SEMINAR 100

Misinformation in Modern Mediated Society (SEM 100 01)
Dr. Penni Pier
Explore how information can be distorted due to competing channels vying for audience attention and market share. You will learn to critically analyze data, engage in sound argumentation, and cultivate the art of civic discourse.

The Politics of Taylor Swift (SEM 100 02)
Andrew Szarejko
Consider your identity by examining issues in contemporary American politics, including gender roles, sexual ethics, economic inequalities, urban/rural divides, and racial justice, through the lens of Taylor Swift’s music.

Social History of Punishment (SEM 100 03)
Brian McQueen
Since before the earliest written laws, societies have perceived a need to punish those who violate the group’s rules. While the methods of punishment and opinions about why we must punish have changed, a perceived necessity for punishment remains dominant in modern societies. We will trace the history of both the methods and reasons for punishment — from fines, to torture, excommunication, and death, and from moral justice to deterrence — ending on contemporary theories that question the need to punish at all.

The Politics of Taylor Swift (SEM 100 04)
Andrew Szarejko
Consider your identity by examining issues in contemporary American politics, including gender roles, sexual ethics, economic inequalities, urban/rural divides, and racial justice, through the lens of Taylor Swift’s music.

A Life Worth Living (SEM 100 05)
Dr. Michael Bechtel
Inundated with propaganda and media bites, the multiverse (or at least our planet) may seem like a happenstance of ideologies, boundaries, and tribalism. Students will investigate who they are, why they are here, and their plans to change the world. “Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?” – Bob Marley

Education in the Era of Generative AI (SEM 100 06)
Dr. LeAnn Faidley
If ChatGPT can write papers, AlphaCode can generate computer code, Gemini can do research, Copilot can answer any question, Midjourney can create images, Grammerly can edit writing, and Synthesia can make video, what is the point of going to college? This section explores what generative AI can do, what it can’t do, and how a liberal arts education can equip us to thrive in a world quickly being transformed by this technology.

A Brief History of Classical Music (SEM 100 07)
Dr. Scott Muntefering
Music reflects the spirit of our human condition and to understand music, we need to distinguish and identify how music affects various societies and cultures throughout history. This course will provide an aesthetic and historical perspective of music, covering musical styles and developments from the Middle Ages, Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras through the 21st century. Students will acquire basic musical vocabulary and listening skills to help build a solid foundation for future musical studies and attendance at musical events.

Municipal Government (SEM 100 08)
Dr. Brian Birgen
While national politics make headlines, local politics have a large impact on people’s lives. Emergency services such as police, fire, and ambulance need to be funded. Streets need to be plowed, and garbage needs to be picked up. Water, sewer, electricity, and gas services are all part of the infrastructure. How is this funded? What decisions have to be made? Who makes these decisions? How does your hometown run?

Sports Analytics (SEM 100 09)
Dr. Mariah Birgen
Sports analytics is the process of plugging statistics into mathematical models to predict the outcome of a given play or game. In this course we will study the foundations of these models as a way to statistically predict the future.

The Art of Information (SEM 100 30)
Dr. Amy Pilcher
Data analysis involves turning data into information. This is both science and art. This course will explore the fundamentals of data analysis and visualization, including ethics and information distortion. Focusing on data commonly encountered in our everyday lives, students will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze and visualize data effectively. 

Teaching Through Multiple Lenses (SEM 100 31)
Murad Mahmoud
Explore modern teaching methods and techniques used by teachers through modern times to serve diverse groups of students with various needs through the use of a book written by teachers as well as various pop culture sources.

Vocation for the Welfare of the World (SEM 100 32)
Ronald Johnson
As a mentor from my college days asks, “Is it possible to know the world and still love the world?”. A college education helps us to see the world more clearly, to notice the joys and sorrows mingled together. It also prepares us for leadership and service in a world that delights and frustrates us. We will consider how the choices we make during our college years help us to weave together belief and behavior.

Voice, Identity, and Culture (SEM 100 33)
Dr. Jennifer Larson
Our voice and its imprint contribute much more than we realize to our success, both personally and professionally. Culture is constantly shaped and reshaped by how our voices convey to one another who we are. This course invites exploration into culture, linguistics, rhetoric, vocology, and students’ personal experience, in order to better understand how vocal communication affects our perceptions of one another. Through interactive games, student-led discussions, and interest-based research, students will learn specific techniques to improve their ability to effectively communicate–to understand and be understood.

Relationships, Joy, and Well-Being for College Success (SEM 100 34)
Dr. Zak Montgomery
How can building relationships with classmates, faculty, and staff support your success? Learn practical ways to develop important relationships, cultivate your own joy as you discover your path, and engage in well-being practices that fuel your body and mind throughout college and beyond.

Let’s Talk (SEM 100 35)
Dr. Leilani Zart
Communication is a tricky thing, especially today where the fear of offending someone drives conversation or the lack thereof it. To be human means that we have opinions and feelings about all sorts of things. However, what happens if we let our personal views and biases dictate the direction of conversations? What happens when we censor ourselves and/or others because we cannot agree to disagree? Is something lost in the conversation? How is society changed when civil discourse is diminished? How can we reconcile differences of opinion in our modern world to expand our conversation rather than stifle it?

The Arts in Society (SEM 100 36)
Kyle Fleming
The arts – including music, literature, theater, and more – play an important role in our society, yet funding for the arts is often the first thing cut in local and state budgets. Using an arts-based approach, this section will explore the question “What is art?”, examine the roles the arts have played in society, and question what roles, if any, the arts will play in the modern age.

Mindfulness (SEM 100 37)
Kimberly Groninga
Explore how and why being fully present enriches our experiences and lives. Practice techniques such as journaling, conversation, creative endeavors, and interacting with nature and the senses to become more fully aware of self and place.

The Greek World (SEM 100 38)
Dr. Dan Walther
You will wrestle with the question of whether or not the Greek world can teach us anything about the purpose of a liberal arts education in the world today.