Regis University
Honorable News Volume 8, Issue 2 14 Dec 2012
The Gift of Learning — Dr. Howe, Associate Director of the Honors Program
“There is no more
“It is the idea that through an ongoing conversation we come to form our psyches and create a rich and imaginative inner landscape.”
Inside this issue:
with ideas, and great writers
dangerous or disgusting hab-
comes about (and it certainly
and thinkers we can find
it,” G. K. Chesterton writes,
comes to all of us—students
some of the best ways of
“than that of celebrating
and faculty alike), I find it
growing into our humanity.
Christmas before it comes.”
helpful to remember what it is
It believes that knowledge
When you are buried in paper
that propels and pulls forward
can also be wisdom. It is
and busied with deadlines of
the work we do here. We like
the idea that through an
every sort, it can be hard to
to think that Honors is a com-
ongoing conversation we
see just what Chesterton is
munity of learners; and not
come to form our psyches
bemoaning. It is quite possi-
only learners, but lovers of
and create a rich and imagi-
ble that, at some point, with
learning. Of course, this
native inner landscape. To
just a few days to go before
means lots of things and we
be a lover of learning is to
Christmas, you‟ll have a
all have our own ways of lov-
live in a bigger world, more
chance to look above your
ing.
capable of rich solitude.
pile of work and realize that
We Say, They Say
2
Dr. Palmer’s Response
2
The Good 3 News: Connie’s Response You See, I am a Lover of Learning
too many bruises. When this
3
the advent calendar your aunt
But this is no lonely pursuit As the light and peace of
because we do these things
sent you has weeks of uno-
Christmas Break comes our
in communities. The love
pened doors.
way, I invite you to think
of learning means also that
about what the love of learn-
in this love of books and
ing looks like to you. In the
ideas we spill out and are
busyness that comes at the
meantime, let me offer some
taken into the world as
end of a semester can make
thoughts from my own per-
selves more capable of par-
the work we do at our college
spective. I think the love of
ticipating with others and
feel like a chore, a series of
learning has something to do
our environments as com-
obstacles that one merely
with the trust that through a
plex and caring individuals.
wants to get through without
relationship with the past,
The particular kind of
We Say, They Say: What’s the most important modern story that we should be telling ourselves this time of year? For our second Honors Discussion Board question, Dr. Palmer called us to reflect upon the year, our celebration of the holidays, and the stories that we tell ourselves. The question he posed to us stated, “A wise elf once said, „We tell ourselves stories about the holidays in order to survive the holidays.‟ What‟s the most important modern (after Dickens) story that we should be telling this time of year? We received several fantastic stories from all sorts of genres, each one speaking to the holiday season in their own way. Now we‟ve asked Dr. Palmer and Connie Gates to give us their answers.
one of us can do the work Dudley
ourselves stories in order to survive.
love telling myself many of the
does as an angel, and Professor
We tell ourselves stories in order to
same Christmas stories every year.
Wutheridge‟s book really will be writ-
live abundantly, in each and every sea-
I tell myself the story of Christmas
ten. I tell myself to sing “loud for all
son. So for today, for the time being, I
Eve, and I hear Linus saying the
to hear.” And so it goes. I could nev-
choose White Christmas.
words. I tell myself the story of
er choose one story for the whole sea-
George Bailey and his marvelous
son—any more than Annie Dillard
epiphany. I tell myself that every
could choose one dot. We don‟t tell
I asked the question because I
— Dr. Palmer
Ideas for what our next conversation question should be? Let us know! Email Connie at cgates@regis.edu, or James Persichetti at jpersichetti@regis.edu. And don‟t forget to still come by and add your thoughts to the board. Page 2
Honorable News
We Say, They Say: The Good News — Connie Gates, Honors Program Mom
more important than any
again.” We remember the
Joseph go to Bethlehem,
other human being born
nativity story today be-
Christmas stories have
there is no room at the
into this world since the
cause we Christians wait
one thing in common;
inn, and the baby Jesus is
beginning of time. What
in joyful expectation
someone gives up their
born in a lowly stable and
makes Jesus important is
EVERY DAY for Jesus
own desires to make an-
laid in a manger. Certain-
His death; a death Chris-
to come again. Whatever
other‟s world a better
ly not the best place to be
tians believe redeemed
we may believe about who
place. It should be obvi-
born, but not the worst
humankind.
Jesus is, His selfless life
ous that all those stories,
either. (Insert imagination
over the past 2000 years,
and think about some of
the most important
through our actions we
should be based on the
the births you‟ve read
“modern” Christmas story
each individually have the
original Christmas story,
about in stories!) At this
is the Good News:
opportunity to let our
the birth of Jesus. We all
point in our story the
“Christ has died, Christ
neighbor know “God
know that story, Mary and
newly born human is no
has risen, Christ will come
blesses us every one.”
It seems to me that all
From my perspective,
and death remind us that
You See, I Am a Lover of Learning “I would rather
— Brian Nakayama, class of 2013, and Gina Nordini, Class of 2016 You see, I am a lover of
suffer with the knowledge
analyze for the implicit mean-
learning. When reading about
than live blindly without it.
ing the director is trying to
the war in Vietnam, when
To live in this world I must
get across and the symbolism
searching for information
know it, and the process of
of the props.
about human rights in Ugan-
learning helps me understand
da, when implementing the
a little bit more about our
watch trending videos online,
techniques for predicting
planet, every day.
much like other students my
branches in computer architectures I have a love not of the information in particular but of the process. When reading about the immanent passing of the “Kill the Gays” bill in Uganda, I often learn things I don‟t want to know, but I would rather
Volume 8, Issue 2
—Brian Nakayama ———————————I go to thrift stores and
knowledge than live blindly without it.”
I listen to music and
age, but I also listen to poetry
my passion for learning.
readings on YouTube.
I often wish my Honors
I spend more time than
Seminar class was longer than
spend most of my time look-
my work study position de-
ing through second-hand
mands in the hallway in Car-
bookshelves for that book
roll, conversing with English
just begging me to read it.
professors, Connie Gates,
I go to the movies and
suffer with the
seventy-five minutes. You see, I am a lover of Learning.
and other students who share
Page 3
—Gina Nordini
Regis University Honors Program Address: Carroll Hall 121 3333 Regis Blvd H-16 Denver Colorado 80221 PHONE: 303-458-4360 E-MAIL: honors@regis.edu WEBSITE: www.regis.edu/honors
We’re on Facebook!! “Honors Program Students”
Reaching New Heights... The Honors Program at Regis is an alternative way of fulfilling the liberal arts core requirements which are an essential part of the Regis College degree. Students in the Honors Program enjoy courses designed especially for them by faculty from all divisions of the college. The program stresses interdisciplinary study, small group interaction, and individual student initiative. Although it overlaps the standard core in several respects (number of credit hours required to complete the honors core is essentially the same as the standard core), the Honors Program is an excitingly different way to experience the broader education of a liberal arts college.”
Attention Honors Students! Things to know for this spring semester
Honors Luncheon on January 25th, from 11 to 1:30. Come for a baked potato bar! Honors Luncheon on February 15th, from 11 to 1:30. Food TBA
Newsletter requests, ideas, submissions? Contact James Persichetti at
Stay tuned for upcoming SHAC events in the spring.
jpersichetti@regis.edu for further information.