February 9, 2015 | honors.missouri.edu

To write or not to write

A look at the new Chapter One Honors couse

All About the AdsSuper Bowl XLIX commercials

A Guide to MU

Scholarships

explorateUniversity of Missouri Honors College Newsletter

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WHAT IS THE MULTICULTURAL CERTIFICATE?

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

It’s a personalized course of study consisting of applied experiences examining multiculturalism and diversity. The certificate is earned alongside your undergraduate degree when you complete certificate requirements.

WHAT CAN THE MULTICULTURAL CERTIFICATE DO FOR ME?Earning the certificate is a way to acknowledge your study of multicultural and diversity issues. In an increasingly global environment, earning this certificate better prepares you to understand and facilitate cross-cultural interaction in your life and in the world at large.

HOW DO I EARN A MULTICULTURAL CERTIFICATE?You need to complete a coherent program of 15 credit hours from a list of approved courses (list available at http://multicultural.missouri.edu) which critically evaluate and examine issues such as gender, race, ethnicity, religion, region, sexuality, class inequality, globally or in the United States. Courses completed for your major, minor, general education requirements or electives can all count toward yourMulticultural Certificate.

– Courses must be chosen from at least 2 different departments or programs. – At least 6 credits must be completed at the 3000 level or above. – At least 9 credits must be completed in residence.– A grade of C- or higher must be earned in each course, and students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 for overall coursework counting towards the certifcate. – Approved research-based undergraduate courses, Study Abroad courses approved through the Center for International Programs and Studies, and transcript-designated “Service-Learning” coursework are among the possibilities. One course (up to 3 credit hours minimum and 6 credit hours maximum) may include an applied experience of cultural difference. – Only coursework in foreign languages that is numbered above 2100 is applicable, and the maximum number of such credit hours is 6. – An undergraduate degree must be awarded simultaneously with the certificate. – Due to the highly individualized nature of the Multicultural certificate, students must develop a course of study in consultation with a multicultural certificate advisor, as well as with their major advisor.

Requirements

For a list of approved courses, visit http://multicultural.missouri.edu. You can contact the Multicultural Certificate Director, Etti Naveh-Benjamin, with further inquiries at NavehBenjaminE@missouri.edu. You can also contact the Multicultural Certificate Program office at McReynolds 58, call us 573-882-1117, or email us at multicultural.certificate.mizzou@gmail.com.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI MULTICULTURAL CERTIFICATE58 McReynolds Hall

in this issue3

9

Announcements

Sports: All About the AdsSuper Bowl XLIX commercials

11 Faculty: To write or not to writeA look at the new Chapter One Honors course

5 A Guide to MU

Scholarships

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FacebookUniversity of Missouri Honors College

Twitter@MUHonors

explorate contributors

editorRachel Koehn

staff reportersSiyu Lei

Jacob RenieKelsie Schrader

faculty adviserMegan Boyer

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explorateexplorate (ex-plo-raht) is a plural imperative form of the Latin verb explorare, “to ex-plore.” Drawing on the Hon-ors College motto, Explore. Dream. Discover., explorate invites students to seek out every opportunity available to them.

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Cover photo by Katy Mersmann.

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AnnouncementsHonors Scholarship Applications Due Feb. 27th

The Honors Scholarship Application can be found at http://honors.missouri.edu/students/scholarship_applica-tion.pdf

Application packets must include: o The Honors Scholarship Application. o One letter of recommendation from a MU faculty member. o A copy of your most current transcript. o An essay of no more than 500 words describing why you have chosen to pursue an Honors education.

These scholarships are awarded only to currently-enrolled MU students. Students may apply for any or all of these scholarships by completing the Honors Scholarship Application. Applications for each year will be accepted be-tween start of Spring Semester and the final Friday in February. Winners will be announced at the Honors College Spring Reception.

Additional information about the available scholarships and awards can be found at http://honors.missouri.edu/students/scholarships.php under Honors College “Endowed Scholarships.” Please direct questions to Megan Boy-er at boyerm@missouri.edu. $1000 in Prizes Available for Rewriting Realities Creative Literature + Art Competition!

Get your creative juices flowing and win cash prizes in the second annual Rewriting Realities competition! Your entry should fit one of two categories: visual art or creative literature. Use your writing or artwork to respond to this year’s question:

WHAT SHAPES YOUR IDENTITY? Give us your understanding of self. Where does identity come from? How does identity affect reality? What is your place in society?

Prizes of $300, $200, $100 are available in EACH category! All submissions are due by February 22nd. Enter online and find out more at multicultural.missouri.edu/rewriting-realities. Please email us at rewritingrealities.mu@gmail.com with any questions.

Tigers Advancing Political Participation: Panel on Economic Inequality

Tigers Advancing Political Participation (TAPP) is hosting a panel on economic inequality, discussing its history, politics and socioeconomic factors on February 12th at 7 p.m. in the St. Louis/Kansas City room in the Student Center.

The panel of professors will include: Professor Aura - Economics, Professor Darolia - Public Affairs, Professor Bjornstrom - Sociology, and Professor Mueser, Economics.The event will last approximately an hour. Panelists will explain different aspects of economic inequality first, and a Q&A session will follow.

TAPP is an educational branch located under the Associated Students of the University of Missouri. TAPP provides an open forum for discussion, thought, and learning about relevant political topics in order to educate students about the every day political issues that surround us.

Please contact Helen Bass at hjb89b@mail.missouri.edu if you have questions.

Study Abroad Info Session: International Development: NGOs and Advocacy in Ghana

Tuesday, February 10 | 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.2206C MU Student Center

Interested in adding an internship to your resume and work experience? Then go to Ghana this summer, earn up to 6 MU credits and participate in an internship in international development focusing on human rights, public health, gender issues, poverty alleviation or children’s rights. Explore how NGOs use visual media to represent their messages. Get hands-on experience working with organizations in Ghana.

To learn more about this exciting study abroad opportunity, contact Valerie Kaussen (kaussenv@missouri.edu) and Monika Fischer(fischerm@missouri.edu), faculty program directors. For more information visit http://inter-national.missouri.edu/ghana-film. Study in Ireland this summer and attend the Galway Film Fleadh

English 4260H: Dublin, Cork and the West: The City and the Country in Irish Literature (3) Contact Bill Kerwin at kerwinw@missouri.edu.Public Affairs 7001 (cross-listed with film studies, honors credit available for 7001): Contemporary Irish Cinema: Cultural Policy and Cultural Identity (3) Contact Jim Scott at scottj@missouri.edu.

In a country of 4.5 million people, a variety of films (features, shorts, animation, and television) are written, di-rected, performed, edited and produced by Irish professionals. In 2012, Irish films generated about $750 million in revenue, and employed more than 6,000 people. Why and how does such a small nation have such a large and vibrant film industry? Perhaps the best way to investigate these questions is to attend the Galway Film Fleadh. This course is designed to do just that. The Film Fleadh is also one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World. http://international.missouri.edu/study-outside-the-us/programs/detail.php?program=10017

AIESEC at Mizzou is currently recruiting members

AIESEC is the world’s largest student organization, a partner of the United Nations, and currently located in 124 countries and territories. AIESEC is an experiential leadership development platform and allows students the opportunity to work for an international business, to network with students and companies from all around the world, and the opportunity to help send university students abroad on an international volunteer and internship opportunities and to bring international students into the United States for internships. If you would like to learn more there will be an info session Thursday February 5th in Tate 102 6pm.

Applications are due: February 6th at 11:59 pm. Application link: http://aiesecus.org/global-leader/apply/

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ScholarshipsA Guide to MU

Honors College Student Experiential Learning Award (HC-SELA)

The Honors College offers small cash awards of between $100 and $500 each to students pursuing supplemental experiential learning opportunities. These awards are pri-marily designed to help support off-campus research and education, including attendance at academic conferences, internships, study abroad, and archival visits, among other possibilities. If you have a question about the eligibility of an experiential learning opportunity you have in mind, please contact us to discuss it.

To be eligible for funding, you must be a member of the Honors College in good standing. Applications are accept-ed year round but must be received by the Honors College at least two months in advance of the intended use of the funds.

For application details, please visit: http://honors.mis-souri.edu/students/scholarships.php.

Honors College Endowed Scholarships These scholarships are awarded only to currently-enrolled MU students. Students may apply for any or all of these scholarships by completing the Honors Scholarship Appli-cation, which can be found at: http://honors.missouri.edu/students/scholarships.php. Applications for each year will be accepted from the start of Spring Semester.

Honors College Freshman ScholarshipAn applicant must be enrolled as a freshman, have a mini-mum 3.5 cumulative GPA, and have freshman year course-work that represents the ideals of a good honors education.

Rhodes Clay ScholarshipAn applicant must be enrolled as an Arts and Science freshman. Selection is based on scholarship and literary attainment, without regard to financial need.

W. Alton Jones Memorial ScholarshipAn applicant must be enrolled as an Arts and Science freshman or sophomore. Particular attention is given to those who plan a major or career in art, music, commu-nications, art history & archaeology, classical studies, phi-losophy, English, German, Russian, Asian Studies, or ro-mance languages. Scholastic excellence and financial need (as determined by Financial Aid standards) are the basis for selection.

Scholarship OpportunitiesDisseminating scholarship and research opportunities is critical to the Honors College mission of identifying and supporting students who excel inside and outside of the classroom. Taking advantage of campus oppor-tunities (i.e. funding, research, community service, professional and career development, etc.) is essential to enabling the transformative experiences that the Honors College promotes for all of its students. Funding is particularly impactful, and there is a variety of opportunities for first-time college students, continuing undergraduates, and international and transfer students from all academic units. Much more information is provided at the following link: http://financialaid.missouri.edu/types-of-aid/scholarships/index.php.

Honors College Scholarships

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Awards for Honors College students in all areas of study

For information about the scholarship opportunities in each academic depart-ment, please click on the links below:

College of Arts and Science http://coas.missouri.edu/scholarships/deptlist.cfm

College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources http://cafnr.missouri.edu/academics/financial.php

School of Natural Resources http://snr.missouri.edu/academics/financial.php

Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business http://business.missouri.edu/programs-and-admissions/undergraduate/cost-financial-aid

School of Accountancy http://business.missouri.edu/programs-and-admissions/accountancy/cost-financial-aid

College of Education http://education.missouri.edu/academics/financial_assistance/index.php

College of Engineering http://engineering.missouri.edu/scholarships/

College of Human Environment Sciences http://hes.missouri.edu/scholarships.html

School of Social Work http://ssw.missouri.edu/scholarships.html

School of Health Professions http://shp.missouri.edu/students/scholarships.php

School of Journalism http://journalism.missouri.edu/admissions/undergraduate/financial-aid-support/

School of Nursing http://nursing.missouri.edu/paying-for-education/scholarships/

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Coming in at a record-setting 114.4 million viewers, NBC announced that this year’s Super Bowl was the most watched broadcast in U.S. TV history. It was one for the record books ending with what Deion Sanders called, “The worst play call in Super Bowl history.”

After falling behind by 10 in the third quarter, Tom Brady led his Patriots on a two-touchdown comeback that the Seahawks would just not be able to match. The Patriots had a small scare with one minute left play when Seattle Seahawk Jermaine Kearse made an amazing catch and brought to mind the heroics of David Tyree back in Super Bowl XLII. A couple of plays later it was all over as Malcolm Butler’s interception on the 1-yard line ended any chance of a Seattle comeback.

But you already know how the game ended. Instead, let’s talk about those commercials! Every year, I hear people complain about how last year’s were better, but I disagree.

We only remember the best ones, and so it’s hard to compare the 50-plus commercials we see during the game to the two best we remember from the year before. And so without further ado, I give you your winners of the 2015 Super Bowl commercials:

Your official guide to Super Bowl XLIX commercialsBy Jacob Renie

SPORTS

All About the Ads

Cutest commercial: BudweiserBest throwback commercial: Snickers

Best dad commercial: Dove

Budweiser pulled at the heartstrings again this year bringing back two best buds: a puppy and a Clydesdale. This time the young pup accidentally gets taken far away and has to wander back home only to be confronted by a wolf when he gets there. Like before, the Clydesdale hears the puppy’s distress and runs out to save the day with his herd in tow. The commercial ends similarly to last year with the pup and his pals running up the drive to his master. It might be a copy of last year but who cares? If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

It was a toss up between BMW and Snickers, but I have to give it to Snickers. Sorry Katie Couric and Bryant Gumbel, but the Brady Bunch wins every time. Snickers used their classic “you’re not you when you’re hungry” line and it was perfection.

This year’s commercials were dominated by dads. Toyota and Nissan both gave it a shot, but Dove’s “real men care” slogan took the cake.

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Most progressive commercial: Always Funniest commercial: Avocado

Most surprising commercial: DiscoverBest movie trailer: Minions

Most creative commercial: EsuranceBest pun in a commercial: Mercedes

Always showed how society forces gender norms on young girls. They’re not born thinking that they can’t throw or run like the boys, but rather “learn” these things as they grow up. Shout out to all of our young women out there who, like this young girl, refuse to con-form to society’s standards.

There were some pretty funny commercials this year. Fiat’s Viagra spoof, Doritos’ man in the plane, and Clash of Clan’s revenge with Liam Neeson were all top shelf quality, but Avocado was the best. Despite what the announcers said, I think the sloth was a great pickup for Brazil.

Discover Card’s commercials are all about not letting surprises sneak up on your credit bill. And what better way to surprise the audience than to lure them into complacency with what they think is a reused commercial before hitting them with a screaming goat?

Esurance’s commercials comically showed Lindsay Lohan and Wal-ter White filling in for normal people who are “mostly like them.” Both were playing on the idea that just because the two are similar doesn’t mean its right for you.

Let’s be honest, the minions were the best part of both Despicable Me movies! I don’t know if I can even handle my excitement to see this movie. If the commercial is any indication of the movie, it will be one long laugh full of the slapstick comedy we have come to ex-pect from the little yellow creatures.

In the months leading up to the Super Bowl, Mercedes has teased mock SportsCenter debates over who was faster: the tortoise or the hare? We finally learned during the big game that the tortoise is, in fact, faster than the hare (with the help of a Mercedes of course). But it is the line at the end that makes this commercial so great. Just as the tortoise crosses the line, you hear the announcer say, “Intro-ducing the new hair raising power of the Mercedes.” Get it? Hair like hare. Great.

Information obtained from NBC and engadget.

may not be written down at all. Often times, these lists include activities such as traveling the world, learn-ing to play an i n s t r u m e n t , going skydiv-ing or helping someone in need. But there is another “com-mon” bucket-list item that may not seem obvious at first — writing a book. A lot of people, pro-fessor Alexan-dra Socarides noticed, have the goal of writing a book of some sort at

some point in their lives. The problem, of course, is know-ing where to start. With the help of her husband—a published au-thor—Socarides created a class that gives students the tools they need to write their own book. Professor Socarides has taught many courses in her eight years at MU, with the majority of them focused on 19th century Ameri-

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Professor Alexandra Socarides and author Alex George on the new Chapter One Honors course

can poetry. However, about a year ago, she and her husband, Alex George—who is not affiliated with MU—had a vision for a course that would allow students to begin making their dream of writing a novel a reality. So-carides, with her background in litera-ture, and George, a writer with practical experience, were the perfect team for the job. Together, they launched an all-new Honors course called Chapter One. In this one-credit course, students learn what goes into the first chapter of any great book. Over the course of the semes-ter, they will read the first chapter of 10 different books, and by the end of the course, they will have written the first chapter of their own novel. Students learn many aspects of writing throughout the course such as

Many people have a “bucket list” of some form—an idea of what they want to accomplish before they die. It might be handwritten on a sheet of loose-leaf paper or neatly typed and pinned on the wall. It might be an ever-chang-ing list or one carefully planned. It might be a compilation of hast-ily scribbled post-it notes, or it

FACULTY

To write or not to write—that’s not even a question

By Kelsie Schrader

Photo by Kelsie Schrader.

character develop-ment, dialogue, voice and setting. Howev-er, George’s experi-ence brings a unique aspect of writing to the course—time management. “I’m an attorney as well as writer, so I’ve had to merge these two things,” he said, which has allowed him to learn how to squeeze writing time into his busy days—something he says is very impor-tant for any writer. His first two books, in fact, were written in the early morn-ings before he went into work each day. He knew he needed to write each day, so he made it work. Thus, students are not only learning the craft of writing a novel—and how to keep the reader in-terested enough in the first chapter to continue reading—but also about how to develop their own writing potential. They will read the first chapter of a va-riety of books over the semester, rang-

ing from The Great Gatsby to Be-loved, from Great Expectations to The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Socarides and George said that they originally started with some 30 or 40 books, which they had to narrow down to just ten. “We thought, ‘If we only have ten, they each have to be totally stellar,’” Socarides said. As a re-sult, some well known titles did not make the cut, including Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone—the first chapter just wasn’t that great, Socarides said—and 100 Years of Solitude—which, Socari-des said, has a great first sentence but not a great first chapter. The class has already been a suc-cess, both for English and non-English majors. In fact, of the 12 students in the class, only three are majoring in English. Almost all of the remaining eight students have a science-related major, such as computer science, anthropol-ogy and biochemistry. This, Socarides said, is what makes the class so unique. “I really wanted a kind of diverse population of students,” Socarides said, and the nature of the class allowed for such diversity. Be-cause the class is only one credit hour, many students who would have otherwise not had room in their schedules for a “fun” class were able to take it. Additionally, because the class is really much less about the grade than about the experience, it is relatively low stress, allowing students to feel

more comfortable taking a class outside of their comfort zone. George said he has especially enjoyed the experience of teach-ing the class, as his only other teaching experience prior to Chapter One was a day of substi-tute teaching for a fourth grade class a few years ago.“For me, it’s just having the op-portunity to be in this environ-ment with students who are ea-ger to learn,” he said, and he can’t wait to see their progression from the beginning of the semes-ter to its end. Socarides and George both agree that they would like to offer the course again next year, but that it’s too early in the semester to tell right now whether it is plau-sible for this to occur. Regardless, the students taking this course will walk away at the end of the semester with much more than just one more credit hour for the Honors certificate on the list. They will walk away with knowledge on how to read and how to write. The majority will have taken a class they were genuinely interested in, even if it was not related to their major. And, for those who truly have al-ways dreamt of writing their own novel and just never knew where to start, they will walk away with the beginning of their books. And who knows—their books could end up on the bookshelves one day.

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February 9, 2015 | honors.missouri.edu

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore. Dream. Discover.”

— Source Unknown