mu honors

December 2, 2013 | honors.missouri.edu

Thriving in the ZouHC freshmen on

Honors classes

Racing toward graduation

HC senior Bailey Belvis

TheSemester in Review

in this issue

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Announcements & Upcoming Passport Events

Racing toward graduationHC senior Bailey Belvis

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The Honors College NewsletterEditor | Rachel Koehn

Staff Reporter | Siyu LeiStaff Reporter | Kate MaxcyStaff Reporter | Jacob Renie

Staff Reporter | Kelsie SchraderStaff Reporter | Congrong Zheng

Photographer | Katy MersmannFaculty Advisor | Dr. Gregory Triplett

9 Thriving in the Zou HC freshmen on Honors classes

5 The Semester in Review

Cover photo by Katy Mersmann.

Photo by Katy Mersmann.

Upcoming Passport EventSpeaking of Culture: “’Tis the Season: Considering American Wintertime Celebrations”

Sunday, Dec. 8, 2-2:50pmOrr Street Studios, 106 Orr StreetSPEAKER: Chip Callahan, Dept. of Religion

Speaking of Culture is an Honors College monthly lecture series featuring talks by dynamic MU Faculty and Staff on captivat-ing popular topics. Each talk is held at Orr Street Studios (106 Orr Street, between Walnut & Ash). Coffee and baked treats provided. For questions about Speaking of Culture, please con-tact series coordinator Gabriel Fried, friedg@missouri.edu.

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AnnouncementsLearning by Contract Evaluations/Narratives

Learning-by-Contract Evaluation forms and Narrative Summaries are due no later than Reading Day (December 6th). These forms must be signed by the Faculty Member overseeing your contract and submitted to the Honors College for approval. Honors credit will not be awarded until the signed evaluation is submitted to the Honors College. It may take up to one month after grades are posted for the honors designation to appear on your tran-script.

Forms and other information about Learning by Contract can be found here: http://honors.missouri.edu/cours-es/learning_by_contract.php

“Thinking About Color”

For those of you interested in the new humanities course, “Thinking about Color”:

The three professors teaching the course are Nancy West (LST 1 – 113 A&S), Jim van Dyke (LST 2 – 112 Crowder Hall), and Carsten Strathausen (LST 3 - 116 Lefevre Hall). If you would like to enroll but cannot do so automati-cally because of your class status, please come to the Honors College to receive a permission number.

HONORS 3112H “Thinking about Color!”

This 3-credit course focuses on 13 different ways to think about color. Color is everywhere in our world; it informs our sense of everything from interior decoration to fashion; sex to race. But as a subject of study, it’s elusive, mysterious, magical. In this course we’ll embrace color’s paradoxical combination of ubiquity and mystery as we explore subjects like Impressionism, perception, whiteness, film noir, color wheels, Technicolor, advertising, Goethe, and blushing. Sound eclectic? That’s precisely the point. Taught by three professors with different areas

of expertise and interests, this course seeks to ex-plore the many dimensions of color through the lenses of science, art, and popular culture.

Honors Section of Sports Economics and Finance Now Available

Did you enjoy the book/movie Moneyball?Are you interested in the Economics and Finance of Sport?Are you interested in learning more about the use of statistics for sport teams?Are you interested in working for a sport team in your future career?

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Then you might be interested in Sports Economics and Finance. This class gives an in depth look at the economic and financial matters within the sport industry. In class students will get the chance to look at the private finances of professional sport franchises, understand unique aspects of the sport industry, and even conduct their own independent research project focused in sport.

PRT 3185 – Sports Economics and Finance (11:00-12:15pm, TuTh) PRT 3185H – Sports Economics and Finance (12:00-12:50pm, F)

The Human, Human Rights, and the Humanities

5th Annual Mid-America Humanities Conference for Undergrad. and Grad. Student ResearchApril 3-4, 2014, Lawrence, KS

This conference offers a venue to critically examine the interrelationship of “the human,” human rights, and the purview of the humanities—interpreting human expression. We welcome papers from under-graduate and graduate students in the humanities and social sciences that explore topics including, but not limited to, the following: -What are the benefits and limits to a notion of universal human rights? -Are there notions of being human that are not encapsulated by a human rights framework? -How do artists and writers engage or critique notions of human rights? -What can we learn about the human experience, and, potentially human rights, from a speculative vantage point, such as that of science fiction? -How do disciplines that challenge normative parameters of human experience such as Queer Studies, Disability Studies, or Animal Studies enrich and/ or complicate notions of human rights?

Please submit 250 word abstracts to Dr. Marike Janzen by Dec. 6, 2013.

Marike Janzen Assistant Professor of Humanities Coordinator, Peace and Conflict Studies Program Humanities and Western Civilization Program The University of Kansas 205B Bailey Hall 1440 Jayhawk Blvd. Lawrence, KS 66045-7574 phone: 785-864-1378 fax: 785-864-3023

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Honors College students reflect on Fall 2013

“My freshman year went really well. The Honors College impacted my semester by giving me small classes to work with. It gave me more challenging projects and assignments and made me a better student.”

Bailey SchamelFreshman, Business

“The Honors College offers the coolest class settings. I think the teachers hold the students to a higher standard so there is a lot of discussion and talking through things and not just being talked at.”

McKenzie PendergrassSophomore, Journalism

“I think the Honors College has helped me a lot. It introduced me to challenging material and it helped me develop better study and work habits.”

Joseph PetersenFreshman, Journalism

“With two thesis papers, this semester is kind of ridiculous, but my instructor is very supportive of me, which makes my life much easier.”

Anna WebberSenior, History & English

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“[The Honors section of Human Sexuality] is far from a core science class, which makes it refreshing. The professor has a great deal of per-sonal experience in the field of psychology and uses his experience to provide examples for the class and stimulate good discussions.”

Maggie Priebe Senior, Biochemistry

“I had a very busy semester! In the middle of this semester it was re-ally frantic, but it actually gets easier towards the end.”

Cheyenne RoundtreeSophomore, Magazine Journalism & Textile and Apparel Management

“I like my Honors course, Think Global: Fundamentals of Globalization & Digital Technologies, a lot. The instructor is very cool, and I really love the international aspects of this course.”

Ashley RardJunior, International Studies

“This semester has been the most academically challenging semester for me. My Honors courses help me challenge myself with other highly motivated students in my major.”

Sam RourkeJunior, Business & Economics

“Compared to my high school English class, my Honors English 1000 course this semester has challenged me a lot and brought my writing skills to the next level.”

Kyrie BusslerFreshman, Journalism

Kate Maxcy & Congrong Zheng

Cross country runners are a different breed of athlete. While most people shy away from running for lengthy periods of time day in and day out, these competitors run towards it. Senior Bailey Belvis is one such person. As her final semester winds down and she plans to grad-uate at the conclusion of the semester, she reflects on how much she gained from the experience. “It was a learning experience,” Belvis said. When she first arrived to Mizzou some four years ago, she immediately felt at home among her new teammates. “You create this new family with your team. You get to travel all over the country and see amazing places,” Belvis said. These travels with the team Belvis fondly looks back on. “Just traveling with the team I had a great group of friends,” Belvis said. “We would be exploring new cities running around together and getting to race and com-pete together. All those experiences are what I look back on and miss the most too from that time.” Her desire to travel is what helped her to decide upon Mizzou.

“It’s all in the same country, but we have different cul-tures, from the south up to northeast,” Belvis said. “I was drawn to Mizzou cause I knew it would be different.” She affectionately remembers coming for Honors Wel-come Week as a freshman and falling in love with the campus and coaches. “I kind of made my decision then,” Belvis said. “For me it was about the environment. I really enjoy the people here.” Since cross country runners have to stay in shape year round, they must compete year round though techni-cally their season ends in the fall. So, the indoor and outdoor coaches use the cross country runners for the distance events. Belvis mostly ran the mile and 5K. “Typically if you’re in cross country then you’re in the other two because those are our distance runners,” Bel-vis said. Make no mistake, the competition is fierce. The girls’ cross country team has about 20 members, but only about half get to compete in conference meets and only seven make in to the end of the season meet. The strat-egy for success, according to Belvis, is consistency.

“You want to be con-sistent throughout the season and you want to show that you can finish workouts and be strong,” Belvis said. “Coaches really look at your per-formance in racing [be]cause some people do better in races.” Belvis has a secret that has been key to her suc-cess in both high school running and MU cross country. “I have a pair of rac-ing socks that I’ve worn since high school, and I don’t wear them for any-

HC senior and MU cross country runner Bailey Belvis prepares for life after college

Racing toward graduationBy Jacob Renie

Photo courtesy of Bailey Belvis.

B a i l e y B e l v i sUniversity of Missouri | Class of 2013

Bailey BelvisUniversity of Missouri

Year: Senior

Hometown: Prosper, TX

High School:

Prosper High School

Favorite Movie: A Knight’s Tale

Favorite TV Show: Doctor Who

Favorite PreGame Meal: Pasta

Hobbies: Guitar, Knitting

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thing else except racing,” Belvis said. “I don’t know why, they just always work well with spikes and I don’t get blisters with them. They’re blue, which doesn’t match Mizzou’s colors, but I used them in high school and I’m like, ‘These socks work. I can use them and not get blis-ters.’ That’s a big thing you don’t want when you’re trying to run a 5k.” Currently, Belvis is no longer in season as she finished up her eligibility last spring. On her new freedom, Belvis said, “You have so much more time in your day for one, but it’s also hard cause I really love running and I try to keep running. Without someone yell-ing you have to run it’s harder to get yourself up before class.” Instead, Belvis finds herself pursu-ing old hobbies she had to put aside previously. “I’m playing the guitar more. I was actually teaching myself, which is hard when you have a sport and school,” Belvis said before jokingly adding, “I don’t know, I might just be lazier now.” Upon graduation, she plans to start working. “I graduate in December,” Belvis said. “I have a job lined up in Kansas City with a company called Cerner. So I’ll be helping them write medical software.” Unlike most athletes, she didn’t rely upon the Total Person Program to get where she is. Instead, she relied on personal planning. “I wanted to do well,” Belvis said. “I had planned out everything I wanted to take and scheduled so that I would have time to get the work done.” Also, taking classes that interested her helped. “I think I always tried to pick classes I was interested in because I would be better in class and with homework and assignments if I had a personal invest-ment in the class,” Belvis said. As it all winds down, Belvis struggles to contain her excitement to graduate. “I’m excited. I’m really ready to be

done with school as far as homework and assignments go,” Belvis said. “This is the busiest I’ve been with proj-ects and my capstone. It’s going to be a rough two weeks.” Belvis reflects on the keys to academic success during her time at Mizzou. “Mizzou gave me the tools to prepare myself,” Belvis said. “They provided all the learning environments, but you’re going to get as much out of the classes as you put into them.” Armed with the skills Mizzou has given her, Belvis confidently looks toward the future.

Above: Senior Bailey Belvis (number 59) and teammate Kinsey Farren (num-ber 61) compete in a Big 12 meet at OSU. | Below: Belvis (number 95) runs in the 2012 SEC Meet at Vanderbilt. Photos courtesy of Bailey Belvis.

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Thriving in the ZouBy Kelsie Schrader

Honors classes make the college transition easier for freshmen

Another semester has run its course at Mizzou. It arrived in the middle of August on a blazing hot summer day, and with it came thousands of new freshman students, waiting to discover what college was all about. They packed their suitcases as tightly as they could, piled bags into their cars until the doors would not shut, and set off for Columbia. The car rides were filled with excitement and fear for the unknown. Would college be more than they were pre-pared for? Would they be able to find their classes? Would they get along with their roommates? Would the food be good? They pulled into the crowded parking lot, found an empty parking spot, and set to unpacking the car. Despite the blazing sun and small amount of sidewalk space to set their stuff on, they completed the task, eager to check in and see their rooms for the first time. Minds filled with anticipation, they walked up to the front desk and stated their name. After getting checked in and getting their card, it was finally time—the moment of truth. It was time to go see the room. Would it be too small? Would their roommate already be in there? Thousands of thoughts and fears raced through their heads as they climbed the stairs and padded down the hall, eyes racing back and forth looking for their door number. Heart pounding, they slid their card or inserted their keys, just as they had been told to do. They heard the click of the door unlocking. Slowly, they reached out and grabbed the handle, twisting it ever so slightly and pushing the door open to the room where they would be living for the next nine months. College was a difficult transition for all fresh-men—small rooms, living with strangers, much more free time, no parental supervision. Many didn’t re-ally know anyone on campus yet and had to branch out and make new friends.After a while, of course, things be-came routine and college life became regular life. “Home” became synonymous with “dorm room.” Six hours of sleep was a good night. What at first seemed an impossible

world to adapt to became ordinary. What made this adaptation go so smoothly? For many freshmen in the Honors College, it was the small class sizes and the company of other Honors students like themselves that made the adaptation to col-lege life and classes so much easier. One student, freshman Ruth Serven, says that being in the Honors College really gave her a good support system. “Being in the Honor’s College has been good for me be-cause it introduced me to students who are on the same

level as me,” Serven said. “It’s good to find a group of friends who are interested in dis-cussing big topics and who are interested in doing well in school.” This semester, Serven took Ancient World—the first in the Honors Humanities sequence—taught by Professor Ruth Kne-zevich. For Serven, the smaller class sizes allowed her to meet and get to know more people than she has in her large classes. She would recommend the class to students who are genuinely interested in talking about Greek Philosophy for a whole semester and who are willing to do a lot of reading.

“I enjoyed it,” Serven said, “because it was fun to talk about that stuff for me, so I will be taking the next class in the sequence.” Another student, freshman Erin Nelson, was also in An-cient World this semester, although her section was taught by Professor Timothy Materer. She commented that while

Freshman Honors student Ruth Serven, study-ing Journalism, works on her Ancient World homework. Photo by Kelsie Schrader.

Erin NelsonFreshman

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she did not necessarily enjoy the subject material, she did appreciate the small class sizes. “My Ancient World teacher makes me think a lot harder than I ever thought I could or would have to,” Nelson said. “I like interacting with him. I feel like if I have a problem, he actually knows who I am and we can have real conversations.” She, too, agrees that being in the Honors Col-lege has helped her adapt to college life in that it’s made her feel more focused in her stud-ies and surrounded her with people who have goals similar to her own. Josh Vance, also a freshman Honors student, agrees that being in the Honors College has been a different atmosphere, but a good one—“where people are more interested in actually doing their schoolwork,” Vance said. This chal-lenged him to do better. Vance is in Honors Chemistry 1320, taught by Professor John Adams. Vance commented that the lab—which is only composed of about 25 stu-dents—profoundly enhanced the learning experience. “In a big class, you don’t get as much one-on-one time, but in a small class you really get close to your teacher,” Vance said. Freshman Michaela Tucker has also really enjoyed her experience thus far in the Honors College. “In the one Honors class I’m in, I’ve had one-on-one time with my professor, and she’s helped me find good commu-nities to be in and helped me to find ways to be involved with the stuff I’m interested in,” Tucker said.

Tucker is in Honors Modern Israeli Film, taught by Pro-fessor Etti Naveh-Benjamin. She would definitely recom-mend this class to others students.

“I didn’t know that much about Israel, and you hear a lot about it on the news, but I didn’t have a real understanding of the cul-ture or a lot of the beliefs behind the culture,” Tucker said. “So it was really cool to learn about all of that through all of the novels we read in addition to the movies we watched each week.” For each of these students, Honors courses have been a great experience. The class sizes have allowed them to form relationships with not only their classmates, but also their pro-fessors. The small amount of students in each class enables students to interact more with

their professors than they may have otherwise in a larger class, helping them to make connections and adapt to col-lege life. For many living in the Honors Learning Commu-nities, their transition to college life was made much easier by living near other students who strive for success. The environment created by being around students who are al-ways working hard on homework has been motivating and helpful for those in the same classes. Most importantly, it has allowed them to form close relationships with other students on their floors and in the Honors College, and it is these relationships that have made them feel welcome, comfortable, and truly at home at Mizzou.

Josh VanceFreshman

Freshman Honors student Michaela Tucker, studying Journalism, visits New Zealand.Photo courtesy of Michaela Tucker.

Photos by Kelsie Schrader.

December 2, 2013 | honors.missouri.edu