honorificabilitudinitatibusWesson Honors Program neWsletternovember 2007 Vol. 5 no. 1

Last year, in Danforth Hall, there was a room on

the first floor that few students even knew existed.

It contained a small number of tables and chairs,

one whiteboard, limited material resources (books,

paper, writing utensils, etc.) and one computer.

Those of us who did know that this room existed

also knew that the printer only worked if you

really pleaded with it. This small space in Danforth

Hall was the only room on campus designated

exclusively for use by Wesson Honors Program

students. Well, the days of the finicky printer and

little room to organize any type of Honors Program

gathering are over!

The Wesson Honors Program has been given

clearance to renovate and maintain the rooms on

the fourth floor of Colgate Hall, also known as

the old art studio. The space contains one large

room with beautiful skylights and two smaller

rooms that are both double the size of the old

space in Danforth Hall. So far, immense progress

has been made regarding the space’s restoration.

One of the smaller rooms, “the blue room,” is

already painted, and it currently contains a brand

new table and chairs set, a computer, a whiteboard,

and a bookcase. This room is truly immaculate.

The other smaller room, “the green room,” is fully

painted as well, and the larger room is still in the

works in terms of painting and cleaning. A group

of Wesson Honors students have been meeting

in the space biweekly to determine who will have

access to each room and when, what types of

materials and resources will be provided in each

of the rooms, how the rooms will be decorated,

and how we will all maintain the space’s renewed

pristine appearance.

by Megan Ruggiero ‘10

I wish to sing the praises of the impertinent

question - the question some would say is “not

suitable to the circumstances, inappropriate,

and out of place.” But I do not think any question

- other than say “will this be on the test?” is out

of place in a classroom full of lively discourse

and thought. Rather I agree with Gary Trudeau,

the creator of the cartoon Doonesbury, that “the

impertinent question is the glory and engine of

human inquiry.” My use of the term “impertinent

question” is not original, but in the tradition of

scholarship as I understand it, builds on others’

ideas - amplifies, extends, and applies someone

else’s ideas - in new ways. I am particularly

intrigued by the way Trudeau’s “impertinent

questions” can be models for sustained inquiry,

invention, and creativity - the condition I want

for all of us. I encountered Trudeau’s ideas in

a commencement address at Yale three years

ago and his ideas have stuck with me -

or stuck to me - persistently. He offered these ideas

to the graduates: “The impertinent question

is the glory and engine of human inquiry.

Copernicus asked it and shook the foundations

of Renaissance Europe. Darwin asked it and it is

repudiated in certain quarters to this day. Thomas

Jefferson asked it and was so invigorated by it

that he declared it an inalienable right. Daniel

Defoe asked it and invented the novel. James

Joyce asked it and reinvented the novel which was

promptly banned. Nietzsche asked it and inspired

Picasso, who restated it and inspired a revolution

in aesthetics. The Wright brothers asked it and

their achievement was ignored for five years.

Computer whiz Steven Jobs asked it and was

ignored for five minutes, which was still long

enough for him to make $200 million. Whether

revered for reviled in their lifetimes, history’s

Coordinator’s

nanosecondmovers framed their questions in ways that

were entirely disrespectful of convention. And,

he concluded, [c]ivilization has always advanced

in the shimmering wake of its discontents.” The

impertinent question is, in my mind, the mark

of the scholar.

studentcontributors

(continued on page 2)

14

Free Parking!

Features

Free Parking! The New Honors Space

The Honors Contract

Interning Amid the Stacks

The Honors Pathway

Quotes from ‘Betwixt and Between’

Notes from the Editors

Advisory Council Update

Coordinator’s Nanosecond

by Professor Ann Page Stecker

Colby-sawyer College

all You need to Know about the Honors Program’s new space

The honors advisory committee is not a

solidified group of students at this point. Our last

meeting was attended by Kimberly Walleston,

Noah Richard, Megan Ruggerio, Aimee Cates,

Amy Hebert, Kayleigh Flynn, Aubrey Thomas,

and Rachael Smith. This was just one meeting

and we are not far enough along in the process

to know who will remain active and who else

could potentially join. There is also a primary

Honors Advisory Committee that is composed

of faculty and staff members, facilitated by Ann

Page Stecker. The students of Ann Page’s Honors

Pathway are in charge of event planning this year,

as is traditional for first year students. The events

they are potentially planning include a Battle of

the Bands, a movie night, and a game night. The

upper classmen are also interested in organizing

another scavenger hunt for the spring semester,

along with our big plans for the volleyball

tournament and the Spring Carnival.

First on our list of priorities right now is the

new Honors space, and determining access

and utilization for each room. We are currently

working with Professor Chris Kubik to draft a

business plan for the space. We will hopefully be

opening up at least one of the rooms to the entire

campus as a study space and conference area.

The other two rooms will be for Honors access

only, and will provide students with quiet study

areas, computer access, and areas for group

meetings. We are also looking to get a coffee

machine and printer/copier.

Honor’s Committee

advisory council update

by Kimberly Walleston ‘09

From tHe

editors

editing and

layout design

Writers

Aubrey ThomasElisabeth Ryan

Megan RuggieroAbigail CramerFirst Year PathwayKimberly Walleston

Call For suBmissions

The Honors Newsletter is a forum for all honors

students to discuss and read about events in

the Honors program. We encourage students to

submit articles for publication in the newsletter.

We would love to hear more about the Honors

Pathway experience this semester. There is also

a fascinating discussion going on in the Honors

section of Introductory Sociology this semester.

We are hoping to run a column in every issue

that will discuss Honors Contracts. Additionally,

senior Capstones are coming up and we would

like to highlight these fascinating projects in

future issues. Students in these classes are wel-

come to submit articles to the newsletter. If you

are interested in submitting to the newsletter

please contact Aubrey Thomas at akthomas@

colby-sawyer.edu or Elisabeth Ryan at eryan@

colby-sawyer.edu.

I am an English major, and as part of the English

program I had to complete an internship in a

field that was in some way related to my studies.

Having a love of libraries (and with the hope

to have a career in Library Science), I decided

I wanted to be an intern at a library. I knew

I needed to work on completing my honors

credits, so I asked Ann Page Stecker if an honors

internship would be a possibility. She said it was,

and she informed me that I would be the first

student to complete an honors internship. With

that in mind, we met a number of times while I

was organizing the internship and planning the

interdisciplinary components.

i loved my internship, and i had a great time working with the library staff.”

After working on this for a good part of last

semester, I finally was able to do the internship

over the summer at the library here on campus.

The way I set up the internship, the entire basis

of my work was interdisciplinary (rather than

just one component being interdisciplinary);

I worked with three different librarians in each

of their three disciplines within library science.

I worked with Lianne Keary, the former Archivist,

on processing multiple collections. I worked with

Kevin French, the systems librarian, to learn just

exactly what ‘systems librarianship’ is (database

management, for the most part). I worked with

Anastasia Wells, the former cataloging librarian,

on cataloging and processing incoming books.

This was the area of my internship that I was

most interested in and that I spent the most time

working on. I now have an extensive working

knowledge of the cataloging procedures used

by librarians all over the country. Much of

what I learned from Anastasia was information

many graduate students in Library Science are

not exposed to while getting their degree; a

frequent complaint of recent graduates from MLS

programs is that they do not have the cataloging

experience their prospective employers require.

Needless to say, I gained extremely valuable

work experience. Earlier in the semester, after

Anastasia had left and before the library had

found a replacement for her, I was able to

complete most of the tasks of the cataloging

librarian so that the library could continue to

bring in new materials during that time.

2 3

“

tHe Honors ContraCt

interning amid the stacks

abigail Cramer

Honors PathwayBetwixt and Between

“i’ve never looked at the world the way i’m learning to in this class; my eyes are constantly being opened.” Jen Creasey

Our class interprets the meaning of liminality and outsiders and then relates it to many sources such as books, movies, and newspapers.

We are talking about and analyzing worldly issues in a lot of different ways, by looking at the from different perspectives.

We are learning about borders and liminality. We get to learn about these by exploring different voices and their journeys they describe.

This pathway forces you, not only to understand liminality in terms of the readings, but through the discovery of others’ experiences, the liminality in your own life. This new understanding allows for a greater empathy for others and a new way of looking at other cultures in a way you wouldn’t think to.

Deb MacEachern

Sara Bawtinheimer

Amy Nadeau

Caitlin Thornton

Right now we are learning how to analyze both text and film, and bring them together with some common themes. The class is focused on the liminality of life, that is the edges that are so universal for everyone no matter their race, religion, or social class.

This pathway is thought provoking, wonderfully insightful, and just plain fun.

This class has made me think about the world in ways I never thought I could. I feel more well rounded because of it

I enjoy being a TA for this class. I am experiencing this class for a second time basically, and it is interesting to see a new group of kids’ perspectives on books and materials that I have already.

Aimee Cates

Averie Zdon

Nicole Morin

Kim Shannon

This course has gotten me into the habit of noticing borders, both physical and not.

To an outsider, this pathway would consist of huge es-says, an abundance of books, and lengthy discussions, but on the inside it’s full of individuals coming together and observing different forms of liminality.

The Honors Pathway is an eye opening experience. There are many different works and movies about cultures and lifestyles that are very new and foreign.

Kayleigh Flynn

Jake Daniele

Meghan Steele

Preliminary plans have been made regarding each

of the rooms. “The blue room” seems to be the

perfect fit for a group study area or an independent

study area. “The green room” is a natural space for

a computer lab. The program is planning to equip it

with multiple computers, a large LaserJet printer, a

copy machine, and perhaps even a scanner. It has

been decided that only Honors Program students

will have access to these two rooms. The larger

room will most likely become a lounge, and it will

be our gift to Colby-Sawyer College. The plan is

to grant access to all Colby-Sawyer students

and faculty. However, these plans are far from

finalized. Other topics of discussion that still need

to be addressed are decorating, times of access for

each of the rooms, and how the Honors Program

will be able to keep an eye on the activities that

will take place in our new space.

It is also important to note that if you are an honors

student at Colby-Sawyer College, we would love

to have your input regarding the usage of this

new space. The group that has been meeting in

the new space throughout the past weeks is not

a select group. It is open for all Honors Program

students to participate. The group plans to also

take part in planning Wesson Weekends and

Honors Program-sponsored activities on campus,

as well as proposing new honors courses for the

college. The more involvement the group has, and

the more enthusiasm and effort it puts forth, the

better the Wesson Honors Program will be. Please,

feel free to contact Kim Walleston (kwalleston@

colby-sawyer.edu), Noah Richard (nrrichard@

colby-sawyer.edu), or myself (mruggiero@colby-

sawyer.edu) if you have any questions or would

like to become involved with the honors advisory

group. Also, stay tuned for information on future

meetings and other opportunities. Cheers to our

new space!

continued from page 1

I am an English major, and as part of the English

program I had to complete an internship in a

field that was in some way related to my studies.

Having a love of libraries (and with the hope

to have a career in Library Science), I decided

I wanted to be an intern at a library. I knew

I needed to work on completing my honors

credits, so I asked Ann Page Stecker if an honors

internship would be a possibility. She said it was,

and she informed me that I would be the first

student to complete an honors internship. With

that in mind, we met a number of times while I

was organizing the internship and planning the

interdisciplinary components.

i loved my internship, and i had a great time working with the library staff.”

After working on this for a good part of last

semester, I finally was able to do the internship

over the summer at the library here on campus.

The way I set up the internship, the entire basis

of my work was interdisciplinary (rather than

just one component being interdisciplinary);

I worked with three different librarians in each

of their three disciplines within library science.

I worked with Lianne Keary, the former Archivist,

on processing multiple collections. I worked with

Kevin French, the systems librarian, to learn just

exactly what ‘systems librarianship’ is (database

management, for the most part). I worked with

Anastasia Wells, the former cataloging librarian,

on cataloging and processing incoming books.

This was the area of my internship that I was

most interested in and that I spent the most time

working on. I now have an extensive working

knowledge of the cataloging procedures used

by librarians all over the country. Much of

what I learned from Anastasia was information

many graduate students in Library Science are

not exposed to while getting their degree; a

frequent complaint of recent graduates from MLS

programs is that they do not have the cataloging

experience their prospective employers require.

Needless to say, I gained extremely valuable

work experience. Earlier in the semester, after

Anastasia had left and before the library had

found a replacement for her, I was able to

complete most of the tasks of the cataloging

librarian so that the library could continue to

bring in new materials during that time.

2 3

“

tHe Honors ContraCt

interning amid the stacks

abigail Cramer

Honors PathwayBetwixt and Between

“i’ve never looked at the world the way i’m learning to in this class; my eyes are constantly being opened.” Jen Creasey

Our class interprets the meaning of liminality and outsiders and then relates it to many sources such as books, movies, and newspapers.

We are talking about and analyzing worldly issues in a lot of different ways, by looking at the from different perspectives.

We are learning about borders and liminality. We get to learn about these by exploring different voices and their journeys they describe.

This pathway forces you, not only to understand liminality in terms of the readings, but through the discovery of others’ experiences, the liminality in your own life. This new understanding allows for a greater empathy for others and a new way of looking at other cultures in a way you wouldn’t think to.

Deb MacEachern

Sara Bawtinheimer

Amy Nadeau

Caitlin Thornton

Right now we are learning how to analyze both text and film, and bring them together with some common themes. The class is focused on the liminality of life, that is the edges that are so universal for everyone no matter their race, religion, or social class.

This pathway is thought provoking, wonderfully insightful, and just plain fun.

This class has made me think about the world in ways I never thought I could. I feel more well rounded because of it

I enjoy being a TA for this class. I am experiencing this class for a second time basically, and it is interesting to see a new group of kids’ perspectives on books and materials that I have already.

Aimee Cates

Averie Zdon

Nicole Morin

Kim Shannon

This course has gotten me into the habit of noticing borders, both physical and not.

To an outsider, this pathway would consist of huge es-says, an abundance of books, and lengthy discussions, but on the inside it’s full of individuals coming together and observing different forms of liminality.

The Honors Pathway is an eye opening experience. There are many different works and movies about cultures and lifestyles that are very new and foreign.

Kayleigh Flynn

Jake Daniele

Meghan Steele

Preliminary plans have been made regarding each

of the rooms. “The blue room” seems to be the

perfect fit for a group study area or an independent

study area. “The green room” is a natural space for

a computer lab. The program is planning to equip it

with multiple computers, a large LaserJet printer, a

copy machine, and perhaps even a scanner. It has

been decided that only Honors Program students

will have access to these two rooms. The larger

room will most likely become a lounge, and it will

be our gift to Colby-Sawyer College. The plan is

to grant access to all Colby-Sawyer students

and faculty. However, these plans are far from

finalized. Other topics of discussion that still need

to be addressed are decorating, times of access for

each of the rooms, and how the Honors Program

will be able to keep an eye on the activities that

will take place in our new space.

It is also important to note that if you are an honors

student at Colby-Sawyer College, we would love

to have your input regarding the usage of this

new space. The group that has been meeting in

the new space throughout the past weeks is not

a select group. It is open for all Honors Program

students to participate. The group plans to also

take part in planning Wesson Weekends and

Honors Program-sponsored activities on campus,

as well as proposing new honors courses for the

college. The more involvement the group has, and

the more enthusiasm and effort it puts forth, the

better the Wesson Honors Program will be. Please,

feel free to contact Kim Walleston (kwalleston@

colby-sawyer.edu), Noah Richard (nrrichard@

colby-sawyer.edu), or myself (mruggiero@colby-

sawyer.edu) if you have any questions or would

like to become involved with the honors advisory

group. Also, stay tuned for information on future

meetings and other opportunities. Cheers to our

new space!

continued from page 1

honorificabilitudinitatibusWesson Honors Program neWsletternovember 2007 Vol. 5 no. 1

Last year, in Danforth Hall, there was a room on

the first floor that few students even knew existed.

It contained a small number of tables and chairs,

one whiteboard, limited material resources (books,

paper, writing utensils, etc.) and one computer.

Those of us who did know that this room existed

also knew that the printer only worked if you

really pleaded with it. This small space in Danforth

Hall was the only room on campus designated

exclusively for use by Wesson Honors Program

students. Well, the days of the finicky printer and

little room to organize any type of Honors Program

gathering are over!

The Wesson Honors Program has been given

clearance to renovate and maintain the rooms on

the fourth floor of Colgate Hall, also known as

the old art studio. The space contains one large

room with beautiful skylights and two smaller

rooms that are both double the size of the old

space in Danforth Hall. So far, immense progress

has been made regarding the space’s restoration.

One of the smaller rooms, “the blue room,” is

already painted, and it currently contains a brand

new table and chairs set, a computer, a whiteboard,

and a bookcase. This room is truly immaculate.

The other smaller room, “the green room,” is fully

painted as well, and the larger room is still in the

works in terms of painting and cleaning. A group

of Wesson Honors students have been meeting

in the space biweekly to determine who will have

access to each room and when, what types of

materials and resources will be provided in each

of the rooms, how the rooms will be decorated,

and how we will all maintain the space’s renewed

pristine appearance.

by Megan Ruggiero ‘10

I wish to sing the praises of the impertinent

question - the question some would say is “not

suitable to the circumstances, inappropriate,

and out of place.” But I do not think any question

- other than say “will this be on the test?” is out

of place in a classroom full of lively discourse

and thought. Rather I agree with Gary Trudeau,

the creator of the cartoon Doonesbury, that “the

impertinent question is the glory and engine of

human inquiry.” My use of the term “impertinent

question” is not original, but in the tradition of

scholarship as I understand it, builds on others’

ideas - amplifies, extends, and applies someone

else’s ideas - in new ways. I am particularly

intrigued by the way Trudeau’s “impertinent

questions” can be models for sustained inquiry,

invention, and creativity - the condition I want

for all of us. I encountered Trudeau’s ideas in

a commencement address at Yale three years

ago and his ideas have stuck with me -

or stuck to me - persistently. He offered these ideas

to the graduates: “The impertinent question

is the glory and engine of human inquiry.

Copernicus asked it and shook the foundations

of Renaissance Europe. Darwin asked it and it is

repudiated in certain quarters to this day. Thomas

Jefferson asked it and was so invigorated by it

that he declared it an inalienable right. Daniel

Defoe asked it and invented the novel. James

Joyce asked it and reinvented the novel which was

promptly banned. Nietzsche asked it and inspired

Picasso, who restated it and inspired a revolution

in aesthetics. The Wright brothers asked it and

their achievement was ignored for five years.

Computer whiz Steven Jobs asked it and was

ignored for five minutes, which was still long

enough for him to make $200 million. Whether

revered for reviled in their lifetimes, history’s

Coordinator’s

nanosecondmovers framed their questions in ways that

were entirely disrespectful of convention. And,

he concluded, [c]ivilization has always advanced

in the shimmering wake of its discontents.” The

impertinent question is, in my mind, the mark

of the scholar.

studentcontributors

(continued on page 2)

14

Free Parking!

Features

Free Parking! The New Honors Space

The Honors Contract

Interning Amid the Stacks

The Honors Pathway

Quotes from ‘Betwixt and Between’

Notes from the Editors

Advisory Council Update

Coordinator’s Nanosecond

by Professor Ann Page Stecker

Colby-sawyer College

all You need to Know about the Honors Program’s new space

The honors advisory committee is not a

solidified group of students at this point. Our last

meeting was attended by Kimberly Walleston,

Noah Richard, Megan Ruggerio, Aimee Cates,

Amy Hebert, Kayleigh Flynn, Aubrey Thomas,

and Rachael Smith. This was just one meeting

and we are not far enough along in the process

to know who will remain active and who else

could potentially join. There is also a primary

Honors Advisory Committee that is composed

of faculty and staff members, facilitated by Ann

Page Stecker. The students of Ann Page’s Honors

Pathway are in charge of event planning this year,

as is traditional for first year students. The events

they are potentially planning include a Battle of

the Bands, a movie night, and a game night. The

upper classmen are also interested in organizing

another scavenger hunt for the spring semester,

along with our big plans for the volleyball

tournament and the Spring Carnival.

First on our list of priorities right now is the

new Honors space, and determining access

and utilization for each room. We are currently

working with Professor Chris Kubik to draft a

business plan for the space. We will hopefully be

opening up at least one of the rooms to the entire

campus as a study space and conference area.

The other two rooms will be for Honors access

only, and will provide students with quiet study

areas, computer access, and areas for group

meetings. We are also looking to get a coffee

machine and printer/copier.

Honor’s Committee

advisory council update

by Kimberly Walleston ‘09

From tHe

editors

editing and

layout design

Writers

Aubrey ThomasElisabeth Ryan

Megan RuggieroAbigail CramerFirst Year PathwayKimberly Walleston

Call For suBmissions

The Honors Newsletter is a forum for all honors

students to discuss and read about events in

the Honors program. We encourage students to

submit articles for publication in the newsletter.

We would love to hear more about the Honors

Pathway experience this semester. There is also

a fascinating discussion going on in the Honors

section of Introductory Sociology this semester.

We are hoping to run a column in every issue

that will discuss Honors Contracts. Additionally,

senior Capstones are coming up and we would

like to highlight these fascinating projects in

future issues. Students in these classes are wel-

come to submit articles to the newsletter. If you

are interested in submitting to the newsletter

please contact Aubrey Thomas at akthomas@

colby-sawyer.edu or Elisabeth Ryan at eryan@

colby-sawyer.edu.