the past. Kat Ellinger, also a freshman, has had an even more personal experience.
“I had a heart problem junior year of high school,” Ellinger stated. “I believe it is important to
support organizations that help prevent and treat medical conditions.” Freshman Ben Wright
had a different story: “I have always enjoyed walking, and I thought it would be great to do it for a
cause.” Like Wright, this was my first Heart Walk.
Not all participants from the Honors Program were freshmen. Jill Theile, a sophomore,
also completed the three-mile walk. Theile became involved with the Honors Program service
committee her first year at DePaul, and is currently the co-chair. This is her first year in a
leadership position in the Honors Program, and she is excited for the opportunity. “I like having
responsibilities because I feel like I have a direct impact on the success of the committee,” Theile
related. Part of her responsibilities as co-chair is to spread the word about events, and to get
Honors Students involved with various volunteer opportunities like this.
DePaul’s teams made a substantial contribution to the fundraiser. The Honors Program
raised 625 dollars, surpassing its goal of $500. However, Honors students were not the only
ones that walked. There were eighteen teams from the University that participated in the
walk, including Information Services, Women’s Network, School of Nursing, GSA, Office of
Advancement, and the College of Law Student Organizations. With all these teams combined, 290
students, staff, and faculty participated in the Walk (which trumped the goal of 225). As a whole,
DePaul raised $18,930, well over the initial goal of 15,000 dollars. The 2013 Metro Chicago Heart
Walk was very successful, both for DePaul’s numerous teams and the not-for-profit organization
as a whole.
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Honors Events
Heart Walk Photos
Photos by Jennifer Kosco
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Honors Events
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“All Walks of Life Coming Together for One” by Sydney Sewell
Imagine seeing all walks of life coming together for one walk, for one cause.
Think about people uniting with one thought in their minds: their loved ones and
those who have lost their lives to a horrific disease that has killed nearly over 15,000
American citizens in the past three years. HIV/AIDS has become an epidemic across
the globe; but together, people around the world are working to fight against it and
spread awareness through fundraising, most recently through the local AIDS Run &
Walk. Events like this around the country demonstrate the cause, a great experience,
and a sign of change and hope.
This year the AIDS Run & Walk Chicago was held on September 28 at Soldier
Field. Many individuals from a variety of organizations and universities lined up
to participate and the DePaul Honors
Program had the opportunity to join in as
well.
After seeing the expressions of
runners’ and walkers’ faces after they
finally crossed the finish line, it was clear
that even though they may have been
fatigued, it was a worthwhile journey to
support those who experience the agony
of HIV/AIDS each day of their lives. Olivia
Johnson, a second-year DePaul Honors
student who ran in AIDS Run & Walk
Chicago said, “I was happy to support the
Photo by Briana Briscoe
cause for HIV/AIDS. I was inspired by
the great turnout. I wouldn’t mind doing this every year.” Johnson also felt that the
tranquil scenery of Lake Shore Drive contributed a special sense of motivation to keep
herself and others going in the race.
The AIDS Run & Walk Chicago was an event that signified hope and change
and showed that people should no longer fear being positive or open about who they
really are. At the AIDS Run & Walk Chicago, there was diversity on all realms, from
orientations to physical abilities, as people from all walks of life came together for one
walk, for one cause that will influence the lives of many.
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Honorably Involved
Hoopla on the Quad by Shaza Loutfi
If you are ever in the quad on a nice day, there is a good chance you’ll spot a
few girls hula hooping. It is not the more common hula hooping you may be familiar
with, but a much more developed, complex, and enjoyable form of art. These girls
are DePaul’s new Hoop Troupe. The new club started this year when Honors Program
student Claire McDonal, and her friends Mia Dubinets and Alexis Keilly wanted to
“hoop” at the Ray but were not allowed to book a room without an organization.
Since its beginning, the club has attracted more than 20 members this quarter
alone and shows signs of growing even more rapidly. “It’s pretty exciting,” McDonal
conceded. She said she was first introduced to hooping at a music festival and then
began watching YouTube tutorial videos to pick it up.
Visually similar to some kinds of dances, this form of hooping involves hula
hooping with different body parts, as well as jumping in and out of the hoop, twirling
and essentially “dancing” with the hoop. There is an abundance of examples all over
YouTube that showcase different styles, new tricks, and a host of other individualized
techniques that take hula hooping to a whole other level. Additionally, many hoopers
will decorate their hoops with different colors, ribbons, or even make it glow to create
an elaborate display in the dark.
However, there does seem to be a lack of male interest. “We are trying to recruit
guys too. A lot of guys will use
double hoops and their style is
very different, but very cool,”
McDonal said.
Nevertheless, whether
at DePaul or in the general
public, this new art is gaining
popularity. Fairly easy to learn
and beautiful to perform, most
agree it is here to stay.
If you are interested
in learning more, email
depaulhooptroupe@gmail.com
or find them on Facebook.
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Photo by DePaul Hoop Troupe
Honorably Involved
10
Act Out: Exposure to a Life in Drag by Taylor Gillen
In 2003, DePaul University created the office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender,
Questioning, Queer and Ally (LGBTQA) Student Services to provide educational workshops,
advising and consultation, the Safe Zone Program, and more. One of these services is Act
Out, an activist group that aims to spread awareness and acceptance of people of all sexual
orientations and identities. The current leaders of Act Out are juniors Matthew von Nida and
Jess Rehs. I have had the pleasure of acquainting myself with Act Out during my first quarter
here at DePaul.
Two lesbian women have raised me, so I have been exposed to different identities and
sexual orientations early on. Because of my unique domestic life, I grew up with a relatively
strong understanding of different sexual orientations and identities. Nevertheless, until
recently, I have been fairly ignorant about drag queens. At one Act Out meeting in September,
we had a special guest come to speak to us about this unique lifestyle.
Joe Marnen graduated from DePaul
University in 2012 with a degree in Industrial
Organizational Psychology. During the week,
he has a full-time job, but on the weekends,
he is a drag queen with the stage name “Ivana
Tease.” While at DePaul, he participated in the
University’s “What A Drag” event. From there,
Marnen learned more about the culture of the
drag world, and he was inspired to do more. He
cites the Stonewall Riots as especially influential
to him, along with some friends that began
immersing themselves in the industry at the
time.
Common stereotypes make the public see
drag queens as overly feminine. For many,
including Marnen, the contrary is true: he says
that he is “very masculine in daily life.” On the
flip side, Ivana Tease is “seductive, flirty, and
has dark glamour.” Marnen feels that his alter
ego really emerges when the lashes and lipstick
are on his face. “Ivana can be all the things Joe
can’t be, and that is one reason why drag is
great. It also helps Joe learn how to be a better
Joe Marnen and his favorite shoe. (Photo credit: Taylor Gillen)
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Honorably Involved
11
person, because Ivana doesn’t take s***, and that can help Joe stand up to people. Being a drag
queen can help open up new facets to your personality.”
Being a drag queen is no small endeavor. In fact, very few achieve national popularity.
RuPaul’s Drag Race is the impetus that made the drag industry somewhat mainstream (Lady
Gaga and Cher have also featured drag queens in their music and interviews), but many drag
queens still struggle to arise from the underground culture of America. “There are plenty of local
drag queens that are not well known and work their butts off,” Marnen says. “Drag is not cheap.
I probably have thousands of dollars worth of make-up. So if you go to a drag show and you like
it, tip the drag queens.” Indeed, like other areas of show business, most achieve notoriety by
fortuitous means. Until then, drag queens have to try really hard: “It is about who you know and
motivation and getting yourself out there, actively seeking bookings,” Marnen noted.
For many, drag families are the fulcrum that emerging drag queens need for balance
and support. Although there is a strong sense of community among those that are active drag
queens, Marnen says, “If you are new, you are not respected as an artist yet. You can encounter
lots of hostility.” Therefore, drag families help new artists get acquainted with everything. A
drag mother is someone that bestows knowledge of how to be a drag queen to drag daughters,
the ones that they look after. A drag sister is a peer that one shares a close bond with, and has
approximately the same level of experience.
When asked about Marnen’s future aspirations, he reported: “Everyone would like
notoriety. I would like to do a cooking show and have consistent bookings. I have a full-time job,
so drag probably would never replace that. I will keep doing drag as long as it is fun.” Marnen
especially enjoys the creative side of drag, such as doing photo shoots and web series. I also
asked him about his hopes for the future with regards to the view of the general public on the
drag industry. He told me, “It has become more mainstream and accepted with RuPaul’s Drag
Race, but I would like to see drag go beyond that. I would like it to become something that is not
just something people see on the national level but also locally.”
I myself have a sanguine vision of the future, although it is broader. I wish to see our
culture fully accept the LGBTQA community. I understand that much progress has been made
in recent years, but an immense amount of disparity remains between accepting groups and,
conversely, inimical factions of our diverse population. I realize that time is the best weapon to
conquer discrimination and inequality, and that social change is gradual.
With the rapid advance of technology in our daily lives, people can now be exposed to
new ideas and customs from any nation or domestic subculture. You can keep up-to-date with
Ivana Tease through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Of course, you can also attend a drag
show sanctioned by DePaul this coming May. Matthew von Nida and Jess Rehs are already
planning the event, and hope to incorporate an educational workshop to promote awareness
about the numerous terms that are associated with the LGBTQA community. It is also rumored
that Joe Marnen may host it. Fingers crossed!
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HON
History in our Presence: Author Fern Schumer Chapman Shares History
with Honors Discover Class by Gabriella Calderone
On a cold October afternoon, author Fern Schumer Chapman
warmed the hearts of the Writing at the Grassroots in Chicago HON
110 students with stories of her mother’s journey to overcome the
devastating effects of the Holocaust.
When she was only twelve-years old, Chapman’s mother Edith
Westerfeld was sent to America and away from everything she knew
and loved for a better life away from the effects of the Nazis. But for
Chapman’s mother, post-traumatic stress disorder hindered her ability
to realize her parents were trying to save her life. Chapman grew up
knowing her mother’s past was off-limits and as a result, felt like she
had no identity because her mother was a stranger. Out of the blue,
Fern Schumer-Chapman
Chapman’s mother told her daughter (who was five months pregnant at
the time) that she was ready to go home. In her novel, Motherland: Beyond the Holocaust: A
Mother-Daughter Journey to Reclaim the Past, Chapman tells the story of her and her mother’s
journey back to Germany.
My Discover Chicago class was not only lucky enough to study Motherland, but also
fortunate enough to have
Fern Schumer Chapman
visit our class. Stories spilled
from Chapman’s lips and
fell on eager ears. Professor
Ann Stanford had brought
authors into the class
before, but Chapman’s visit
had a completely different
dynamic. The focus of the
lecture was surprisingly
not Motherland, but the
amazing chain of events that
happened after the book
ended. My peers and I sat on
the edge of our seats as we
listened to Chapman share
the story behind her second
Pictured, Lto R: Alison Ogunmokun, Noah Barth, Professor Ann Stanford, Shannon Massey, Karen
book, Is it Day or Night? 12
Melendez, Fern Schumer-Chapman, Matt Garvin, Ben Wright
HON
13
Chapman had done immense research to fully understand her mother’s story, but was
having difficulty finding out how her mother was able to immigrate to America in the first place.
One day, the author received an email from a reader of Motherland informing her that they
could help her. Chapman’s eyes were opened to the One Thousand Children project, a very small
organization that helped save around 1,200 children from the Holocaust. She quickly realized that
this facet of the story needed to be told, so she started her next project: Is it Day or Night? Upon
informing her mother of her latest creative endeavor, Edith eagerly asked her to include Gerda
Katz in the story. Chapman had no idea what her mother was talking about—and suddenly, the
past started to pour out.
Chapman showed us a video about the incredible story of her second novel, which was
featured on Oprah Winfrey’s Lost and Found. Gerda was Edith’s best friend on the boat to
America, who was also fleeing
the Nazis with the help of One
Thousand Children. Upon
arriving in the U.S., the girls
were separated with no means
to stay in touch. When Chapman
later visited a middle school
class in Naperville that read Is it
Day or Night?, those students
would not accept that the best
friends had remained separated
and after days of research, the
students found Gerda Katz. In
my classroom, there was not
a dry eye as we watched the
reunion of the two lost friends
who found each other after more than 70 years of being separated.
After the video, our class was able to ask Chapman questions. Every single student had
something to ask her, and she was eager to share the incredible story. As corny as it sounds,
Fern Schumer Chapman taught us that nothing is impossible. Gerda and Edith were separated
for so long that it seemed very probable that Gerda wasn’t even alive. Our class also learned
the importance of looking into the past without being lost within it. Chapman knew absolutely
nothing of her mother’s past, whose fear of the past dictated her life. Together, the motherdaughter duo was able to start the healing process together. My Discover Class was lucky enough
to learn from their story and apply what we learned to our understanding of our past and legacy
as DePaul University students.
Photo credit: Jennifer Kosco
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HON
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DePaul Honors Freshmen and Their Chicago Quarter by Anneliese Girson
As the fall quarter nears its end, DePaul’s Honors Program freshmen have a lot to talk about, especially
when it comes to their Chicago Quarter classes.
The Chicago Quarter class for freshmen is a mandatory class that gives new students the opportunity
to learn about their new environment through a variety of different concentrations. Through Chicago Quarter
instruction, students learn how to navigate the various aspects of the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and they
become more acquainted with the neighborhoods in and around the city.
There are two different categories of Chicago Quarter classes: Discover Chicago and Explore Chicago.
Capped at 22 students, Discover Chicago
classes begin a week before regular classes
with an immersion week. During this
week, the students are guided around the
city by their teachers and mentors and
shown various aspects of the city through
the lens of their class topic. Explore
Chicago students start the week of regular
classes and do excursions throughout the
quarter. As part of the Chicago Quarter
class, students also learn about DePaul and
the resources available to them during a
Common Hour each session.
Honors students can choose from
a wide array of Chicago Quarter classes,
ranging in topics from Frank Lloyd Wright,
taught by History of Art & Architecture
professor Cheryl Bachand; to Chicago’s
Urban Agriculture, taught by Public Policy Studies professor Hugh Bartling.
These Honors-level courses are different from the Liberal Arts & Sciences courses in that they offer a more
intensive class with thoughtful discussion regarding the topic. Students are expected to do reflections on each of
the excursions as well as participate in deep discussions with their classmates.
Students in Professor Melissa Markley’s Discover class “The Business of Helping: Not-for-Profits in
Chicago” shared their thoughts about the Chicago Quarter and their class:
When asked whether or not the Chicago Quarter helped to broaden his knowledge of Chicago and its
neighborhoods, Sam Anderson only could respond positively. His Discover class, led by Professor Markley,
ventured into some of Chicago’s most diverse neighborhoods, including Uptown, Humboldt Park, and Jackson
Park. Nick Teetsov, another student of Professor Markley’s class, highly recommend the Chicago Quarter program
and his class to prospective students who are choosing between DePaul and another school. Samantha Miker,
Honors student, believes that,“[The Chicago Quarter] is one of the things that makes DePaul unique compared to
other schools.”
Ask any DePaul student what they miss about freshman year and many will cite their Discover or Explore
Chicago class. These classes helped students form impressions of Chicago and view their new city in a positive
light. By working cohesively with their peers and navigating their way through Chicago, DePaul freshmen get a
glimpse of their new home and a snippet of what their next four years will be like.
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HON
HON110 Pictures
Photos by Jennifer Kosco
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Profile
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Profile: Dr. Ann Stanford by Megan Pietz
If you were to try to track down Dr. Ann Stanford at any given moment, you probably
wouldn’t find her somewhere typical like her office or class. In fact, it would be more plausible she
was at a poetry slam or even the Cook County Jail.
Dr. Stanford took quite the path to get to these places. Growing up Winter Park,
Florida, she attended Florida State University and Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia for
her undergraduate degree. After
receiving her PhD and MA in
1990 from the University of North
Carolina Chapel Hill, Stanford began
her work at DePaul. Even more
impressive, Dr. Stanford received
her MFA from the Warren Wilson
Low Residency program, one that
has produced writers that have been
featured in the New Yorker and The
New York Times Book Review.
Specifically, the School of
New Learning (SNL) has been
Dr. Stanford’s DePaul home for
23 years. “I’ve been doing a lot of
academic administration work:
designing curricula, running
programs, and was an associate dean
Ann Stanford relaxes on the Quad with students.
twice,” says Stanford.
Recently, she decided to transition back to full-time teaching and is very excited. “I teach
adults at SNL and have found that the same principles I use in the adult classroom transfer
well to the young adult classroom. Students—older or younger—bring their lives and histories
to learning, and that experience should be acknowledged, mined, and integrated into that
magnificent enterprise of creating knowledge that goes on in a learning community.”
Luckily, Dr. Rose Spalding approached Dr. Stanford to create a Discover Chicago course
for the Honors Program. “I said yes because I’ve enjoyed teaching honors students so much in the
past.”
Dr. Stanford teaches “Writing at the Grassroots in Chicago: Exploring the Voices and
Visions of Ordinary Chicagoans.” While engaging her class in creative and reflective writing, they
have been able to attend poetry slams, a Young Chicago Authors event, and experience Chicago
16
Profile
17
through a writer’s lens.
She elaborates: “The Discover Chicago is top notch because the professor has a chance to
engage the students outside the classroom and to nurture a learning community that happens
a little more quickly and intensely than when learning is restricted mostly to a classroom. I
love seeing the looks on students’ faces as they observed and participated in completely new
experiences in neighborhoods that were also new and sometimes freighted with negative
stereotypes. It’s great fun to watch intellectual and emotional awakenings.”
When asked what differences there are between teaching adult and younger students, Dr.
Stanford says that amount of experience makes a slight difference. But, she notes, “Every student
has experiences that can be brought to bear on learning. I have to say that I love the energy
younger students have!”
Though Dr. Stanford spends a lot of time in the classroom, she also is involved in various
other aspects of DePaul. She just stepped down as president of the DePaul chapter of Phi Kappa
Phi, a prestigious academic honors society. As well, she was very active in the DePaul-El Salvador
Project in the 1990s.
Dr. Stanford even connected her DePaul work to the outside world when she founded
the DePaul Women, Writing & Incarceration program after facilitating a poetry discussion for
Division 4, the women’s division at the Cook Country Department of Corrections, for ten years.
Though the program is currently on hiatus, in the past, students would discuss issues surrounding
incarceration, especially in regards to women, and then learn how to facilitate writing groups.
They would go in teams to various jails, prisons, and post-incarceration facilities throughout the
state to work. She details, “Each group created anthologies of the women’s writing and presented
one to each writer at the end of the six-week writing session.”
Even with all of this great work, Dr. Stanford and her partner still find time to travel,
garden, and spend time with her grandchildren. A voracious reader, Stanford is usually reading
two to three books at the same time. Dr. Stanford is currently working on a novel as well. “The
main character, a young woman who is from a clergy family and struggling with her emerging
lesbianism in the 60s, just sort of arrived to me one evening many years ago. I couldn’t get her
voice out of my head, even though I was working on poems, so I just let her talk, and more and
more emerged as I wrote.”
Though it seems as if Dr. Stanford has dedicated herself to work she is incredibly
passionate about, she still finds time to push herself even farther within her writing career. “It’s
taken a long time because, even though her voice is still there, I’m left to work out the craft.
This issues a challenge since my training and past creative work has all been in poetry. And just
because good writing is a challenge, period.”
Dr. Stanford is a valuable addition to the faculty that has graciously spent their time and
efforts working with the DePaul Honors Program. A truly fascinating person, she’s one to look out
for at DePaul—if you can find her.
17
City Life
18
Smart Choices and Lucky Opportunities: Finding the
Perfect, Affordable Apartment by Alex Devine
When I mention that I live in downtown Chicago, there are two questions that I get
asked almost every time about its availability and affordability. How on Earth would a
downtown apartment unit be on the market in the first place? And how is it possible for
someone in college to afford such an apartment? These two elements—availability and
affordability—came perfectly together for me through a lucky opportunity and a smart
choice.
My apartment is part of the Parkshore building that is one of the many high-rises
in the New East Side neighborhood. These modern (only 15-30 years old) buildings were
valuable but unfortunately intertwined with the housing bubble of 2007. Cue my smart
choice and lucky opportunity.
As the bubble was gaining steam, many of the units in these buildings were bought as
a form of equity by people who had no intent of living in them. They were originally bought
for their apparent market value, which declined rapidly with the bubble burst. Later, either
the units in the entire building were sold for a loss or disregarded altogether. So my unit that
rented for $3500/month pre-bubble dropped over $1200/month in value after the bubble.
Then, by splitting that lowered rate between four people (read: my smart choice), my unit
became affordable for a college student like myself.
All that is fine and dandy, but if not for being extremely lucky, I would not be living
where I am. While I was apartment searching last spring, I noticed a post on the DePaul
2014 Facebook page asking for a roommate for a downtown apartment. The actual unit was
bought by a family friend of the poster as he was finishing high school, and is a two bedroom
unit split between four people. The family friend bought the lease to the unit after it had
been abandoned for two years, and thus the cost of the lease was below market value like
I described earlier. So not only was I lucky in finding a listing for a downtown apartment
through Facebook, but I was also lucky in that this listing was for a perfectly fine unit that
was bought far below market value.
So while I was extremely fortunate, there are a few takeaways from my situation
beyond luck. The first: never judge a book by its cover, because I certainly would never expect
a unit downtown to have rent comparable to an apartment in Lincoln Park. The second:
be open-minded as far as your decision-making process is concerned. Four people in a two
bedroom apartment was not at all what I was looking for, but I know that I would be missing
out on a great situation if I had not considered the Parkshore as a place to live.
18
Flamingo, constructed by Alexander Calder which is found in the Federal Plaza in the Loop at approximately 50 West Adams St.
19
Guess Where This Is? by Gianna Sutley
City Life
19
Reflection
20
The Privilege of Learning by Anna Nettie Hanson
I am spoiled by my education. So spoiled by this education, in fact, that it’s hard for me to
even comprehend just how spoiled I am. If you are reading this, then I bet that you are, too. Sure,
“fortunate” would be a kinder term than “spoiled,” but I like the connotations of spoiled for its
negative twinge. I say that I am spoiled by my education not because I have a bad attitude or because
I am not grateful, but because I forget just how fortunate I am. In this forgetfulness exists the negative
twinge.
Anyone who can read this is fortunate. I forget this.
This topic came to mind recently as I was writing one of my million to-do lists for an evening’s
homework session. I had three midterms in the week, so I allowed normal Anna to transform into a
ghostly entanglement of papers and fear. That was the week that the jeans were traded for sweatpants,
the morning orange juice was exchanged for extra strength coffee, and makeup and showering
became thoughts of the past. This was the week in which I forgot how to converse with others without
complaining about my midterms.
I was not alone in this. Proclamations ranging from “I hate school” to “It’s a joke that they
expect us to learn so much,” from “(Expletive) this. No way I can learn this” to “Kill me” bounce
around in the nervous buzz of student energy. I’m not saying that these exclamations are wrong or
that people should stop saying such things, but I discovered a solution to the immediate complaint:
gratefulness.
Before your eyes roll into your very full brains, allow me to plead my case. This simple
idea separates you from the stress coursing through your veins during midterms and finals. This
separation allowed me to breathe. We get to go to school. We get to go to DePaul.
I dare you to take my new philosophy a step further in suggesting a change in vocabulary. “I
have to study,” the anthem of those familiar busy days, should be reevaluated. Studying is a choice:
nobody is being forced to do it. Using the terminology of “have to” creates a sense of lack of control,
enabling the stress of studying to determine your actions and emotions. Am I exaggerating? Of
course— but try replacing the “have to” sentiment we so often associate with learning with that of
acknowledging a choice being made.
I choose to study and take midterms and finals, just as we all do. We are in college, learning
and preparing for the rest of our lives, and it is time that we get to take credit for our choices and
appreciate the fact that we have the opportunity to make them. Many people on this planet do not.
I am grateful to be able to sit down for my midterm exam, hands quivering while my lungs
forget how to breathe. I am privileged to even sit in this classroom, surrounded by brilliant people, at
this incredible school. I am privileged to learn, and so are you.
We have been given to opportunity to choose to learn. It’s time to recognize it.
20
Reflection
21
Don’t Be Young and Carefree by Lisa Plachy
Many college-aged “young adults” often find themselves in a wondrous period of their lives in which
consequences seem unreal and far-fetched. Money doesn’t run out, and if it does, parents step in. Majors are
undeclared or changed. Jobs are temporary. It’s easy to remain delusional that this is adult life.
Who you become in this period greatly affects the rest of your life—consequences, if you will. College life
is impermanent and thus a reasonable place to experiment. And what a privilege it is to be able to experiment
with our young, elastic selves when we always bounce back. Our bodies recover after weekend wreckage. Our
affections find another host. Our minds pull through tests despite exhaustion.
Adulthood stems from this experimentation. It hides in the weekdays, in the early mornings, in
the headaches, heartaches, shame and pride. It lurks underneath indecision and temporality. It is your
responsibility, as a young adult (who will soon lose the “young”) to discover yourself in this process and learn to
cope with how others accept this self.
Adulthood is sneaky. At times, it’s a very tangible, very large bill at the end of the month or the end
of the night. Other times, it might be a foreboding emptiness ahead of a long period of indecision, like that
moment when graduation looms and you have absolutely no idea what the hell you’re going to do. But you will
get through adulthood and even enjoy it, when you know yourself.
We are young and unattached. We are lucky if we have a home base of family and friends but we are
typically only responsible for ourselves. Own that and take this time to figure out who that self is. But be wary—
just as you are responsible for your own self-identity, you are responsible for navigating it in a world that may
reject it, herald it, or make it really damn difficult.
Be yourself. Make the decisions you want to make. But think about where those decisions stem from.
If you decide you’ll figure out your career later, know that graduation might be stressful and that any job you
apply to will ask why you want to work there. Stay out too late. Stay in tonight. Weigh your options. Decide the
consequences and deal with the repercussions of each one. Option A, it might be a rough morning. Option B,
you might miss out on something incredible. But decide with a vengeance.
When you decide who you are and accept it, life becomes as easy as it will be. That is to say, life isn’t
easy and oftentimes isn’t. But having a sense of what you want from it certainly makes it less daunting. It will
allow you to order a drink with confidence, get what you need from your therapist, and/or carve out a place in
the universe where you’re comfortable enough to live for as long as you can.
Don’t use youth as an excuse to be carefree. Care very much. Care for your friends, your family, your
significant other, your career, your body, your education. But care in the way that resonates most with you. If it
is not worth your energy to get a degree, care enough to face every person that will disagree with you and care
to make something of yourself without it. If you don’t care about how much you drink, care very much for the
friends that take care of you and get you home safely. If you don’t care about your appearance, care very much
about the persona you exude.
Society will always have rules. And if you don’t care about rules, care very much about avoiding the
enforcers or about establishing your own society on an island where no one can enforce them. These rules
might be outdated, unnecessary, unfair, uncivil, immoral or perhaps quite necessary, and unspoken in every
field. But when you know yourself to the core, you’ll know which ones are worth fighting for and against and
why you should or should not follow them.
Adulthood isn’t about age. It’s about consequences—and living as and loving the self you decide to be.
21
Creative License
22
Monumental, Pillow
with Alex Jewell
One Night Before Fall
The sidewalk smells like soy sauce,
As if Clark Street had been entirely tasteless
And we were unable to swallow
The empty exchanges of condiments and appetizers.
So it’s the weekend in retreat
From the stench of a sour week,
Sipping from bottles of tension
In front of the Wiener Circle;
Sodium, grainy,
Drying out gums and throat;
I recall advice from a man
I have never known:
Be weary, it isn’t for long you’ll glow
Under Saturday night street lamps,
Or scoff at girls from fantasy Maybeline lands
Never traversed by tired sneakers
In dorm closets
Not fit for academic servants
Or the served alike.
We glow like lightning bugs,
Speak like gravel into valedictorian mics,
And litter newsletter covers like paper celebrities,
Submersing ourselves in pools of dipping sauces
Paired by renowned chefs;
Sung to by choirs of trembling angels.
I recall advice, pages of it,
Handwritten lest it be overlooked;
Sidewalk graffiti carries me home.
22
A cliff carries atmosphere from lungs, unworthy,
to groundless ears beneath. An entire world, flat,
can only carry so much breath. Pigeons strut in
circles around the columns of civilizations past,
holding swaying ceilings above nodding heads. We
are born with lungs to feed hungry vocal chords,
hearts to supply blood to reverberating brain
cells. In moments of synapse, we electrocute the
mediocre, expunge the mundane, ignite thought
unrivaled. Mountains of cement and rebar, vacant
of flags or conquerers' bootprints, stand solidly
in loving memory of humanity. We are our own
Everest; we are our own stifling force, scared of
flame or ash. "Burn it down," the homeless mumble
under tattered comforters; "Burn it down!" The
mourners instruct the willing; "Burn it down,
burn it down, burn it down," the artists repeat in
chorus, desperate to start anew. We were born with
a flame to quench, an internal pilot light only our
own blowing can darken. Stack the kindling, keep
watch, and let your legs dangle over the edge, let
your shoe laces hang a little.
The Darndest Things
23
While we don’t advise listening to other peoples’ private conversations, sometimes you
can’t help but overhear the very strange things they say around campus.
23
Layout by Heather Dove
“It seems to me that your leadership
improves every day and is producing
additional results.”
St. Vincent DePaul
HM
Chiberia.
It was a Chicago winter to break the
records, freeze us to the bone, and cover us
in memorable feet of snow. Things were so
extreme, in fact, that DePaul dared to have a
snow day!
The weather did not stop the Honors
Program from having a blast: we still
conquered the ice rinks, enjoyed a meal with
some of our favorite professors, and took
advantage of guest lectures and an alumni
panel. Lace up your skates and take a peek
inside!
Honorable
Mentions
winter.2014
A collaboration by DePaul University’s Honors Program
Table of Contents
Campus Resources.................................................................................. 3
Honorable Announcements..................................................................... 4
Honors Events.......................................................................................... 5
Professor Allison McCracken Speaks At Honors Student Government Meeting (Taylor Gillen)...... 5
Pictures from the Honors on Ice event and the Student Faculty Dinner..................................................... 6
DePaul Documentary Project Internship (Summer Concepcion)............................................................ 10
It’s All About the Smiles (Emily Creek).................................................................................................... 11
Social........................................................................................................ 7
Profile: Matthew Girson (Taylor Gillen)....................................................... 8
Honorably Involved.................................................................................. 9
Lincoln Laureate Award (Caelin Niehoff)................................................................................................ 9
A Glimpse Into our Futures? (Michelle Grochocinski).............................. 13
Darndest Things...................................................................................... 14
Creative License (Alex Jewell)................................................................. 22
Thanks to everyone who contributed!
Co-Editors: Alex Jewell and Emma Potter
Advisor: Jennifer Kosco
hsgnewsletter@gmail.com
Cover photo provided by Lukasz Budolak.
3
Campus Resources
Visit the Career Center
You may think the Career Center is only a place to go to find an internship. Sure, they do that, but
they also offer so much more! The Career Center can help you decide on a major, a career choice, help
you polish your résumé, conduct mock interviews to hone your skills, and much more. The Career Center
offers workshops ranging from job search strategies to interviewing skills to graduate school information
sessions. To find out more about what the Career Center can do for you, visit their website: www.
careercenter.depaul.edu. You can also visit one of their offices at these convenient campus locations: in the
Loop, they are located in Suite 9500 of the DePaul Center (1 East Jackson); on the Lincoln Park campus,
they are in Room 192 of the Schmitt Academic Center (SAC) at 2320 N. Kenmore.
Have a Big Paper Due Soon? The Writing Center Can Help You
Make it the Best it Can Be!
The Writing Center provides help free of charge to all members of the DePaul University
community—including students, faculty, and staff. The Writing Center tutors offer assistance in
developing successful writing strategies, and their goal is to help visitors become more comfortable with
writing tasks and more aware of composing processes that will allow them to complete these tasks well.
They work with writers on many kinds of projects from research papers and lab reports to Master’s
theses and personal projects. They offer techniques to help writers focus and develop ideas, evaluate and
summarize sources, and edit and revise their drafts.
Visit the Writing Center’s website to find out locations, hours, services, and much more!
http://condor.depaul.edu/writing/
Learning Commons
Services are in full swing in
the Learning Commons this winter
quarter. Located in room 111 on the
first floor of the John T. Richardson
Library, the Learning Commons is
a modern, collaborative learning
studio, which provides a variety of
peer tutoring services and career
consulting.
Schedule of services:
Academic Success Center Tutoring College of Education:
Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday
1:30-5:30
Tuesday 2:00 -7:00
3
CDM Python Tutoring:
Tuesday 3:00-4:00 and 6:00-7:00
Wednesday 4:30-7:30
Resume Drive Thru - Career Center:
Wednesday 11:00-2:30 and 4:00-5:30
Writing Center Outpost:
Sunday 3:00-7:00
Tuesday and Wednesday 3:00-5:00
Study Jam – Office of Multicultural
Student Success:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 5:007:00
Science and Math Learning Center
Chemistry: Wednesday 3:00-4:30;
Thursday 4:30-6:30
Math: Tuesday 3:00-6:00; Thursday
and Sunday 3:00-7:00
Psychology (Stats): Tuesday and
Thursday 3:00-5:00
Honorable Announcements
4
Save the Date!
The 2014 Honors Ball: A Fairy Tale Cotillion is just around
the corner. This year’s Ball will take place once again in beautiful
Cortelyou Commons; beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 26th. Join us in for a wonderful evening of delicious food, delectable snacks,
entertaining music and dance, and an enchantingly good time! There
will also be a costume contest this year, and the most handsome man
and woman will each win a special prize. Watch your email for more
details. We hope to see you there!
Join the Honors Relay for Life Team!
Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s biggest fundraiser.
Funds go towards cancer research as well as cancer patient support. It
is an all-night, 12 hour event in which participants form teams to walk
or relay around the track at all hours of the night. There will be food,
games, music, and other entertainment to make it a fun and exciting event! This year’s theme is “camping,”
so gather together your flashlights and sleeping bags to help fight back against cancer! The date is FridaySaturday, April 11-12, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. at the Ray Meyer Fitness Center. To join the Honors team, or for any
questions, contact hsgservicecommittee@gmail.com.
4
Honors Events
5
Professor Allison McCracken Speaks At Honors Student Government
Meeting by Taylor Gillen
The Honors Student Government officers occasionally invite
professors to speak at their biweekly meetings. These lectures provide
honors students with a taste of various fields of study they may not
be acquainted with. Friday, January 24th’s meeting featured Allison
McCracken, Associate Professor and Director of the American Studies
program.
“I’ve always wanted to study mass media,” McCracken noted. “How
people decipher text and gain meaning from it is a major interest of mine.” McCracken studied as an undergrad on the East Coast. She later obtained
her PhD in American Studies at the University of Iowa. She taught at the
University of California--Berkeley for a year, but later decided to come to
DePaul University.
Professor McCracken discussed fandom at the meeting. In particular, she talked about the
increasingly prevalent role that fans have on the production of mass media. Not too long ago, writers,
producers, and directors exercised immense creative freedom. In recent years, however, they have
become more responsive to the requests of the public. This is new, and technology is largely responsible
for the rapid dissemination of information that makes this possible.
Professor McCracken cites Glee as an example of the expanding role of fans. “People create
websites to discuss recent episodes and predict future events,” she claims. “They even write fan fiction,
in which they re-create scenes or expand on relationships between two or more characters in the show.” The show’s crew can easily access this information by going online. In fact, when they introduced a gay
couple (Kurt and Blaine, or “Klaine” as many fans refer to them), Glee followers responded positively. They even influenced the creators to introduce another relationship, this time between two young
women.
This example is one of many that Professor McCracken used. She also spoke with honors
students about the sociological side of pop culture, such as the fact that television continues to promote
certain cultural norms and devalue others. Her lecture
gave honors students a delectable taste of what the
field of American Studies has to offer. In doing so, she
also promoted the mission of the Honors Program:
to encourage students to explore new paths, to gain
expertise in a variety of areas, and have an unquenchable
thirst for knowledge.
Honors student Michelle Grochocinksi listens to Professor McCracken
make a point.
5
Honors Events
6
Highlights from the Honors On Ice event (above) and the
Student Faculty Dinner (below).
Millennium Park was the setting for Honors on Ice on Friday, Feb 21st. Students braved the cold to test out
their skills at Chicago’s premiere outdoor ice rink. The winter quarter Student Faculty dinner was at Duck Walk
restaurant on Wednesday, Feb 12th. Faculty and students enjoyed conversation and delicious Thai food.
Photo credits: Lukasz Budolak and Alex Jewell
6
Social
7
Facebook: The Social (Support) Network by Anna Hanson
First, we lost our grocery store. Then, we went on to lose the ole reliable UPASS system to
Ventra, rendering us with a whole host of new problems. If that weren’t enough, we lost all feeling
in our extremities due to the frigid temperatures. With this series of unfortunate events, one can
conclude that this Winter Quarter is out to get us. So, as college students in the technological age,
we do what we do best: pour out our frustrations on Facebook. In light of the multiple dilemmas
facing students, however, there has been a shift in how we as students are utilizing the social
network that devours the innocent, spare moments in our busy lives.
We complain, oh yes, we complain. But now, we also support.
It is as if there is so much to complain about that students are reverting to the ancient ways
of behaving kindly on the Internet. The problems with Ventra have inspired many choice words
throughout the social media realm, but read the comments and you will see words of validation,
advice, and, of course, a humorous meme or two to lighten the mood. Cursing Dominick’s for
betraying the hungry students of DePaul? Expect comments with suggestions such as using
Peapod, the popular online food delivery service. Post a picture of yourself in -15 degrees? You
can bet the comments
will tell you to stay safe
and bundle up, not to
mention prayers for a
snow day.
This pattern
appears throughout
the posts concerning
the Winter Quarter
difficulties plaguing
students. Students
always use social media
to express frustrations, turning your average newsfeed into a treacherous graveyard of whiny
posts. With this increase in positivity and supportive comments, Facebook may be the newest
“social support destination”.
So, the next time you need to vent, reach out to the newest support group for everyday
concerns. Everyone likes to be heard, and if the weather isn’t cooperating with your pleas for
warmth, join the online choir debuting on Facebook: the social support network.
7
Profile: Matthew Girson
8
Don’t Be Mediocre! by Taylor Gillen
“Students should study mediocrity so they do not embody it,” remarked Associate Professor Matthew
Girson insightfully, an Honors professor here at DePaul whom I had the privilege of speaking with. Indeed, we
study history so we do not repeat it. We study law so that we do not wrong. As honors students, perhaps we
would benefit from studying mediocrity so that we may learn to break the walls of normality and definitively
contribute something new.
From childhood, Girson had a passion for art. He studied at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia
during his undergraduate years, and moved on to the University of Illinois at Chicago for graduate school. He
taught at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for five years before coming to DePaul to teach in the Art,
Media, and Design department.
Professor Girson teaches a number of courses in this program, including painting and drawing studios
and seminars on contemporary art. One class he finds particularly interesting is a seminar on irony. In
addition, his honors courses are HON 205 (the interdisciplinary art requirement) and HON 350 (the capstone
requirement). With regards to teaching the honors classes, Girson said, “I enjoy them because the students
that sincerely care about the classes are the most honest and dedicated students I have met at DePaul. I
also find a great diversity of students here.” However, his favorite class is one he no longer teaches. Called
“Rethinking Aesthetics: Mediocrity, Boredom,
and Failure,” Girson stated that “I taught the class
because no one else was qualified, and I stopped
because I was not good enough.”
When asked about influences, Girson stated, “I
am influenced by poets as much as visual artists. Though I do not write poetry myself, it does
occasionally leak into the titles of my work.” As for
artists that influence his visual work, he cited Joseph
and Anni Albers. These two made a major impact
on textiles and other mediums of two-dimensional
design in the twentieth century. As for poets, Girson
listed Paul Celan and Wislawa Szymborska as
influencers.
Many LAS professors conduct substantial research
outside of the classroom. For Girson, his studio
practice is his research. “I am always working on
something. The perspective I bring as an artist is
the value that I bring to the university,” Girson stated. In addition to teaching and painting, he has also had
curatorial experience in various Chicago museums. He has also had numerous solo and group exhibitions. In
fact, he is currently working on several pieces that will be featured at the Chicago Cultural Center this summer.
As I was leaving his office, Professor Girson bid me farewell by stating, “Have a nice day, and don’t be
mediocre.” I believe DePaul’s student body and faculty alike strive to go above and beyond with their work. Though it may prove difficult, Matthew Girson tells us to not allow ourselves to fall into the cracks. Instead,
we should continue to explore new paths and engage in meaningful discussions. If you are looking for a
fascinating class, I recommend one of Professor Girson’s.
8
Honorably Involved
9
Lincoln Laureate Award by Caelin Niehoff
This past October, I was named as a 2013-2014 Lincoln Laureate Award recipient. The award
recognizes one graduating senior from each of Illinois’ universities and colleges for their various
academic, co-curricular, and community service involvements. Within a few weeks of receiving the
award from DePaul, the Lincoln Academy asked me to speak on behalf of all of the student laureates
at the capitol in Springfield.
Looking back and reflecting on the awards ceremony, I think it’s easy to become fixated on its
formalities. I chose, however, to acknowledge the less evident privileges that the experience offered.
When I spoke to the assembly, I spoke of the uncertainty that college seniors face—their futures
saturated with ambiguity. For as frightening as that uncertainty can be, it was reassuring to be in a
room full of high achieving young adults who were all in the same boat. Speaking with other student
laureates helped me understand our shared aspirations as well as concerns.
The weekend in the capitol was also humorous. This “road trip” with my parents was long
overdue. We managed to get lost, despite the city’s smaller size (at least in comparison to Chicago),
and we circled the governor’s mansion several times before we figured out how to get to the house
from the front gate.
DePaul staff and faculty have supported my academic and co-curricular interests from day
one (award or no award), and I think that’s very telling of the university. I appreciate DePaul’s
commitment to both service and civic involvement. Its employees have played a pivotal role in my
education and self-development. I hope honors students will continue to speak publically about
their involvements in and outside the classroom, while remembering the importance of human
relationships that exist within those systems.
L to R: Lincoln Academy and DePaul Trustees
John Simon, William Bennett, Caelin, Cynthia
Summers, Interim Vice President for Student
Affairs, Ernest Wish, DePaul Advisory Council.
Honorably Involved
10
DePaul Documentary Project Internship by Summer Concepcion
Being in the presence of well-respected Chicago
journalist Carol Marin never ceases to amaze me. Interning
for her through the DePaul Documentary Project (DDP) is an
aspiring journalist’s dream come true, to say the least. I’ve
never met anyone so fiercely passionate about holding onto
journalistic integrity to the point where it’s infectious, where
I feel inspired every day to keep pursuing journalism. In
short: journalism is alive and well, and Carol is living proof of
that.
Carol is the political editor at NBC 5 Chicago,
a political columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times, and a
contributor to WTTW’s Chicago Tonight. Not only do I
work closely with Carol, but I also work with producer Don
Moseley (or rather, Carol’s “partner in crime”) on conducting
research for NBC 5 News’ investigative unit stories and
accompanying them on assignments. I’ve also had the
opportunity to attend press conferences and court hearings
for the recent David Koschman case.
The broadcast and investigative journalism world
was unchartered territory for me prior to my interning at
DDP in the fall. I’ve wanted to be a journalist since I was
13 and have had a lot of experience on school newspaper
publications (including The DePaulia, where I currently serve
as online editor) and experienced being an editorial intern and current freelance writer for the Chicago Reader. Two quarters later and
thanks to DDP, I can now say that I have a better sense of what working for broadcast and investigative journalism entails.
Broadcast journalism is a lot more fast-paced compared to print journalism. But whether you’re in print or broadcast,
journalism is hard work ‒ a fact that Carol and Don remind me of each day at DDP. There have been times when journalism seems like
one of the most unglamorous professions out there. Tasks such as going to the Daley Center to pull up public documents almost every
week during fall quarter were intimidating at first and not always easy. Spending countless hours compiling data from databases such as
the Illinois State Board of Elections is not always the most exciting task, either, since I’m not a math aficionado. Nonetheless, through
these “unglamorous” experiences, I’ve realized how much I love journalism. The beauty of journalism is that it’s a constant learning
experience, and my experiences at DDP have allowed me to learn to stand my ground and face each obstacle head-on.
There are two pieces of advice I’ve received through DDP that I take to heart:
1. When I was telling Carol about my fear of not attaining a journalism career post-college, she told me, “Never let fear
paralyze you.” This gives me more motivation to keep going. Despite the notion that the journalism job market is a difficult one to
break into, Carol reminds me that nothing comes easy. Perseverance is key in pursuing passions in life.
2. Don told me that the greatest advice he heard in college is to “be resourceful” and adds that it’s also important to “be bold.”
Acting like you’re confident in what you’re doing allows others to not walk all over you. Being resourceful means not giving up when
things don’t go your way and realizing that problem solving involves creativity.
As I write this, my weeks left at DDP are dwindling. I’m sad thinking about how the internship will end soon, but I have more
confidence in taking the next steps. The hands-on journalism experience I received by interning at DDP has taught me a lot more than
any of my journalism classes could. I have had the privilege of learning the ins and outs of the news industry from two of the most
respected figures in the field. If journalism does eventually work out as a career for me, I can honestly say that I will always attribute my
success to the time I spent under Carol and Don’s guidance at DDP.
Through my time at DDP, I am also inspired to someday be a journalist who pays it forward by mentoring young aspiring
journalists. Although Carol and Don are two of the busiest people, they are two of the most generous people I’ve ever met and I’m
forever grateful that they treat their interns as their teammates. There hasn’t been a moment when I’ve felt underappreciated, and I
bet that every DDP intern feels the same way.
Thank you DDP for reminding me that the spirit of journalism is far from fading away anytime soon.
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Honorably Involved
11
It’s All About the Smiles by Emily Creek
When I decided to write an article about the 2013 Global Water Brigade, I planned to write
an article about what happens, how to get involved, and how to do your part here. But coming
home from Honduras, for the second time in two years, this article changed its own course. This is
not a “what is a brigade” guide, rather this is the story of smiles.
I have been to Honduras twice since starting here at DePaul. In 2012, I went on my first
Water Brigade trip as a volunteer, and this past December I was the co-leader of the 2013 group. I had a bit of doubt in my soul that this brigade might not be as perfect as the first, where I met
some of my closest friends and began to understand what path my life was taking. But of course,
things have a way of working out, and this brigade was incredibly different.
This past December, I co-led a group of 18 DePaul students. We stayed at Hotel Club
Morzan in San Lorenzo, a town in the south of Honduras. Our task was to break ground on a
water system in the nearby small community of El Ojochal. We realized we had our work cut out
for us as we began to work on the thick clay and huge boulders, with temperatures in the 90’s. At the end of the first day, our trench diggers were left with low spirits and a lack of motivation. It was time to mix up the game plan! My co-leader and I talked to the head of the staff about working closer with the community
members, who were both far more skilled than we were and who we really wanted to get to know.
So the next day, we were paired up with workers from the community. The workers were men,
typically young fathers and some teenage boys. They spoke zero English and most of us spoke very
little Spanish. Enter smile number one.
With nothing but a shovel (or pick axe) and our smiles, we got to work. With our smiles, we
knew when to do our part and when they were doing theirs. We answered the questions we could
and smiled and shook our heads when we couldn’t. They laughed at our replies, or when we made
fools out of ourselves and suddenly it was time to go. At the of the second day, we looked back to
see over twice the amount accomplished as the first day, and new friends waving us goodbye.
The third day of work was pipe-laying day. On this day, our staff decided we should work
hand in hand with the kids from the community. We each got paired up and sent off to work. The
kids were mostly boys, though some girls came as well. They were ages 6-10 and worked harder
and faster than us college kids. Now, it is a bit easier to speak Spanish to children, as they laugh
and don’t judge your grammar. Still, for many on our team, the task of communication proved
difficult and daunting. Enter smile number two. Even if we didn’t understand the question, the
kids’ smiles let us know if they wanted to try on our gloves or sunglasses, if they would like some
Gatorade, or if it was time to move on.
A smile seems simple enough. But when there is a lack of language, the smile becomes the
language. It helps you decode all sorts of things and communicate. My favorite smiles are the out-
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Honorably Involved
12
loud smiles, those smiles that turn into gut-hurting laughter. There were all sorts of smiles in El
Ojochal. The hardest were the smiles that came with the waves goodbye, the smiles with the wet
eyes. Happy because we came and became their friends, sad because we were going.
Yes, the DePaul Water Brigade went to install a water system and thus, change the lives
of El Ojochal, and that we did. But El Ojochal changed us as well. The most miraculous part of
the brigade was the community. It was the smiles. It was the openness. We DePaulians learned
how to soak up the company of those around us, how to appreciate the simple things, and how to
smile more freely. El Ojochal was thankful, very true. But, most of all, just like us, the people of El
Ojochal wanted to make friends. And with the power of 22 (or so) muscles, futures changed.
When people ask why I spend time in Honduras working in heat and dirt, I know that the
answer is for the children…because they smile, and I never want them to stop.
To find out how to experience smiles for yourself, contact: depaulgwb@globalbrigades.org.
12
Photo credit: Emily Creek
Alumni Panel
13
A Glimpse Into our Futures? by Michelle Grochocinski
It sometimes feels like DePaul is beating socially responsible leadership theory over our heads.
Yet at the Honors Alumni Networking event put on by the Honors Student Government, we met
DePaul alumni who became just that—socially responsible leaders. And it was inspirational.
Of the four graduates, three held careers in social work and employment allocation services:
working to establish concrete jobs and homes for others. The fourth graduate trained as an engineer,
spending his workday developing sustainable energy practices for a large corporation. They all found
their way to meaningful careers—but the path there, they emphasized, was twisting and unclear. In
fact, each changed majors at least once. The alumni stressed searching for the occupation that fits you
and your values. Moreover, only one worked directly in the field correlated to her major- providing
reassurance that you are not stuck within the constraints of your degree. According to her, a large
percentage of current employees are not in the field of their major. They advised that students should
focus on career networking and skill development as well as picking a major that interests you.
Last quarter, the first of my second year at DePaul, I learned that I could graduate four
quarters early. This induced rapid-fire scheduling of advising appointments, workshop attendance,
and networking. Having taken advantage of most of DePaul’s career resources at this point, I wish
the value of career planning and development had been stressed to me from the start. Learning
that employers expect you to have 2-3 internships upon graduation as a Junior is less than ideal.
Students should reach out and begin their career, not just their education, at DePaul. We need to take
advantage of our resources before these days turn into memories. We are Generation Y, and when it
comes to choosing a career, we need all the help we can get!
Honors Program alumni panel, L to
R: Betsy Hushek (CMN ’10), Marketing and
Communication Officer, The Chicago Council
on Global Affairs; Garrett Napier (LAS
’12), Housing Advocate, Ezra Multi-Service
Center; Amy DeLorenzo (LAS ’09), Program
Coordinator at Chicago Cares; David Poli
(CSH ’09), Energy Manager, AT&T.
14
Darndest Things
While we don’t advise listening to other peoples’ private conversations, sometimes you can’t help but
overhear the very strange things they say around campus.
This is a thesis. I’ll get
over my tears.
I love the Loop campus.
It’s just like the real
world.
I’m glad I made her
day because I ate my
chapstick.
““
There’s caffeine in Red
Bull?
Too much of anything is
a bad thing. Except for
money. And ice cream.
I’m not scared to dance.
“
Have you ever hit the
Spanish button at Jewel?
14
I don’t ever plan on fully
maturing.
Being stupid is fun.
Chipotle is the food of the
gods.
Why be mean in life?
Grad school is not about
how smart you. It’s about
how hard you work.
I’d rather be a nerd than
not be one.
iPhones are all like, “Me,
me, me!” Where’s the,
“Us”?
Only celebrities listen to
everything I say.
My kids will not know
how old I am.
I feel proud to be a
terrible consumer.
Wearing my lucky
underwear did not help.
You sound like an idiot
when you say, “based off
of!” It’s based “ON,” not,
“OFF OF”! Look it up!
““
Do you juggle, though?
Creative License
The Art of Man, on Super Bowl Sunday
I hear the dryer anxiously tumble through my intimates;
Trying to go undetected, I know,
Because I offered.
In the curves of ruffled sheets
Lies silhouetted lonely crescents,
Like a clear sky on a quiet night
When all your laundry is done;
Moonlit, half-empty;
Short lived.
I hear the termites go to work
On your morning wood,
A gift from your last beloved;
She feared fulfillment,
Loved to throw paper footballs,
And danced in the end zone.
We clasped fingers at the waist
To keep honest hips,
In case of marriage;
If the heart ever slipped;
I do, I can’t,
I'm the whisper in a cockpit.
with Alex Jewell
15
15
“Peace is worth more than all worldly
posessions.”
St. Vincent DePaul
HM
Honorable
Mentions
Commencement.
According to Webster, it is “a beginning or
start,” or “ceremony in which degrees are
conferred on graduating students.”
Take your pick. Later this month, hundreds
of DePaul Honors Program students will be
awarded their degrees, and they will begin the
next chapter in their lives. We hope that all
of our graduates look back on these last four
years with fondness, and good memories.
While we are sad to see so many leave us, we
are also very optimistic for them to go out
and make the world a better place. Please
remember your Honors Program experience,
and all those papers, projects, language
classes, and Jolly Ranchers in the Honors
Loop lounge! And, in the future, don’t forget
to always wear comfortable shoes.
spring.2014
A collaboration by DePaul University’s Honors Program
Table of Contents
CAMPUS RESOURCES
HONORABLE ANNOUNCEMENTS
HONORS EVENTS
3
4
6
First Annual Honors Student Conference (Zoe Krey)
6
Pictures from Honors Student Conference:
Spotlight on Research & Creativity
7
DemonTHON! (Anna Ackermann)
8
Pictures from Honors Senior Gala
9
We’re Off to See the Wizard: Another Fun-Filled Evening for the
Honors Floor Community (Emily Becker)
10
A Fairytale Evening
11
Pictures from the Honors Student Faculty Dinner
12
PROFILE: SISTER HELEN
HONORABLY INVOLVED
13
14
To Thesis or Not to Thesis: That is the Question (Theresa Bailey)
14
HONORABLE THOUGHTS
16
Time Flies! (Giuseppe Salerno)
16
Graduation: It’s All Uphill From Here (Alex Jewell)
16
HONORABLE ADMIN
DARDNEST THINGS
18
19
Thanks to everyone who contributed!
Co-Editors: Alex Jewell and Nicole Beuerlein
Advisor: Jennifer Kosco
hsgnewsletter@gmail.com
Cover photo provided by Alex Jewell.
Campus Resources
Visit the Career Center
You may think the Career Center is only a place to go to
find an internship. Sure, they do that, but they also offer
so much more! The Career Center can help you decide
on a major, a career choice, help you polish your résumé,
conduct mock interviews to hone your skills, and much
more. The Career Center offers workshops ranging from
job search strategies to interviewing skills to graduate
school information sessions.
To find out more about what the Career Center
can do for you, visit their website: www.careercenter.
depaul.edu. You can also visit one of their offices at these
convenient campus locations: in the Loop, they are located
in Suite 9500 of the DePaul Center (1 East Jackson); on
the Lincoln Park campus, they are in Room 192 of the
Schmitt Academic Center (SAC) at 2320 N. Kenmore.
Have a Big Paper Due Soon? The Writing
Center Can Help You Make it the Best it
Can Be!
3
Genius Squad
The Genius Squad is DePaul’s premiere support service for
all current students. The Genius
Squad offers FREE technical service and support for
desktops, laptops, phones, tablets, and other personal
electronic devices. The desk is staffed by some of DePaul’s
most technically adept students, many of whom are
currently enrolled in our College of Computing and Digital
Media, so you can trust that they’ll have the answers you
need.
The Genius Squad can assist with:
• Wireless setup
• Virus and malware removal
• Hardware repair
• RAM upgrades
• Phone configuration for access to e-mail
• a variety of other technical services
The Writing Center provides help free of charge to all
members of the DePaul University community—including
students, faculty, and staff. The Writing Center tutors offer
assistance in developing successful writing strategies, and
their goal is to help visitors become more comfortable with
writing tasks and more aware of composing processes that
will allow them to complete these tasks well.
The Genius Squad has locations at both the Lincoln Park
and Loop campuses. Locations and hours are:
They work with writers on many kinds of projects from
research papers and lab reports to Master’s theses and
personal projects. They offer techniques to help writers
focus and develop ideas, evaluate and summarize sources,
and edit and revise their drafts.
Academic Year
Monday - Thursday: 9:00 am - 10:00 pm
Friday: 9:00am - 9:00 pm
Saturday: noon - 6:00 pm
Sunday: noon - 6:00 pm
Visit the Writing Center’s website to find out locations,
hours, services, and much more!
Loop Campus
Lewis 1310
25 E. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604
http://condor.depaul.edu/writing/
Lincoln Park Campus
Richardson Library First Floor
2350 N. Kenmore Ave.
Chicago, IL 60614
Academic Year
Monday - Friday: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday: Closed
3
4
Honorable Announcements
Meet Your 2014-2015 Honors Student Government Leaders!
Congratulations to the 2014-2015 Honors Student Government Executive Board and Committee Chairs. These students
were elected to serve and represent the Honors Program students and be their voice to the Honors administration and
faculty.
PRESIDENT Ashley Valentin
Junior
Political Science
(History & Spanish minors)
VICE PRESIDENT Kristina Pouliot
Junior
Sociology & French
TREASURER George Sobolevskiy
Junior
Accounting
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Lukasz Budolak
Junior
Accounting & Finance
DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Kyle Rezwin
Sophomore
Business Management
(Political Science minor)
SERVICE COMMITTEE Hanna Selekman
Sophomore
Psychology
MK Verdun
Sophomore
Marketing
SOCIAL COMMITTEE Erin Donovan
Sophomore
Public Relations/
Advertising
Frank Schmitt
Sophomore
International Studies
NEWSLETTER EDITOR Nicole Beuerlein
Senior
Graphic Design
SGA LIAISON Sidney Beaumaster
Sophomore
International Studies
ACADEMIC COMMITTEE Taylor Gillen
Sophomore
Digital Cinema & Sociology
Zoe Krey
Sophomore
Political Science
AMBASSADOR COMMITTEE Taylor Marcel
Junior
Interactive Media
4
To keep up on the latest Honors Student
Government activities, go to:
http://dphsg.wordpress.com/
Honorable Announcements
Caelin Niehoff Wins Awards; Travels to U.K.
Caelin Niehoff
American Studies major and
graduating senior Caelin
has been selected to be the
student commencement
speaker at the Liberal Arts and
Social Sciences graduation
ceremony on Sunday, June
15th. Additionally, Caelin has
recently won the following
awards, which are listed below.
Congratulations to Caelin!
Gilder Lehrman History Award:
Before graduation, Caelin will travel to NYC to receive
the Gilder Lehrman History Scholar Award. Caelin is
one of fifteen graduating seniors from across the country
receiving the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American
History’s award. The award “recognizes outstanding
graduating college seniors who have demonstrated
academic and extracurricular excellence in American
history or American studies as well as a commitment to
public service and community involvement.” Caelin will
spend an extended weekend in NYC on Barnard College
and Columbia University’s campuses. During her time in
NYC Caelin and the GLI scholars will receive behind the
scenes tours of historic archives, while also participating in
special presentations and meetings with eminent history
scholars. Caelin was simultaneously accepted to the
University of Illinois’ Institute of Government and Public
Affairs’ NEW Leadership Program, bringing together
twenty collegiate women for a week long residential
program designed to increase women’s representation in
public life, but had to respectfully decline the acceptance in
order to attend GLI’s ceremonies.
Women’s History Network National Conference:
After graduation, Caelin will travel to the Britain’s
University of Worcester to present her Honors Thesis
entitled “For County and Country: United States
Homemakers and Rural Home Fronts during WWII.”
Her thesis draws on original primary source research
conducted at the University of Wisconsin, Madison
and the Wisconsin Historical Society’s archives. Her
work investigates the lives of rural women, specifically
organized homemakers, during the Second World War
5
5
and contributes rural narratives to the predominately
urban WWII historiography. She began her research in
the fall of 2013 and submitted an abstract and proposal to
the Women’s History Network in the spring of 2014. Her
proposal was accepted, and she will present on a panel
with researchers from the University of Sussex and the
University of Exeter in the UK this September.
Fulbright Winners
The Honors Program would like to congratulate
two graduating seniors who have recently been named
winners of prestigious Fulbright assistantships.
Miriam Keep is an International Studies major.
Her proposed research project centers on the “Cities
Without Slums” program in Morocco, a government
program that relocates residents of informal housing to
social housing. By conducting interviews with program
planners and participants, she will work to understand
how “participatory planning” has affected the program’s
success.
Veronica Lalov is an Honors student who is double
majoring in French and Industrial/Organizational
Psychology. Her Fulbright project entails working as an
English Teaching Assistant in Bulgaria for the 20142015 school year.
For more information about the Fulbright program,
go to: http://us.fulbrightonline.org/.
Class of 2014 Legacy Gift
Last year, the Class of 2013 left an impressive legacy
by making more than 1,600 gifts totaling more than
$21,000 for student scholarships. Can the Class of 2014
raise even more?
Throughout the year, you will have the opportunity to
make your gift online or in person at events, especially
near commencement. You will receive a legacy cord in
June when you pick up your cap and gown that you can
wear to commencement to show your support for the
Class of 2014 Legacy Gift.
By making a gift of any size, you demonstrate your
commitment to DePaul University and its mission
of service.
For more information about the Class Legacy Gift or
to be one of the graduating students to serve on the
Class of 2014 Legacy Gift Committee, please contact
OARstudents@depaul.edu. To give, please visit:
http://alumni.depaul.edu/legacygift.
Honors Events
First Annual Honors Student Conference
by Zoey Krey
As I began my first
year at DePaul, I didn’t
expect to get involved
in the Honors Program
as much as I have
throughout the year.
I have made so many
great memories and
gained a great
Zoe Krey presents her research at
deal of valuable
the Student Conference.
experience through my
participation in various
events and activities.
On May 16th, I was lucky enough to be able to present at
the First Annual Honors Program Student Conference:
Spotlight on Research and Creativity.
Thanks to my HON 100 (Rhetoric and Critical Inquiry)
instructor Natalie Tomlin and Honors Advisor Jennifer
Kosco, I was able to condense my research paper from my
class into a poster that aided me in presenting my topic.
My project was titled “Your New Miss America Is…: The
Politics of Beauty and Empowerment.” I explained the
relevancy of the Miss America Pageant in terms of how
women and beauty are viewed in contemporary society.
The horrific public comments surrounding the recent
win of the 2014 Miss America prompted me to research
more about the social
ramifications that a
more culturally diverse
Miss America could
have on our society.
For those unfamiliar
with the controversy
surrounding the
current Miss America,
winner Nina Davuluri
of New York was the
first Indian American
Miss America.
After she won the
pageant, she faced
countless racist
criticisms and
judgments posted on
6
6
social media sites. I felt shocked and sickened at the
public’s reaction and was surprised that a beauty pageant
could stir up this much discussion and debate. Hence, my
HON 100 research topic was born.
Rather than submitting a paper or project for a class
and then forgetting about it within minutes, the Honors
Student Research Conference gave many students the
chance to revisit their work and share it with others.
After putting ten weeks into a paper for HON 100, it
was rewarding to be able to share my research findings
with others in an academic setting.
On the day of the conference, before I started to present
my work, I had the opportunity to hear a few senior
thesis presentations.
The amount of work
they put into their
projects is staggering
and admirable. All
the seniors had
such a wide range
of interesting topics
and presentations.
It was easy to see
how passionate they
Rosemary O'Malley
were about their
research findings and
their opportunity to share those findings with others.
Hearing about other students’ work, collaborating with
the Honors Program advisors, gaining valuable conference
presentation experience, and of course, the array of free
food at the event, made me definitely want to participate in
the conference again.
For being the first ever Honors Research Conference,
the event seemed to run very smoothly. There is no way
that this conference could have happened without the
numerous student volunteers, the student participants
who were willing to share their work with others, and last
but not least, the Honors Program faculty and staff. The
success of the first Honors Research Conference should
ensure an even larger event in the years to come.
Honors Events
Honors Student Conference:
Spotlight on Research &
Creativity – May 16, 2014
7
7
Honors Events
8
DemonTHON!
by Anna Ackermann
After a year of planning and fundraising, DemonTHON
took place May 16 and May 17 in the McGrath-Phillips
Arena. Any participant/dancer will tell you that it was an
unforgettable and rewarding experience, as all proceeds
benefited Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. The
DemonTHON requirements state that each participant
must stay on their feet for 24 hours. The whole event felt
like a rollercoaster, with undeniable ups and
definite downs.
Designed to keep our spirits and energy up, we
performed the 10 minute long, choreographed ‘morale
dance’ every hour on the hour. I forgot how bad I was at
dancing until I saw the morale dance for the first time, and
then tried to do it myself. Almost an hour was spent trying
to learn the first half of the morale dance, and probably
another hour was spent trying to learn the second half. At
this point I was convinced that there was no hope for me to
learn this dance before the end of DemonTHON, but after
a few hours I had a good handle on majority of the routine.
Although I learned most of the dance, it was probably still
not very pretty to watch.
After the morale dance every hour, we would hear
from a family who had a child being treated at Lurie.
Each family told us not only how important Lurie was
in their lives, but also how important DemonTHON
was to them. Hearing these stories made me realize the
importance of Lurie Children’s Hospital. It also brought a
sense of purpose to what we were doing. Another aspect
that emphasized the impact of DemonTHON was the
Inspiration Room, which was a new addition this year. In
this room, there were brief descriptions of the patients at
Lurie, and questions that dancers could reflect upon and
answer. To allow for reflection, the Inspiration Room was
very quiet and peaceful, which was a nice contrast to the
rest of the event. I thought the Inspiration room was a
wonderful way to make DemonTHON more personal to all
the participants.
After a few hours, as the adrenaline wore off and the
fatigue set in, I realized that we were only a small fraction
of the way done. As time went on, things just got worse.
The soreness in my feet and legs became more noticeable,
and it was obvious that many dancers were losing their
8
Seton’s
DemonTHON Team:
L to R: Molly Murray,
Anna Ackermann,
Francesca Martino,
Abby Creek, Morgan
Nathan, Emily O’Reilly,
Sarah Mitchell.
drive. I always felt the worst the hour before a meal or
snack, but I would get a lot of energy back after I ate.
We were all excited when 5 a.m. came around because it
meant we were halfway to our goal, but the last 12 hours
seemed to drag on.
Despite everyone’s fatigue, we gained a lot of energy
when the kids arrived. A highlight of the event was
meeting some current or past Lurie patients. They came
in with their families to tell us about their experiences at
the hospital. They told us about their conditions, their
recovery, and how they’re doing now. The ages ranged
from very young to college age.
The energy level spiked dramatically for Power Hour,
the very last hour of the event. During this hour, everyone
forgot how much their feet hurt and how long they had
gone without sleep. With everyone dancing, glow sticks
being thrown into the crowd, and a DJ playing, it was
easily the best hour of the event. At the end of Power Hour,
we performed the morale dance for one last time.
As we were dancing, we watched the screen tally the
total amount of money raised. We watched it pass last
year’s total of $150,313.37, and then $200,000, and then
the final total of $214,050.46. Every milestone was met
with a round of celebratory screams and applause. Our
team, made up of Seton Hall residents, raised a total
of $3,380, and I personally raised $1,072, all for Lurie
Children’s Hospital. It felt great to be part of an event that
raised so much money for such a good cause. Knowing
that we could give so much money to a place that is so
important to so many families made all of the pain and
fatigue worth it. So, thank you to everyone who organized,
volunteered at, and participated in DemonTHON for
giving me such a rewarding and unforgettable experience.
Honors Events
9
Honors Senior Gala – May 18, 2014
Over 400 people, including 96 graduating seniors attended the annual Senior Gala on Sunday, May 18th.
Students were presented with their honors cords to wear at graduation, a certificate, and a gift from the
Honors Program. Dean Charles Suchar toasted the graduates, and all the guests enjoyed a reception after
the ceremony.
9
Honors Events
We’re Off to See the Wizard: Another
Fun-Filled Evening for the Honors
Floor Community
by Emily Becker
Living on the Honors floor in Seton Hall definitely has
its perks. We owe big thanks to our RD, RA’s, RHC, and
Honors floor representatives, who have worked together
all year long to create a fun environment and foster a
greater sense of community for both the Honors floor and
all of Seton. Throughout this year, I have been able to see
a production of the musical Chicago, attend a Bulls game,
go to an apple orchard, and participate in many other
Honors floor events. I was absolutely ecstatic to learn
that our next outing was to see the Broadway in Chicago
production of my favorite movie of all time The Wizard
of Oz – and that I was able to snag a ticket for the Friday,
May 2nd performance.
First, let me preface my love for the timeless classic.
I’ve told my friends time and again how this movie was a
staple in my childhood; so much that I vividly remember
the sad day that my VHS copy of the movie unraveled in
the VHS player due to overuse. My passion for the movie
and interest in history led to my eventual decision to write
about it for HON 100 and eventually present my research
at this year’s inaugural Honors Student Conference. I
was inspired to explore the potential political allegory
hidden within the story by L. Frank Baum and I have had
so much fun exploring the topic. As you can imagine, I
was so overwhelmed with happiness that Seton read my
mind and decided to take a group of us to see the live stage
production.
Upon arrival at the Cadillac Palace Theatre that
evening, I was thrilled to see the sparkly marquee and the
ornate lobby. One of my favorite things about going to see
a show is taking in all the beautiful theatre architecture
and Cadillac Palace did not disappoint. As the lights went
down, I was more than eager to see how they would bring
the story to life on stage. The set was an innovative blend
of partial structures and a thin screen used to portray the
tornado and other aspects of the movie that would have
otherwise been difficult to bring to life. As some parts
when they used the screen, I felt like it was a little too
much like a cartoon.
Besides that, the show was performed perfectly!
Danielle Wade, who played Dorothy, was incredibly
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charming and had a lovely voice, just like Judy Garland
herself. I have to say that Toto, played by Nigel the dog,
stole the show. The furry actor is actually a rescue dog
who was trained by award-winning animal trainer William
Berloni, who has trained dogs for more than 20 Broadway
shows. Nigel is no theatre rookie either, with a resume
including performing in New York aside Ashanti and
appearing on
the Today Show.
Toto and the
rest of the cast
were absolutely
joyful and made
for a great show.
While the
event was not
exclusively for
the Honors
floor, I saw that
there were a
good number
of us there. I
am so glad to
Kyle Rezwin & Garret Hoie show
be a part of the
off their “Wizard of Oz” playbills.
Honors floor
community and
share all of these
memorable experiences with my peers. Thanks, Seton!
Honors Floor residents Marcus Cirone, Zoe Krey
& Emily Becker before the start of the show.
Honors Events
A Fairytale Evening
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This year’s highly anticipated Honors Ball, a Fairytale Cotillion, took place in the elegant Cortelyou Commons on
Saturday, April 26th. Many students and their guests dressed in their best Brothers
Grimm-inspired costumes, and danced the night away.
The festivities also included a book drive, coordinated by the Gamma Psi chapter of Sigma Tau Delta (the International
English Honors Society). Honors students pitched in and brought 72 books, which were donated to Better World Books,
which donates books and a percentage of its profits to literacy programs around the world.
Other highlights of the evening included a dinner buffet, a raffle prize of a Nook tablet, and a musical performance by
Honors Program freshman Matt Garvin. Garvin played his guitar and sang his original songs for the crowd, and they
showed their appreciation by many rounds of applause.
The evening was a great success, and many thanks go to the planning committee and those who attended.
11
Honors Events
Student Faculty Dinner
– April 28, 2014
On Monday, April 28th,
approximately 50 members of
the Honors Program community
enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner
at Lina’s (formerly Leona’s).
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Profile: Sister Helen
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Sister Helen Tells it Like it Is!
by Anneliese Girson
Dressed in a simple outfit, and sporting a headful of
greying hair, Sister Helen Prejean may have appeared to
be just another boring speaker as students from a DePaul
University class shuffled into a classroom to listen to her
speak. Author and subject of Dead Man Walking, Sister
Helen has traveled to numerous states and countries to
spread word against the death penalty. After the talk,
however, students left blown away by the message this
simple woman had to share.
During introductions by HON 102 (History in Global
Contexts) professor Benton Williams, Sister Helen made
her presence known by interjecting her own commentary.
Referring to Williams as ‘B-Willie,’ Sister Helen
interrupted numerous times to make fun of Williams’s
opening remarks. “She was certainly a spitfire, that’s for
sure,” said Bria Smith, a freshman in Williams’s class.
However, Sister Helen’s rough Cajun accent and jokes
stopped when she told students the story of how she
started out.
Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Prejean
remembers attending a whites-only communion at her
church. In fact, it wasn’t until she moved into a housing
project in New Orleans that she understood the affects of
the Jim Crow laws in the south. “I had never heard the
words ‘white privilege,’ but I know what it is now,” said
Prejean.
Though Prejean has affection for her southern heritage,
she added “Well, we all know that the Bible belt and the
‘death penalty belt’ are the same bloomin’ belt.” In fact,
race is one of the issues that has pushed her campaign to
end the death penalty so far. In 2014, 41% of inmates on
Death Row in the United States are African American. Of
the men who are on Death Row for a murder of a white
victim, 93% of prisoners are African American. Sister
Helen discussed these sobering statistics and said “the race
of the victim and the murder is the determining factor.”
During her work as an activist, Sister Helen became
the spiritual advisor for those on Death Row. A nun of the
Congregation of Saint Joseph, Sister Helen worked with
Patrick Sonnier until he was executed. In fact, Sister Helen
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Sister Helen Prejean
watched him be put to death. When asked by a member
of the audience what the experience of watching someone
be put to death, Sister Helen said “What I saw set my
soul on fire.” Her work with Sonnier would later go on to
become the subject of her novel and subsequent movie,
Dead Man Walking.
However, not every aspect of Sister Helen’s life has been
so sobering. Through her work, she has been able to meet
friends such as Taru Furukawa, who was a prominent
death penalty advocate and Buddhist priest in Japan, and
actress and activist Susan Sarandon, who played Prejean
in the movie Dead Man Walking. “Never underestimate
the power of two women eatin’ crawfish and hatchin’
plans,” said Prejean when asked about her relationship
with Susan Sarandon.
At the end of her talk, Sister Helen was asked by a
student “How would you suggest we get involved in this
movement?” Sister Helen said “The path is made by
walkin’, so you start walkin’.”
Honorably Involved
To Thesis or Not to Thesis: That is the
Question
by Theresa Bailey
For an Honors Program student, the senior capstone
requirement offers an intriguing choice. Do you go with
a conventional capstone class, or do you explore Honors
395, the Honors Thesis project? Meant to encourage
cross-discipline thinking, the Senior Thesis offers great
topic flexibility, allowing students the possibility to
explore things they passionately enjoy in an academic
setting. However, this flexibility comes with the pressures
of intense discipline. While each student has a faculty
advisor for their thesis, the project takes place entirely out
of a classroom setting.
As an Honors sophomore, starting to think about my
final two years in the Honors Program, I’m both intrigued
and nervous about attempting a thesis project. I wanted
more information, so I went to the best source: students
who just completed their thesis projects this month, and
recently presented at the Student Conference. Molly
Baron, Rachel Dimit, and Lidia Letkiewicz all shared the
topics of their thesis projects, how they decided on said
topics, when they started their thesis, the challenges they
faced, and their own opinion of choosing to complete the
Honors Thesis.
Lidia Letkiewicz, Anthropology
My thesis project was called “Why do Poles Dance
the Polka?” and it came up quite by accident. Originally
I wanted to write a thesis on code-switching amongst
Polish-American children; however, the IRB process
would’ve taken too long. So, I went to see my advisor and
he just started asking me about what I like to do. I told him
I am a Polish folk dancer and he asked in response why I
like to do that – I said that it keeps me closer to the Polish
tradition and culture; the dances tell a story. And from
there he simply asked “Why not write about the Polka?”,
and I was literally speechless for a moment.
I started researching the topic fall quarter in the 2
credit workshop class provided by the Honors Program
for students who were interested in potentially writing a
thesis. I continued some archival research over winter
quarter. Originally, I didn’t know exactly what I was going
to be writing about the Polka – whether it was about
the origins, its social significance in the 19th century or
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what it means to dancers now. I landed on the last theme
and I focused on what the Polka meant to dancers in
folk ensembles now. I also included bit of a historical
background of how and why these dance groups formed
in the Polish Diaspora in Chicago, England (London and
Manchester) and Brazil (Parana).
The biggest challenge was time, as I was also taking
3-4 additional classes at the same time, while working
and participating in other activities. I was so afraid
that I would not have time to write this thesis because I
couldn’t focus completely on it without risking my grades.
Somehow I managed, thanks to my ethnomusicology class
in which we had to write a research paper on some form
of music or dance – luckily my thesis is about dance! I
was able to turn in the first part of my thesis (20 pages)
by Spring Break. I was also scared that I lost a lot of
motivation as I was feeling so overwhelmed. But, thanks
to the moral support I received from my advisor and
faculty (and a host of other people!), I managed. I would
not have been able to do it without them.
In the end, I am happy that I chose this topic.At first
I was like “Yea, I’ll do something that’s more relatable to
my field of study (anthropology).” Then I was like “I hate
life, this was a stupid idea, I regret doing this, I should’ve
taken the Honors Senior Capstone.” Now, after presenting
my work for a few conferences, and having received great
feedback from students, professors and other scholars
alike, I’m glad I did it and have something to show off. It’s
not a culturally changing, mind-blowing thesis; but the
thesis is about something I am so passionate about and
I really do hope it shows throughout my writing. Maybe
it can lead me in a better direction, one that involves folk
dance, folklore, cultural studies and the like.
Rachael Dimit, International Studies
My thesis project is titled “A Taça do Mundo é Nossa:
The Carioca’s Tenuous ‘Right to the City’ in the Wake
of the World Cup and the Olympics.” The project looks
at the clearance of Brazilian slums, or favelas, in Rio de
Janeiro in the years leading up to two mega-events: the
2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.
The accelerated development processes that require
urban space necessitate slum clearance. Accordingly,
the inhabitants of the favelas are not granted the right to
due democratic processes as they are removed from their
homes in the name of mega-event development. With this,
Honorably Involved
I explore the socio-spatial disciplinary processes employed
in order to prepare Rio de Janeiro for the upcoming megaevents. I chose this project after visiting São Paolo, Brazil
in 2012 when a São Paolo team won the national cup; I
experienced something between rioting and partying in
the streets. Accordingly, I wondered how this passion for
futebol would play out on an international level when
Brazil would host two consecutive mega-events in only two
years.
I started this project at the beginning of winter quarter.
I chose to use foreign language sources in Portuguese in
order to maintain a level of validity and closeness to the
origin of the topic, which greatly helped my thesis and
increased the number of available sources. However,
reading academic journal articles in a foreign language
was an obvious difficulty for me.
I’m very happy that I chose this topic for my senior
thesis project due to the topic’s relevancy in both academia
and pop culture. Most of us will likely turn on our
television this summer, and again in two years, to cheer
on our nation. We will likely be awed by the beaches of
Copacabana and the incredible view of Sugarloaf in the
background. However, we must ask ourselves exactly what
went into the realization of these mega-events in the name
of sports competition.
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I started my project in December of 2012. The greatest
challenge was limiting myself in my research. There are
dozens of books on Sherlock Holmes, including, but not
limited to discussions of drug use, ethics, psychology,
game theory, and adaptations in general. Even beginning
my project so early, I was unable to read every source I
selected as potentially valuable. Additionally, finding the
physical space in which to store so many library books was
not an easy feat!
I am absolutely satisfied in my choice of the Senior
Thesis project. I have grown a great deal as a researcher
and a writer, and I believe that this project will continue
after I turn in the “final draft” in June.
Molly Baron, English
My thesis project was titled “The Methods and the
Madness: The Persistence of Sherlock Holmes in Digital
and Interactive Media.” I began with an intent to explore
the contradictory character of Sherlock Holmes. I wanted
to explore the literary development of the antihero and
prove Holmes’s origins in Milton’s Satan. This interest
originated in a curiosity about why we as a society
have remained so faithful to the detective, despite his
antagonistic personality. I then extended the project to
investigate modern adaptations of Holmes to compare
the frequently explored facets of his personality as a
means of evaluating the foundation of our attraction to
the character. My thesis project currently consists of a
forty page paper, eight minute video, and data from a big
data project in which I analyzed Twitter archives and used
frequency analysis to create a comprehensive comparison
of character representation in Doyle’s (author of Sherlock
Holmes) stories as opposed to social media.
15
Professor Robert Rotenberg listens intently to Molly
Baron's senior thesis project at the Conference.
Honorable Thoughts
Time Flies!
by Giuseppe Salerno
With my freshman year coming to
an end at DePaul University, I’m struck
with disbelief as I begin to pack my
bags and leave the place I have called
home for the past nine months. I will
never forget my first year of college.
The freshman year of college is actually
Giuseppe Salerno reflects
on his first year at DePaul
a year of firsts. Whether it’s your first
University
time living with a roommate, first time
figuring out how to live on your own,
or first time living without a full fridge, freshman year is
the time to learn and try new things. Over this past year, I
learned many important things both inside and outside of
the classroom. As cliché as it is, it felt as if just yesterday
I said goodbye to my parents, sat down on my bed, and
asked myself: “Now what?”
But, my newfound fears did not hinder me from having
a great time my first year of college. In all honesty, nothing
would have been able to bring my joy to a halt. Since I have
always lived forty-five minutes from Chicago, it has always
been my home away from home. As a business student,
I knew I had to get my foot in the door and DePaul
University was the best option for me.
DePaul impressed me when I was invited to join both
the Strobel Accountancy Program and the University
Honors Program. When I first received the invitations
to apply for both programs, I was not sure if I should
accept both offers. But, I quickly realized that the goal of
college is to further benefit yourself and admission to both
honors programs solidified my decision to come here.
Consequently, I decided to pursue both honors programs,
as they would push me mentally and physically.
So, you’re probably asking: “How did participating
in both honors programs work for you?” It went great!
Although the workload is more demanding, the amount
of work you do compared to your classmates is relatively
the same. The main difference is honors students spend
majority of their time reading, writing papers, or working
on projects, compared to the monotonous daily work that
non-honors students partake in. At first, I was scared of
being in both honors programs and thought that they may
cause a possible speed bump in my college career. I soon
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realized that this opportunity to participate in both honors
programs would better prepare me for the future and
separate me from my peers.
Through the university Honors Program, I was put into
smaller classes, which gave me the opportunity to interact
with and really get to know other students individually.
Not only has the honors community propelled me
academically, but it has helped me discover life-long
friends.
If there is one thing I would recommend to incoming
freshman, it is to take Grassroots Writing in Chicago.
After taking Grassroots, I met many new friends and
was exposed to many aspects of the beautiful city of
Chicago. Through this class, I visited diverse areas such as
Uptown, the south side, and the Puerto Rican community
of Humboldt Park. After visiting these locations, I truly
realized my love for all of Chicago.
Now that my freshman year of college is one for the
books, I can say that it was a great time and I have no
regrets! And for any incoming freshmen in the fall:
welcome to DePaul University! Enjoy it and remember:
party hard, but study harder.
Graduation: It’s All Uphill From Here
by Alex Jewell
I noticed more hair on my shoulders today. It was the
“I’m getting older” kind-of-hair, as if parts of my body are
already trying to escape before I die. My follicles don’t
want to go down with the ship; I’m coming apart at the
seams a couple of months before my college graduation.
“It’s all downhill from here,” they warn, those seeping
with wisdom, already hairless and elderly and alone. I can’t
help but wonder if there’s more to it; if I’m not destined to
sleeping on opposite ends of the bed briefly remembering
a time of passion from yesteryear, before succumbing to
sleep-apnea-ridden slumber, or if one day soon I’ll wake
up with an inevitable and indifferent distaste for everyone
around me. I feel as though I’m just slowly inching toward
a paralyzing apathy that will eventually bury me and force
feigned eulogies out of mouths I once kissed or brought
to smiles; mouths that I’ll only let down once I’ve reached
the depths of true, undiluted adulthood. Mouths that know
the ugly path of life all too well (themselves) and mouths
that’ll lie for the sake of consideration and tradition. “Alex
Honorable Thoughts
was smart and funny. He was a joy to be around and will
surely be missed.”
If we’re honest, it’s the little things wringing my hands.
I’m scared of antacids and having to increase the fiber in
my diet; I’m scared of listening to jazz by myself, or not
recognizing 36 out of the top 40; I’m scared of drinking
whiskey on the rocks or sipping it with no rocks at all. I’m
scared of seeing more people from high school accidentally
get married or give birth to terrible little replicas of
themselves, and I’m more scared of the growing number
of people doing these things on purpose. I’m scared of
reunions; I’m scared of both the word and the event
itself; seeing wrinkles, rings, missing limbs, missing lives,
shattered memories broken by the rugged passing of so
much time. And I’m scared of just sitting there, watching,
horrified, holding a glass of water because water has the
least calories out of any drink. I’m not scared of death, I’m
just scared of the checkpoints along the way; the merciless
reminders that it’s a slow and steady process riddled with
yet more lessons, yet more Champion shirts and Dockers
khakis, and yet more hair peeking out of places it was
not occupying the day before. Growing up is seemingly
endless; a repetition of puberty and its various grotesque
stages.
I wonder if there’s any way I’m as different as I think I
am or if, at the end of the day, I’ll just be another middleaged man wincing as my doctor sticks a finger up my ass
to confirm that, yes, I am not dying quite yet. Will he turn
to me and, with an arguably evil grin while stripping his
experienced fingers of their latex guardians, say, “The
coast is clear. Now go grab some lunch, you look halfstarved”? Will I be white as a ghost, rocked with another
benchmark for age, another smack in the face of youth? At
my funeral, will they conclude with, “Well, it wasn’t colon
cancer, it was just old age. Just a reminder: there will be
sandwich and veggies trays at the Jewells’.”
I don’t want this to sound pessimistic, or over the top;
I don’t want to take a dump on your mood and invite you
along for an unnecessarily melancholy and hypothetical
step forward, because my final point may surprise you
with inspiration. Despite these fears — and their desperate
attempt to rob me of my drive and charisma — I believe
our destiny is that which we perceive it as and let it be. We
are the crafters of our middle-aged and older selves; we are
the only ones that can live or die, jump off cliffs or merely
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crawl to our eventual demise along endless plateaus.
They say it’s all downhill after walking across that stage
and accepting a certificate that seals our acceptance into
everyone else’s similar fate, but I argue it’s actually a
launching pad for chasing the next dream. I may one day
have a doctor digging around in my ass for any cancerous
party crashers, but that doesn’t mean the party stops and
our only option is to walk back shamelessly to a suffocating
existence post-success.
Don’t ever view life as an endless path leading us
to a casket, rotting away behind mourning naysayers
and black-clothed defeat. We’re greater than that, new
shoulder hair or not.
Honorable Admin
Rose Spalding’s Latest Book
by Taylor Gillen
Dr. Rose Spalding, the director of
the Honors Program and a political
science professor at DePaul, has
written a new book that demonstrates
her enthusiasm for critical inquiry of
interrelated global processes. Called
Contesting Trade in Central America:
Market Reform and Resistance, this book
thoroughly outlines and analyzes the
Professor Rose
emergence of a neoliberal model for the
Spalding
economies of multiple Central American
countries, particularly facilitated by the
trade agreement CAFTA (Central America Free Trade
Agreement).
“CAFTA was interesting to me because it was
contested,” Dr. Spalding states. She says that life is
complex and most things should not be taken at face value.
There are usually multiple viewpoints, perspectives, and
alternative arguments to process and think about.
Spalding says that she spent as much time researching
as writing. Because she has written books discussing
economic and globalization trends in Latin American in
the past, she has pre-established connections that allow
her to gather information quickly. One difficulty she
encountered, however, was deciding where to end. As
the trade agreements were controversial and involved
multiple countries, the process of passing legislation took a
number of years. Of course, the debate does not end there:
once ratified, the treaties and laws go into effect. What
happens when they are applied to every-day life is another
entire story. In the end, she decided to include some
of the effects of treaties like CAFTA, a “turning-of-thetides” as she calls it. This leaves the topic open for further
developments.
Deciding where to end is one creative decision an
author needs to make. There are many more, such as
what information to include, what information to exclude,
and how to synthesize the information. In the process of
research, Dr. Spalding asked herself many questions about
how to gather, interpret, and incorporate various pieces of
information.
That, however, is a key component of scholastic
research, writing, and the creation of art. As a digital
cinema student, I too must constantly ask questions when
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creating a film. Does this scene work and develop the
story? Why or why not? The Honors Program helps me
make better decisions when faced with these choices. Rose
Spalding also believes in the importance of thinking this
way.
“What I like about Honors students is that they ask
probing questions,” Dr. Spalding remarks. “They do
not simply learn the material to pass the test. They are
genuinely interested in understanding how things operate,
how certain trends develop, and so on.”
This mode of thought is also reflective in her classes.
Students find
Spalding’s teaching
style to be interesting
and engaging.
Ashley Valentin,
a junior, took Dr.
Spalding’s HON 201
course. “She takes a
realistic and diverse
approach to analyzing
capitalism and its
effects on different
nation states,” she
says.
At the 2014
Honors Reception,
Reverend Dennis
Holtschneider, the
president of DePaul,
phrased it this way:
“to change the world, you first have to understand it.”
This is what professors like Rose Spalding believe, and
so do I. If we wish to make a difference in something,
we first have to know how it works and what needs to
be changed. Dr. Spalding’s book may provide critical
insight into understanding emerging economic trends in
Central America, along with the implications for the globe
that result from new processes that parallel the passing
of CAFTA. Through her new book, Dr. Spalding shows
us how to effectively inquire, research, understand, and
create.
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Darndest Things
While we don’t advise listening to other peoples’ private
conversations, sometimes you can’t help but overhear the
very strange things they say around campus.
“DePaul’s WiFi is a
joke!”
“Just to know
I’m annoying you
makes it all worth it.”
“Riding the
CTA can be
soul-sucking”
“I want to eat
chocolate and
peanut butter
together every single
day of my life”
“I can’t get
anything done with
coffee anymore.”
“I want something
named after me.”
“Red Bull is the
gateway drug to
Lucky Charms
doughnuts.”
“She was going to a
“darty” at 10 am.”
“After
graduation, I’m
just going to sit on my
couch and catch up on
TV.”
“I like
a good
“I want
to laugh.
eat ”
chocolate and
peanut butter
together every
single day of
my life”
“Will the spring
quarter EVER
be over?”
“I’d rather be
immature than
mature.”
“I’m not built to work
six days a week.”
“Taking the CTA after
1 a.m. is a realllllly bad
idea.”
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“Some persons look and never see, others see and never look.”
St. Vincent DePaul