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Persistence in a pandemic: College of Arts and Science students complete enriching summer experiences in science-based art, research
Oct. 16, 2020—Though the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled many students’ original summer plans, College of Arts and Science students adapted quickly. Through technology, creativity, and determination, they found ways to expand their horizons and continue preparing for life after Vanderbilt. Juniors Navya Thakkar, Skylar Cuevas, and Natalie Elliott all used their summers to complete hands-on research and art...
Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities, The Wond’ry collaborate on undergraduate coffee studies program
Sep. 29, 2020—Americans love coffee: according to Statista, two-thirds of us drink at least two cups per day. Many people, however, are unaware that the popular drink has a complicated past—and present. Together with The Wond’ry, the College of Arts and Science’s Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities aims to close that knowledge gap. Beginning this...
Professor uses centuries-old martial arts form to educate students about Brazilian democracy
Sep. 15, 2020—On a hot, muggy August evening, a group of masked students followed Gilman Whiting, associate professor of African American and Diaspora Studies, onto the lawn in front of Wilson Hall. There, they took up socially distanced positions and began working their way through a series of exercises designed to encourage rhythm, flexibility, balance, and cooperation....
Seizing the Opportunity to Accomplish Lifelong Goals: Alfred Prah, BA’19
Sep. 4, 2020—As a student in Ghana, Alfred Prah, BA’19, didn’t have access to a laptop or personal cell phone at the boarding school he attended. Despite that, he was captivated by the potential of technology to enrich his education and had dreams of using AI to make technology more useful and accessible to everyone. He knew...
History of Art and Architecture launches new major in architecture and the built environment
Sep. 3, 2020—For a number of years, the College of Arts and Science has offered courses in architecture, along with a pre-architecture advising program for students planning to pursue graduate study in the field. But the college didn’t have an actual degree in the subject—until now. Beginning with the 2020 fall semester, the History of Art and...
Economics Faculty Research Yields Valuable Insights on Student Loans and Personal Finance
Aug. 14, 2020—Are student loans a smart way to pay for college? Is pawning jewelry ever a good way to acquire extra cash? And why do humans have so much trouble making smart financial decisions? Economics faculty Paige Marta Skiba and Lesley Turner are researching the answers to these questions and providing key insights to help address...
New Political Science Research Debunks Myths About White Working-Class Support for Trump
Jul. 29, 2020—New research from Associate Professor of Political Science Noam Lupu challenges several common assumptions about white working-class support for President Donald Trump. Lupu conducted the research, outlined in the article “The White Working Class and the 2016 Election,” with Duke University’s Nicholas Carnes. The two first met in graduate school and have since collaborated many...
The Power of Mentoring: Susan Gessner Stewart, BS’90
Jul. 20, 2020—When Susan Gessner Stewart, BS’90, first came to the College of Arts and Science, her mind was firmly grounded on this planet—in the world of architecture, to be precise. Then a string of unexpected circumstances led her to the Department of Physics and Astronomy, where one professor’s mentoring changed the path of her life. Now...
Biological Sciences Ph.D. Student Finds Creative Outlet in Science-Themed Art
Jun. 30, 2020—It’s no surprise that Jacob Steenwyk became interested in art at a young age. Both his parents are artists: his father served as art director for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and his mother was a recognized art critic who has published in major magazines in the Philippines. Steenwyk loved making art as a child and...
Resources for Engaging With the Spirit of Juneteenth
Jun. 19, 2020—On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger declared to the state of Texas—the Confederacy’s western frontier—that “all slaves are free.” June 19, shortened to “Juneteenth,” quickly became an annual day of celebration for Texas’s black community. By the 1920s, it had spread around the country, and in 1979, the tradition came full-circle as...