Gender and the Core Curriculum

Posted on May 7, 2022 by Adam Kluge

Columbia University’s Butler Library. Photo credit: Richard Cole.

“Someone will remember us / I say / Even in another time”  ― Sappho, If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho

There is something fascinating about the historical reimagination of the Core Curriculum, especially since its first course (Contemporary Civilization) was introduced to a war-torn student body in 1919. While the Core was originally designed to produce  students who were well-rounded, innovative, and aptly capable of influencing and shaping the political and social order of the day, various identity groups were left outside the margins of its original syllabi. 

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Self-Reflection as a Form of Research 

Posted on April 30, 2022 by Cecilia Guan

Who do you see when you look in the mirror? Photo credit: Unsplash.

For all the writing, analysis, and problem-solving we do on a daily basis in college, I feel that we do not often consider self-reflection as a way to strengthen our research processes or as a kind of research in and of itself. Rarely are we afforded the opportunity to learn and explore directly about ourselves, applying concepts from classes to our life in order to gain a deeper understanding of who we are and what we are passionate about. Assignments that designate space for this type of inquiry encourage us to bring our fullest selves and identities to school. Our academic curiosities are informed by our environments and upbringings, such that reflecting upon our societal backdrops can deepen our connection to our professional interests. 

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Presenting Your Research at an Academic Conference

Posted on April 22, 2022 by Virginia Ignelzi

A small group presentation. Photo credit: Unsplash

If you’ve read my previous posts on this blog, you’ll know that I was given the opportunity to present my research at the 2021 University of Tennessee Knoxville Undergraduate Classics Conference. This year, I had the chance to return to the same conference, this time for an in-person experience. While I definitely felt more prepared than the first time around, I still felt that I had lots to learn. The unspoken rules and expectations of academic conferences can be difficult for undergrads to navigate! While I’m certainly no expert yet, I wanted to provide a few more tips and suggestions that I’ve gathered. Students who are interested in presenting research but unsure about the process, this post is for you. With all that said, here are my top three tips for a successful conference experience.

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The Global Core: Exploring the World from the Classroom

Posted on April 8, 2022 by Cecilia Guan

For my final assignment in East Asian Mythology, I had a wonderful time exploring an East Asian myth we studied through a creative project. Photo Credit: Cecilia Guan.

One of my favorite parts about Columbia has been the freedom to intertwine my academic interests with the exploration of my Asian American identity. The primary route I have chosen to do so is through the Global Core requirement. The Global Core requires students to explore cultures, traditions, and histories outside the scope of the Western canon featured in classes like Literature Humanities, Contemporary Civilizations, Art Humanities, and Music Humanities. I enjoy the Global Core requirement because it acknowledges the diversity of cultures not explicitly encapsulated in the aforementioned courses, but which are equally valid and also make up the world within which we all exist and interact. 

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Musings on the Core

Posted on April 1, 2022 by Christian Flores

Butler Library from Low Steps. Photo credit: Christian Flores.

Perhaps it was because it was the fact that I had sat in that particular lecture hall a total of 5 times throughout my time at Columbia. Or perhaps it was the fact that in my final semester, I would be taking a class with my Lit Hum Professor, someone with whom I began my Columbia journey. I drowned in nostalgia as the sun rays beamed through the Hamilton windows. Just as the light highlighted markings on the old, beaten desks, the Core has illuminated my college experience. During each of my semesters, I tried my best to interact with the Core whether it be through taking a course or engaging with events that conjured up the spirit of the Core. It provided a connection that tied me to something beyond my major and actually enhanced my view of what a liberal arts education should be. 

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Writing a Thesis: Is It a Worthwhile Endeavor?

Posted on March 25, 2022 by Adam Kluge

Thesis Desk. Photo Credit: Frank Hebbert.

In Spring 2021, as Columbia continued to adapt to the strain and consequences of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the very notion of writing a senior thesis seemed ludicrous. My schedule already felt overwhelming, as I navigated countless Zoom meetings, internship obligations, and a series of projects that had seemed far more accessible in an in-person setting. With that said, at the behest of my academic advisor and through supportive conversations with faculty in the History Department, I made the decision to submit a proposal. After all, it was a decision I would never need to regret; in the event that I was selected as part of the thesis cohort (as most students are), I could always step away from the project if it became too much. All this to say that, from the start, my thesis was very much an endeavor rooted in my personal interests.

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Using Psychology To Foster Beginner’s Mind 

Posted on March 17, 2022 by Cecilia Guan

Can you think of any times when you exhibited cognitive biases while learning?         Photo credit: Unsplash.

 

“Beginner’s Mind: the idea of engaging the world without preconceptions, as if you’re seeing everything for the very first time.” 

– Dean Valentini 

We make millions and millions of decisions each day. And with the many, many priorities we balance as students, developing adults, and human beings, sometimes it can be difficult to keep in perspective what it means to be an open-minded learner. To each incoming Columbia College class, Dean James Valentini (i.e. Deantini) introduces the Core Competency of Beginner’s Mind as a guiding principle for life-long development. I interpret Beginner’s Mind to be a growth mindset that encourages me to be infinitely curious, approaching each engagement with humility and without pre-determined judgment. Maintaining Beginner’s Mind is one method, albeit idealistic, through which we might be able to connect with those of different opinions in an increasingly partisan and polarized society. 

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So You Want a PhD in a social science discipline?

Posted on March 10, 2022 by Christian Flores

Outside of the International Affairs Building, which is home to the Political Science and Economics Departments. Also where Christian has probably spent most of his time at Columbia. Photo Credit: Christian Flores.

Phds were always mysterious to me. Growing up, I had no exposure to an academic, let alone my parents who were poor immigrants from a developing country. All I knew is that it was the highest degree one could get, and in a world where credentials carry so much weight, it was something that I presumed I wanted to attain. It was not until I came to Columbia and began interacting with faculty members that I learned about the doctorate, and subsequently what it takes to get one in the social sciences. These are some of the tidbits of advice that have resonated the most with me as a first-gen, low-income student. I should mention that the question about whether or not to pursue a PhD is related but deserves its own post. For now, given that application season just passed and decisions will be imminently released, I figured that I would write up some of the lessons I picked up from my professors over the years. I also want to emphasize that while there is great advice out there on getting into PhD programs, this is my own perspective and I hope that anyone who lacks the knowledge that I did before college finds these thoughts helpful.

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An Interview with Helen Ruger about the Laidlaw Scholars Program (Part 2)

Posted on March 4, 2022 by Virginia Ignelzi

Bust of Hippocrates; photo credit: Pixabay.

Last month, I spoke with a Laidlaw scholar about her introduction to the program, her experiences with faculty mentorship, and the topic she chose to research in her first summer. This month, we’ll be discussing her second summer with the program and the interdisciplinary nature of her work and the Laidlaw program as a whole.

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An Interview with Helen Ruger about the Laidlaw Scholars Program (Part 1)

Posted on January 28, 2022 by Virginia Ignelzi

Helen Ruger winning the Beaumont Prize at the 2019 UTK Undergraduate Classics Conference. Photo credit: UTK Classics department.

This month, I spoke with a friend and fellow Classics major about her experiences with the Laidlaw Scholars program. Below is the first part of our conversation, in which we talk about how she was introduced to the program, her experiences with faculty mentorship, and the topic she chose to research in her first summer with the program. (This interview is lightly edited for clarity and length.)

Virginia: How did you hear about the program? Can you sketch out that story for me?

Helen: I found the program on the URF website my freshman year around December when all freshmen were thinking about internships over the summer. I was really interested in research. I had done independent research in high school in Classics. It seemed like such an incredible program. You get to design your own project, and you receive funding for two summers.

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