origins and evolution of modern thought – University Honors Program Blog

Honors Class Opportunities for Freshmen

August 1, 2016Courses

Hi Class of 2020!
We have a few opportunities for you to fill your first year Honors requirements that deserve a second look.

HONR 1015 – Origins and Evolution of Modern Thought

If you’d like a closer relationship with your professor or a smaller class size, many of these sections are worth your consideration!
HONR 1015:MV1 & HONR 1015:MV4 – Eudaimonia: The Art of Living
Prof. Aviv’s sections of Origins will explore the ancient tradition of achieving Eudaimonia, or human flourishing. Section MV1 meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30-12:45 PM with a discussion section on Tuesdays from 10-12:50. Section MV4 meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:10-5:25 PM with a discussion section on Thursdays from 10-10:50 AM.

BISC 1111 – Introductory Biology

BISC 1111:30
We’re excited to announce a special lab section of BISC 1111 design for Honors students taught by Prof. Hammon, an Honors professor! This lab meets all the same requirements as other BISC 1111 labs, but with the added bonus of an extremely excellent UHP professor and extremely excellent UHP peers! If you’re enrolled in BISC 1111, consider swapping into this lab section, which meets Wednesdays from 11:10-3 PM. You’ll need to check in with the Biology department to register!

Professor on the Town Event to The Phillips Collection

November 24, 2015Events, General News, Student Voices

On November 14, 2015, Professor Helen McManus and 10 members of her Origins & Evolution of Modern Thought class participated in a “Professor on the Town” event at The Phillips Collection.
As our class focuses on Work & Rest within the origins of modern thought, it was fitting for Professor McManus to take us there to a place she describes as her favorite gallery in DC because it is a restful place for her.
According to Professor McManus, “most restful (though intellectually most like hard work) is the Rothko Room, a tiny gallery for four enormous paintings. Before we left for coffee, I made sure every student was able to find that space.”
We each had our own favorites as well. Personally, I thought it was very interesting to see and hear about the history of the artwork and how it ended up at the Phillips Collection. In particular, I enjoyed Jacob Lawrence’s “Migration Series” because it was moving to consider the history behind the content of the pieces, but also fascinating to hear about the methods Lawrence used to create it and how the piece evolved to be divided into separate galleries.
Other classmates of mine enjoyed the gallery’s most famous piece: Renoir’s “Luncheon of the Boarding Party”. Sara and Stephanie both found enjoyed hearing about why and how Renoir depicted each character the way he did and all the various stories behind Renoir’s artistic decisions as well as how it got to the Phillips Collection.
Still, some of my other classmates preferred to focus on some of the small intricacies of the gallery. Kelsie, while enjoying the Van Gogh and Chagall pieces, also appreciated the story of the tiny Paul Klee painting that was stolen from the collection but was eventually returned after a responsible person purchased it on the black market!
However, not all of the amusing parts of the trip even came from the artwork itself! Ethan really enjoyed hearing about the development of the Phillips Collection which made the experience of the gallery an active one rather than a passive one that you might expect to get at a gallery.
In the end, we learned most about how the collection is the product of a family’s vision and love for art, which made the whole experience so much more meaningful. This, along with the community building opportunity for our class truly made this trip worthwhile! I’d like to thank the Honors program for its support and Professor McManus for exposing us to such a fascinating DC exhibition!

Freshman Origins Opportunities

August 7, 2015Courses, General News

Hey Freshmen!
As you finish ironing out your schedules, make sure to give a special look at the following sections of Origins. If you’d like a closer relationship with your professor or a smaller class size, many of these sections are worth your consideration!
HONR 1015:MV2 – Our Ancestors, Ourselves: Exploring the Roots of the Human Story
Professor Carr’s Origins section will explore what it means to be human—what humans value and how they demonstrate that, what it means to be mortal, what humans expect from life and through what means and at what cost they try to achieve those expectations—through some of the world’s oldest works of literature. This class meets Tuesday and Thursday from 2:30-3:45, with a discussion section Thursday at 11:30.
HONR 1015:MV3/MV8 – Harmony
Professor Trullinger’s sections of Origins will address questions of harmony, as posed by the artists, historians, leaders, and thinkers of the ancient world. Section MV3 meets Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00-11:15, with a discussion section on Wednesdays at 10. Section MV8 meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00-2:15, with an 11:30 discussion section on Wednesday.
HONR 1015:MV6 – Wisdom
Professor Ralkowski, professor-in-residence on the Mount Vernon Campus, will be covering the subject of Wisdom in his Origins class. What is happiness, and how can I live a life that will make me happy? How should I cope with the fact that I am going to suffer and die, along with everyone I love most? Explore these questions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00-11:15, with a discussion section on Fridays at 11:00.