JOEY MANGANO
Staff Writer
Entering college for the first time is difficult for most students. Deciding a major, making new friends, adjusting to a new environment away from one’s parents, and acquiring the apt skills necessary to succeed in a university setting are some of the challenges first-year students will face. The first-year seminar program aims to equip freshman with the proper tools to meet these challenges head-on.
“I want my students to finish the class with a better understanding of themselves and confidence in what they can do as students, friends and citizens,” said Chris Stivers, professor of the first-year seminar “Communication Arts: Tools for Greater Effectiveness.”
All students entering Pepperdine with 30 or less credits are required to take either a first-year seminar course, Great Books Colloquium, or Social Action and Justice Colloquium. Most first-year seminar courses are one semester long while the Great Books Colloquium and Social Action and Justice Colloquium last for four courses.
According to the Pepperdine website’s New Student Orientation, the freshman seminar attempts to “build learning communities, to sharpen critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, to enhance effective communication, to improve information literacy, to apply the University’s Christian mission, and to hone life-management skills.”
“Having a core group with so many people becoming acquainted with not only the professor, but also making so many new friends is a valuable experience,” said J.P. Dominguez, a freshman majoring in political science. “You end up finding about what your purpose in life is”.
Dominguez is taking the course “Preparing for a Life Purpose, Service and Leadership,” taught by Dean of Student Affairs Mark Davis. According to the course description, students “will examine how people find purpose in life, with special emphasis on how Christian beliefs inform this search.”
Dominguez said his favorite part of the class so far was on Step Forward Day when his class went to a homeless shelter. While there they passed out food and played with the children. “It was awesome. I love helping out the community.”
Students may choose from a wide array of courses ranging from historical perspectives such as “Portraits of Resisting Evil in Hitler’s Germany” to musical examinations such as “The Spirit of Mozart.” Other topics include themes that touch on communication, psychology, medicine, theology, community service, politics, leadership, and morality.
Students may not withdraw from a course once they have made their decision. Some of the Pepperdine students and staff disagree with this policy.
“I believe that students should be able to take a different course if it doesn’t work for them,” said Dr. Joe Burke, an adjunct professor in the Humanities and Teacher Education Division at Pepperdine.
Burke instructs the first-year seminar course “On Becoming.” The course is based on education of the mind, heart and soul, from selfishness to serving others, added Burke. “On becoming wise, on becoming good, and on becoming loving.”
Burke asked students this semester to try to balance justice and compassion when he had them assume roles in which they would suggest a sentence for Dennis Rader, the BTK killer. The roles students played included victims, detectives on the case, the wife and friends of the BTK killer, and anyone that would be in a position to suggest a sentence to a judge. “The students had to really think about what’s wise, fair and loving.”
Students who are undeclared and trying to decide on a major can look to their first-year seminars for guidance.
“I help students who aren’t sure yet,” says Dr. Laurie Nelson, an associate professor of sports medicine.
Nelson teaches the “Becoming a Physician: Medical School Preparation Begins Now” course. “I just want them to both be on the right track and know what that track is. I don’t want anyone to get to their junior year and wonder whether they are going to be successful or not.”
The first-year seminar also provides guidance for undeclared students seeking a direction to take their college career.
“I love my first-year seminar and it has helped me decide my major,” said Rachel Robinson, an undeclared freshman who will soon declare business as her major. Robinson says she made the decision after completing the Strength Quest, a quiz designed to help students realize their strengths.
For many students the first-year seminar serves as a change of pace from the everyday classes that some students feel can become tedious. Many Professors design interesting activities, field trips, and even have their students over for dinner.
Dr. John Jones, an assistant professor of communication, says he has his “Rhetoric and Social Influence” students over to his condo on campus to watch and discuss Michael Moore’s documentary Fahrenheit 9/11. Jones says that last year the students from his first-year seminar on Ronald Reagan visited the Reagan Library and the Reagan Ranch, places that are usually not open to the public.
Students in Professor Henry Price’s first-year seminar “The Spirit of Mozart” also have dinner at his house. “I enjoy having the students at my home,” said Price. “We have a meal and watch a music video. We let our hair down.”
Rachel Jones, a senior majoring in psychology, took Dr. Nelson her freshman year. Jones says her most memorable experiences in the class were hiking at Dana Point and doing yoga in Heritage Hall. Jones also said that she still sees many of her classmates around campus. “It helped establish a friends basis for me at Pepperdine.”
When discussing cognition and the “Aha!” moment Stivers has his students tussle with an ostensibly impossible situation until each student finds a solution experiencing their own “Aha!” moment.
Many of my activities take students out of their comfort zone, said Stivers. “I better not say much more because my students may read this and I have plenty of goodies up my sleeve.”
12-15-2005
