After a hiatus on the Honors Colloquium Courses because of the COVID-19 pandemic, these unique classes are finally returning for the Spring 2023 semester and beyond. These classes are open for anyone to take, but according to Professor Mark Sawin, head of the Honors department, honors students are given priority if the classes fill up, which they often do not. This allows anyone to have the opportunity to take courses that won’t be found anywhere else on campus, such as a board game class, a history of food course, a course on different types of utopian societies, and more!
In an email interview with the math and computer science department’s own Daniel Showalter on his course, “Us Vs. The Utopians”, he said, “my course will study attempts at utopias and just intentional communities in general. We’ll look at what worked well and what didn’t, and what ideas students have about what makes a healthy community.” Daniel has never taught one of the Honors Colloquia classes before, but says that he, “[looks] forward to attempting to implement our own community as we study communities of the past.” He also ties in the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in his course proposal. “The isolating nature of the current pandemic has underscored the value of relationships and community more than ever. Research suggests substantial physical, emotional, and social benefits to being part of a healthy community.”
Language and Literature professor Marti Eads also reached out with information about her course, “Literary Treatments of the Traumatized South,” which covers the historical trauma built around mass enslavement and the resulting Civil War in the United States. She said, “I think students who are interested in tracing the roots of many of our current political and social conflicts will find this course fascinating, along with anyone who wonders about how historical trauma might have affected them and those they love. Students who enjoy reading and discussing challenging and beautiful literary works will find the course a good fit too. In addition to English and writing studies majors, students in peacebuilding, history, psychology, sociology, economics, Bible & religion, and even biology (epigenetics!!) majors should find plenty to love in the books we’ll be reading.” Marti has taught versions of this course in the past and is ready to, “pull out all the stops for the honors students this year.”
Perhaps the most unique in comparison to the traditional courses offered at EMU is Matt Siderhurst’s class, “Playing Games: Modeling Life on a Tabletop.” This course covers problem solving, strategic thinking, elements of luck, cooperation, and the history of why specific games are played and themes within these games. Matt has taught this course in the past, and he mentioned in a promotion to first-years honors students that the entire class itself is one large game, with points, scoring, and more.
Such a wide variety of courses will be available throughout the upcoming four semesters, with the course, “Literary Treatments of the Traumatized US South,” now available for registration as it is running in the spring semester of 2023.
