Honors 301H Class Trip ~ Spring 2013

          Honors students at Penn State Harrisburg may be in different majors, but they will collide in a class called Honors 301H:  The Role of Knowledge in Society.  A class trip is usually one of the most attractive components of this special course.  In Fall 2013, the class is currently in Pittsburgh with Honors Program Director Dr. Ronald Walker and Honors Program Assistant Director Dr. Martha Strickland. While other Honors graduates traveled to the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, Virginia with Dr. Margaret Jester, Associate Professor of English and Humanities, the Spring 2013 class explored Washington D.C and Baltimore with Drs. Charles Kupfer and John Haddad, Associate Professors of American Studies.

 

Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

          A group of fourteen Honors students from American Studies, Business, Communications, Electrical Engineering, English, Life Science, Political Science, and Psychology completed Dr. Kupfer's Honors 301H.  Although three of us could not make it to the class trip due to conflicts of schedules, all of us had lots of fun in class discussing knowledge acquisition problems and solutions from the past, present, and future.   In particular, Dr. Kupfer introduced arete, an ancient Greek concept in which the appreciation of "things that hang together in proportion is intrinsically beautiful."  This idea permeated our class throughout the semester.  Our knowledge was enriched through reading books of various subjects and genres, appreciating music and videos, writing papers, and applying what we learned in small group presentations. 

         
          We embarked on our highly anticipated journey to Washington D.C. on April 5, 2013.  Our first stop was the National Portrait Gallery where we were greeted by many famous faces like the American Presidents, writer Harriet Beecher Stowe, poet Langston Hughes, and social reformer Frederick Douglass while enjoying a private tour with historian Mr. David Ward. Then, we walked to the Library of Congress, the largest library in the world.  We could have spent all day marveling at its architecture, sculptures, exhibits, and rare books collection.  In the evening, we immersed in a world class concert by the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.

          After a good night's rest at the Capital Hyatt Regency Hotel, we headed to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland the next day.  Not only was it Dr. Kupfer's alma mater, but it was also the first American university to adopt the German model of research and seminar-style lectures which revolutionized knowledge production in higher education ever since, as Dr. Kupfer mentioned.  Before we set out to the Inner Harbor on our own, we had pizza at Dr. Kupfer's favorite PJ's Pub (don't worry, we did not consume any alcohol) and discovered an offbeat attraction, the American Visionary Art Museum, where avant-garde and visionary artists created many a thought provoking art works. 

          Although most of us have visited Washington D.C. and Baltimore before, we did not venture into these eye-opening experiences.   First-timers to both cities found the trip pleasant and exciting.  This knowledge tour was memorable, and we could not agree more!

By Rosemary Yee

Fall 2013 Distinguished Honors Faculty Series with Dr. Jeremy Blum ~ 1 of 2

 

          How did the 16-day government shutdown affect students at Penn State Harrisburg?  While some of us encountered difficulty accessing federal websites for our research, others missed the opportunity to visit the Pentagon.  Despite the cancellation of the highly anticipated Segway tour, eleven Honors students made their way to the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. with Dr. Jeremy Blum, Associate Professor of Computer Science, on October 5, 2013. 

          After enjoying a delicious Tex-Mex lunch at Austin Grill in downtown Washington, we walked to the International Spy Museum which was about two blocks away.  Dr. Blum wondered if we could find anything related to Edward Snowden in the Museum.  Perhaps it was a little too sensitive for the Museum to collect, but for James Bond fans, they were treated with an exhibit about Ian Fleming and his World War II experience that inspired the creation of  Dr. No, the first Bond movie. The Museum also showcased the history of spying across cultures, from the Japanese Ninja to the Greek Trojan Horse. Believe it or not, according to the Museum, the city with the highest spy population is our nation's capital, and George Washington is "America's First Spymaster."  Indeed, one of the highlights of our trip was seeing George Washington's original letter to Nathaniel Sackett, an American who collected intelligence for Washington about the British troops in 1777.  The Museum would like to share this authentic document while maintaining its quality, and it is only on display for two months annually. Fortunately, we were able to have a glimpse of it before it hibernates. 

 

                      

 By Rosemary Yee

New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies ~ September 20, 2013

          Let's face it.  Neither New York Mets nor Philadelphia Phillies advanced to the World Series 2013.   However, whether you choose to cheer for St. Louis Cardinals or Boston Red Sox, we would like to share our fun-filled baseball trip with you.

          

      

          Have you ever watched a baseball game at a ballpark or stadium?  With Honors Program Director Dr. Ronald Walker and American Studies Associate Professor Dr. John Haddad as our guides, about fifty students hopped on the bus to Philadelphia's Citizen Bank Park to enjoy a game of New York Mets against Philadelphia Phillies on this beautiful fall evening.  While many of us are baseball fans and have watched a live game before, it is a brand new experience for some of us.  Soon after Dr. Walker welcomed everyone aboard, Dr. Haddad gave us a brief history of baseball since the late nineteen century.  We learned how the media turned baseball into a big part of popular culture in America as well as other countries influenced by American culture, such as Japan and Cuba. Prior to our arrival to Philadelphia, our baseball background knowledge was further enhanced by viewing Ken Burn's Baseball during the two-hour bus trip.

 

         Sitting in Section 143, our group was joined by more than 33,000 enthusiastic fans at the Citizen Bank Park.  Phillies fans had been patiently waiting for the Phillies in the first few innings because the Phillies was falling behind.  Meanwhile, we saw how the baseball field was groomed every now and then while beer vendors were busily running up and down the aisles to satisfy eligible consumers.  The climax came when Phillies' Darin Ruf had a three-run double during the fourth inning.  Phillie Phanatic, the Phillies' mascot, made a brief appearance by riding on his all- terrain vehicle and dancing with the cheerleaders from Drexel University.  Not long after the seventh inning stretch, some spectators realized that the Mets was likely the winner and they had better take off earlier to beat the traffic.  Although the Mets topped the Phillies 6-4, our baseball experience did not end here. We concluded our Friday night with The Natural, a movie based on Bernard Malamud's baseball novel, on our way home.

 

By Rosemary Yee

Pizza with Professor Series: Dr. Richard Ciocci ~ September 19, 2013

          Dr. Richard Ciocci, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, introduced the idea of sustainability to about twenty Honors students in September.  Do you realize any recycling bin on campus?  Dr. Ciocci reminded us that Penn State has been doing a good job recycling.  Most importantly, he encouraged students to put recyclables into their respective categories.  Our custodians are advised to throw away a whole bag of recyclable paper if a plastic bottle is found in it. He also asked students to guess what some recycled objects were made from.  All of us had a hard time guessing a black block which turned out be made out of Styrofoam.  Besides recycling, Dr. Ciocci wished to find out how many cell phones students went through since they owned their first ones.  While most of us are using our second or third cell phones, a few of us are enjoying their fifth ones!  He then brought up the sustainability triad, where society, environment, and economy were closely related.  As he shared some news articles with us, he interpreted that Human Impact (I) on the environment is the product of Population (P), Affluence (A), and Technology (T), i.e. I = PAT.  With the projected increase in global population and affluence in the foreseeable future, the only way to minimize human impact on the vulnerable environment would be decreasing the use of technology or making good use of our technology.  Though it is not an easy goal to achieve, and changing our current lifestyles is easier said than done, can you come up with some ways to be more environmental friendly?

By Rosemary Yee