Seminar probes: ‘Who are you?’ ‘What do you believe?’

Scattered through Dr. Chad Berry’s syllabus for FRS120: Perspectives on the Individual is a Socratic imperative, a Buddhist apothegm and quotes from noted authors and philosophers like Alfred Korzybski, Ralph Ellison and Studs Terkel:

The unreflective life is not worth living.

There are two ways to slide though life: To believe everything or to doubt everything; both ways save us from thinking.

When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.

“The course is based on the belief expressed by Plato centuries ago that ‘the unexamined life is not worth living,’” explains Berry, associate professor of history and FRS120 coordinator. “In this course, we ask first-year students to examine their lives thus far, and we pose questions like ‘Who are you?’ ‘Why are you here?’ ‘What do you believe?’ ‘Where do you go from here?’ The hope is that by thinking about these questions, students will be able to connect their beliefs with who they are.”

Recognizing the transition period that characterizes the first semester of the freshman year, the theme for the seminar is “The Individual,” with topics including “Identity,” “Vocation,” “Lifestyle Choices,” and “Belief and Unbelief.” Students explore the topics through shared readings, materials and experiences that not only represent different modes of delivery, but also allow the students to sample the liberal arts.

In addition to various essays collected in a College-published textbook entitled Perspectives on the Individual, FRS120 classes watch related documentaries and read novels such as Brad Land’s Goat, Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie, Homer Hickam’s Rocket Boys, Don Jose Ruiz’ The Four Agreements, Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner and Yann Martel’s Life of Pi.

Students discuss the themes in class and through The Tartan, an Internet-based educational platform. And they’re required to keep a journal, where they record their reactions to and reflections on readings, discussions and projects.

Assessments from the College’s Center for Calling & Career are incorporated in FRS120 to help students think about vocational callings. Prior to fall semester enrollment, students take a battery of tests to gauge their interests, values and personality types. In the fall, students meet individually with Assessment Director Marla Whipple, who helps them interpret the findings and decide how they should explore their vocational leanings.

FRS120 projects include interviewing people about their vocational choices and developing a one-week wellness plan that includes physical, emotional and spiritual aspects. Students also take online quizzes about time management, learning styles, stress, spiritual types and tolerance.

Their final assignment is a 1,600-word essay about themselves and their experiences from the semester. Writing it, they are required to draw from their personal journals.

“The primary goal of the course is for students to become an active agent of change, so we want them to reflect on ‘Where did I begin?’ ‘Where am I now?’ ‘Were these experiences good or bad, beneficial or harmful, static or dynamic?’ ‘Am I better or worse because of the experiences?’” Berry said. “Then we ask them to conclude the paper with consideration about where they would like to be in terms of these issues a year from now.”

Also on the FRS120 syllabus is time for students to register for the spring semester. Academic advising goes hand-in-hand with the course; until students declare their majors, they are paired with their FRS120 faculty member for help with everything from registering for courses to working through the emotional pressures of being a new college student.

Elliott Sylvester ’09 recently met with Berry, his advisor, to plan a second-semester schedule that will include courses necessary for an art major. The first-year student from Covina, Calif., credits Berry, the seminar course and his classmates with helping him answer some important questions.

“[In the class] I can really take some time to see who I am and where I am going,” he said. “We have deep discussions about life, work and individuality – all of which lead us on a path to independence and self discovery. I have learned so much about myself and truly have been able to see what I really want.

“I think that if it were not for this class, I would not have been able to adjust so well to college …,” he continued. “I now have a clear outlook on who I am, and I know that [outlook] will lead me to where I need to be.”