Regis University
Honorable News Volume 9, Issue 1
Here For the Long Trek —Michael Sucharski, Class of 2017
18 Oct ‘13
“These challenges will give us such a deeper understanding of the university and the education of what we will receive here.”
Inside this issue: They Say / We Say
2
Honors Advisory Council
3
Director’s Note 3 Alumni Corner
4
Announcements 4 (Look at them, they’re really important)
ings we are assigned and the essays we write are much greater than those we faced in High School. I used to groan at the thought of writing a 3-page paper for AP English Literature, but that’s nothing compared to what we are faced with. And it will only get worse as we go along. But these challenges will give us such a deeper understanding of the university and the Above: The honors mural is almost complete! Thanks to education of what Grace Corrigan, Gabe Harper, and Hannah Breece we will receive here. It’s just like climbing a Being in the Honors Proforesight to see the rewards that mountain. The trek up is ardugram here at Regis is like lookwould be ours if we could only ous, but what a beautiful view ing up to the summit of a loom- climb the mountain? awaits us at the top! ing mountain. We stand there at It’s a personal question. But the base, craning our necks to I am so sure that being in I would say that, for me, the ansee the three professors standthe Honors Program will enaswer is all three. Certainly the ing at the peak. They seem so ble us to see more, to be program will provide all three. small from here, as do the other more, to do more, not just as These four years that we spend students who have already startstudents but as human beings, in the Honors Program will do ed to climb. I think to myself, that I am willing to climb so much to improve not only “How can I ever do that?” whatever peak that Bowie, how we learn, but also who we Palmer, and Bruhn decide to Then I remember that I are. It will be difficult, but we throw at us, and I know that was the one who chose to atsimply need to be able to see the all of you will be right there tempt this. We all did. Why? light at the end of the tunnel, the beside me. Thanks for starting Was it because we sought an stars shining in the night sky. this climb with me. additional challenge in our uniBut it’s a long tunnel that versity experience? Were we See you all at the summit! we face. The Honors Program is looking for a chance to prove nothing if not challenging. The ourselves? Did we have the length and difficulty of the read-
We Say, They Say: You’re filming Milton’s Paradise Lost and it’s time to cast Book III. Who’s playing God the Father? The discussions on our Honors board continue to excite lively responses and interesting ideas. This round our question came from Dr. Bruhn. See what students have said and what Dr. Bruhn and Dr. Kloos’ answers are, and stop by the Honors study room to see what our next question is!
Words from Dr. Bruhn
Dr. Kloos’ Insight
Max von Sydow: appropriately grey, formidable, stern, and righteous, but also brilliant at being wracked by compassion (see The Diving Bell and the Butterfly). Plus, he's old, so soon he'll be invisible, just like God!
Normally I'd say no one should play God the Father, since God is spirit, and people are always tempted to think of God as old, big, male, of European descent, deep voice, and so forth. But, in the spirit of the exercise: If I think of God as pure awesomeness, I might have to go with Tina Fey.
Questions or comments? Email Connie at cgates@regis.edu, or James Persichetti at jpersichetti@regis.edu. Page 2
Honorable News
Who’s Who in the Honors Advisory Council Meet the Honors Advisory Council, our wonderful staff that holds us together and keeps us sane.
“But perhaps our Dr. Howe Religious Studies
Dr. Palmer English
start this year has been a bit too hectic for you and you haven’t yet had time to
Dr. Bowie English
Dr. Jacobson Business
Dr. Penheiter Biology
reflect on these mysteries. If so, slow down!”
Director’s Note: October 2013 —Dr. Bowie, Honors Sage
How do you make humanity? “The thing being made in a university is humanity….” Wendell Berry As you think about your time in the university, and what it’s doing to you and what you’re doing for it, have you considered Berry’s notion that you are actually forming your very humanity? Enriching your capacity to become fully human? Shaping the character that will eventually shape the long arc of your adult life? We believe Berry is right, that you are indeed forming your very humanity. To read and communicate well, to confront comVolume 9, Issue 1
plex issues, to participate in great questions—all of these activities contribute immensely to the process of becoming fully human. In the end, your engagement with your education, your cultivation of your humanity, will ultimately allow you to accomplish mysteries and redeem the world! But perhaps our start this year has been a bit too hectic for you and you haven’t yet had time to reflect on these mysteries. If so, slow down! When I pause, I note many wonderful things happening in the honors community. The seniors are deeply immersed in thesis writing and they’ve been inspired by the thinking of
musician Robert Gupta; our first-year students have already formed a tight community, watching movies and devouring junk food, lunching at the foot of the mountains, and listening to remarkable poetry from Dr. Eleanor Swanson. In short, our seminars (Senior: Magis and the Search for Meaning; Firstyear: The Idea of a University) are flourishing, and I’m hearing good reports about the other honors offerings this fall. If you’ve been particularly impressed by a course or professor, please be sure to let me know—and it might also be good form to let the faculty know you appreciate their efforts as well.
As we look ahead, we will have an especially good presentation about internships and study abroad opportunities during FALL FEST on Oct 30th (6:00 Mt View Room, dinner provided), and we’ll also be doing advising for spring registration that evening. As you look ahead, be sure to look for places you’d like to get involved—with speakers who come to campus, with service activities, with your colleagues in the honors community—then take the plunge. You’re welcome at all our activities, you’re welcome to share your input, and most of all, you’re welcome to help the honors community at Regis become the one you want it to be.
Page 3
Stories Here and Now… —Jeff Hassebrock, Class of 2013
Medical school is like mental calisthenics. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term, calisthenics refer to the rhythmic, difficult, and preliminary exercises popularized by our armed forces. As I submerse myself into the rhythm—anatomy lecture, anatomy lab, histology, anatomy lab again—my mind often drifts back to Regis’ honors ‘version’. If there was one thing four years of Dr. Bowie’s calisthenics ingrained, it was to value stories, and their power to affect our lives. The more I learn, the more it seems that Dr. Bowie’s refrain gains traction. After all… “…the world isn’t made up of atoms. It’s made up of stories.” - Joseph O’Donnell, Senior Advising Dean at the Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth
Newsletter requests, ideas, submissions? Contact James Persichetti at jpersichetti@regis.edu or Michael Sucharski at msucharski@regis.edu for further information.
Regis University Honors Program Address: Carroll Hall 121 3333 Regis Blvd H-16 Denver Colorado 80221
Attention Honors Students! Would like to haveCarol: dinner and and we’ll our selections of dinner A you Christmas Would you like make to have dinner and attend the play with our first-year attend the play with our first-year guests based upon your timeless prose class? Would you make a wonderful ambassador for honors by engaging our newest students class? Would you make a wonderful or shameless appeals. in stimulating over dinner? Would you have the cheek to stand up to Dr. ambassador for honorsconversation by engaging our newest students in stimulating Honors 25 Oct, Palmer and defend poor TinyOctober Tim when heLuncheon, rails against the lad? If this is a mission you conversation over dinner? Would you Regis Room, 11:00-1:30. Come one, want to accept, a short—no more than 250 words—request to Dr. Bowie no have might the cheek to stand up to Dr.submit come all. Visit with classmates, honors nd Palmer and defend poor Tiny Tim students from other classes, honorable later than NOV 22 to attend dinner and the play (we’ll be attending on Thursday DEC 5th, when he rails against the lad? If this is faculty. Enjoy some of Connie’s amazfromyouabout your request a mission might 4:00-9:30). want to accept,Make ing food. Most ofcompelling, all, just join us.as we’ll be limited on the number of submit a short—no than 250 extra honorsmore students who can attend, and we’ll make our selections of dinner guests based words—request to Dr. Bowie no later or shameless Fall Fest: Wednesday, upon your timeless prose appeals. 30 October, than NOV 22nd to attend dinner and Mountain View Room, 6:00-8:00. play October 25 Oct, Regis Room, 11:30-1:30. Come one, come all. Visit the (we’ll be Honors attending onLuncheon: Thursth, from about 4:00-9:30). day DEC 5 with classmates, honors students from other classes, honorable faculty. Enjoy some of Make your request compelling, as amazing food. we’ll Connie’s be limited on the number of ex-Most of all, just join us. This month’s menu is the Last Summer Picnic tra honors who can Dogs, attend, salads, fruit, and cake. That’s right, cake. with students Chicago Hot
Fall Fest: Wednesday, 30 October, Mountain View Room, 6:00-8:00. Dr. Howe’s Invitation: Last April, a group of ten students headed off to the Colorado School of Mines for the First Annual Rocky Mountain Honors Symposium. While there, they met many other honors students from colleges up and down the front range. They socialized, ate, participated in a photo scavenger hunt, and competed in a friendly competition involving a presentation of a significant environmental challenge confronting Colorado. The event was such a success that we’ve all agreed to hold another symposium, again in the spring. Our host will be the University of Denver. Keep your eyes open for an invitation in the coming months. It’s open to anyone in the honors program and it is sure to be a good time.