Semester Reflections

1. The following questions have been part of the underlying themes of this semester's colloquiums and related activities.  How has your experience this semester helped you to interpret and address each?  Provide an example to support your conclusions for each.

   • How can art reshape or recontextualize an understanding of our (individual and societal) learned history, biases, and beliefs?

Art can be a form of a story, and with every story there is a history behind it. Any story can change one's ideas and beliefs and I believe that art can be the source for someone to create new ideas and to be able to be able to form a story through art for themselves.

1. • What are the theoretical models and practical strategies for initiating the creative process?

I think creating a timeline for a creative process will help make ideas roam and making an outline.

1. • How can we effectively incorporate feedback to revise and refine our ideas with greater depth and clarity? 

I think by proper reflection, it can help to revise and refine ideas. I know by me reflecting about my ideas it helps me to figure out how to make my project better.

2. Provide an example of a news-related item that you encountered outside of the colloquium dealing specifically with art as a mechanism for expressing one’s values, beliefs or lived experience that has captured your attention during the last few months. Indicate how (or whether) your engagement in the Arts program helped you understand it better.

I think an example of a news related item that  I have encountered  was in D.C on U street and there was a  mural painting of a black man playing the saxophone and he was a delivery person. It was a great representation of Black culture. It is believed that African-American culture, we created jazz to help us through the rough experiences of America.

3. From your experience so far, what Arts supporting courses, and/or courses you are taking towards your major, show the most interesting, surprising, and revealing intellectual connections to what you have learned or experienced as an Arts Scholar? Cite at least one course and describe the synergies connecting the knowledge you acquired in that course with that acquired in Arts Scholars.

      So far, I have taken Why Fiction Matters class and next I am taking a women's study class. Both of these classes connect to arts  scholars because they deal with a story and with every story there is a history.  Throughout taking the first course I mentioned, it has helped me with ideas pertaining to my writing since I am performing a speech. I believe that any story can make a big impact.

4. Discuss how or whether your learning was improved by interacting (in or out of class) with fellow Arts Scholars. Please use particular examples of how being a part of this living-learning community aided in expanding your learning and conversely, where it fell short.

     To be honest, I have not interacted with anyone outside Arts Scholars so much this semester. However, during my freshman year being in Bel-Air Hall helped my ideas because of the art that was all around me.

5. Scholars encourages active contribution by students, either in academic settings (e.g., colloquium discussions and projects; field trip activities; etc.) or as part of the larger Scholars community. In what manner have you contributed to the Arts program and community the semester?  What opportunities do you wish you were able to leverage to contribute more or in alternative ways?

        I believe my attending class every Tuesday has been my contributing factor in arts scholars.

6. Discuss whether being in Scholars brought you into contact with people or concepts that challenged your previous beliefs or opinions. What is the value of exploring perspectives that are different from, or challenge, your own?  Please provide an example.

I believe that me being in Arts Scholars has helped me creatively in many ways and I am very grateful for all of the opportunities that have been given to me. I guess before I thought art was just about drawing a picture, but a I realized that it is so much more than that.