Course Content
Topics that will be explored:
Introduction to the University, Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS), and the role of international students
Liberal arts education: how to think vs. what to think
Engaging with difference: diversity, community, and intercultural relationships
Social justice
Presentation skills via the group project
The identities and uneven experiences of international students
Becoming global leaders
Designing a successful four-year university experience
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."
-John Quincy Adams
Liberal Arts Education
What is a liberal arts education? This is one of the most profound questions for a liberal arts student. Students can fall into the trap of being so immersed in their majors and progress towards their career path that they neglect to reflect on this question.
What Should It Mean to Be Liberally Educated in the 21st Century? provides several points regarding how colleges should do to facilitate students to become global citizens in the liberal arts field.
According to Bok, it is important for colleges to help students develop interpersonal skills and find greater purpose in their lives so that they could be prepared for the challenge of adult life. He highlights the importance of liberal arts education by recommending colleges to encourage community service, offer courses in moral reasoning, promote civil discourse on issues relating to race, class, gender, and sexual orientation, and eventually produce engaged citizens. He then illuminates the significance of liberal arts education.
Social Identity
Yet another question that an individual encounters in everyday life: What is my social identity for today?
This question gains prominence in every international student's life because the significance of certain social identities changes from one country to the next. For instance, some countries focus more on one's identity as male or female while other countries esteem one's nationality above all. This drastic change in how people view themselves when they relocate to another country can be a harrowing experience.
LAS 100 is an effort by multiple people, some of whom experienced this transition, to encourage and support international students through such uncertain and challenging times. Discussions with other students in similar situations, as well as encouragement from interns and teachers who can speak from personal experience, help students come to terms with their personal and social identities. The course material is centered around these experiences so that students have various sources to aid them.
Social Justice
Social justice can be defined as justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. What does social justice mean to you as a person? How does coming from different cultures, countries and backgrounds change your definition of social justice? Are the definitions very similar or completely different for each person?
These are some of the questions that international students grapple with, especially in a country such as the U.S. that is so rich in its diversity. LAS 100 provides the platform where one can engage their curiosity by conversing with people from a plethora of diverse backgrounds. It is not just important to know what people from other parts of the world think about social justice topics, but you must also know what you think. Once you have grasped that understanding, you can work towards achieving your own brand of social justice. This course guides students to answer the questions outlined above and provides resources offered by the university to help them on their journey to obtaining social justice wherever they find themselves.
Cosmopolitan Leadership
Cosmopolitan means to be at home all over the world. Here in the U.S. , one has to learn to interact with and lead people who come from various countries. Overcoming language barriers and biases, and establishing a language of understanding is one of the most important tasks of a cosmopolitan leader.
Humans have the tendency to remain in their own comfort zones where they feel secure in their knowledge of what to expect of other people. However, living in a foreign country often compels people to come out of their cocoon and encounter the unexpected. One gets into situations they never imagined and, as such, feels at a loss on how to react. LAS 100 is engineered to help students come out of their cocoons in a nonjudgmental environment among supportive faculty. It is a platform where one can make mistakes and learn from them while developing into a cosmopolitan leader who feels at home all over the world.