February 17, 2025
Newsletter link: https://mailchi.mp/ac5c2d8e105b/this-week-in-honors-feb-17-2025
- From the Director
- This Week in Honors
- Advising Updates
- Service Updates
- Honors Student Association
- Outside of Honors
From the Director
From the Director
Hey folks,
Hope you have had good weekends and that your weeks are off to good starts: challenging classes that are pushing your capacities, playful times with friends, and some quiet time for reflection and spiritual growth. Its looking like we’ll have snow again this week, so I am happy to offer another brief comment on Mishima’s Spring Snow (1968). Last week, I pointed out how, in the novel, the dynamics of characters and society mirrored each other—so deeply in fact that the characters were led to wonder where the boundary between self and society lay. The novel is also a mirror of a different sort—a mirror to our time.
The Taisho period (1912-1926) was a period of rapid modernization in Japan. It introduced many changes to the structures of everyday life; the contours of ‘common sense’ were up for grabs. Not surprisingly, that sort of change created many different reactions amongst people—some leaning into the changes and others resisting them. The politics and culture of Japan became increasingly polarized. And it didn’t end well: ethno-nationalistic and militaristic movements emerged that argued that Japan’s culture and identity were being destroyed. As those movements gained prominence, their leaders ultimately led Japan into a sequence of catastrophic wars. The main characters of the novel—Hiyoaki and his friend, Honda—intensely feel that they are an edge, living in a moment hung between two times: “Be it the edge of time or space, there is nothing so inspiring as a border. To be here at this place with his … companions, at this marvelous border between land and sea, struck him as being very similar to being alive as one age was ending and another beginning, like being part of a great moment in history.” That is what I meant a moment ago by saying that the novel feels like it is a mirror to our time: it makes me ask whether we are living on a ragged edge of one age ending and new one being born. Living on ragged edges requires us to cultivate both our humility and our curiosity, as my colleague, Dr. Graham Slater, reminded me. We should carefully attend to what is happening around us and try to figure out what is decaying or dissolving and what is emerging or coming into being. And we should extend our curiosity beyond the immediate and ask whether what is emerging is worthy of emergence—worthy of our values, visions, and hopes—while also examining what is passing away and ask whether it should pass away or be preserve. We should build a sensitive and nuanced historical awareness. Even more, we should press our curiosity further and ask about our feelings—interrogating our response to life on the ragged edge. Destruction, decay, collapse, dissolution can inspire a range of responses—fear, fascination, excitement, obsession (doom-scrolling, for example). But are our immediate reactions adequate to the situation? Hiyoaki—the eighteen-year-old protagonist—takes a delight in decay; he “indulges himself … in the cultivation of his anxiety” and “delights in sacrilege.” He finds beauty in destruction and death, becoming “a willing prisoner in his discontent.” He lives his life for “his emotions—gratuitous and unstable, dying only to quicken again, dwindling and flaring without direction or purpose.” Kiyoaki’s abdication of his responsibility to interrogate his feelings leads him to make decisions that have increasingly damaging consequences. Looking in the distorted mirror of Spring Snow, it seems that in order to live well on the ragged edge of history and not get caught in its crumbling requires assembling curiosity and humility into something like balance or poise. I wonder how well I am doing that work. And how well we are doing it as a people.
Novels are useful because they can help us see ourselves, enriching our imagination, allowing us to see beyond the horizons that limit us. For that reason and more, I am happy to call out the work of Megan Knight, JMHP junior majoring in Mass Communications and minoring in Psychology. Megan has founded a book club for the JMHP. Last semester they read Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows (2015), discussing, with Dr. Zach Riebeling, the nature of good and evil amongst other things. This semester, joined by Professor Elizabeth Kamper, they will be reading Eric Weiner’s Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers (2020). Watch for announcements about day and time as well as a survey to assess extensions of the book club beyond this academic year. Megan and the book club also ran a book drive at the end of last semester for Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital which collected close to a hundred books. Thanks for your work, Megan, work that feeds both the imagination and serves our community.
Finally, the JMHP office will be particularly busy this week as we lead up to Friday—Honors Scholar Day. We are, as always, excited to welcome the group of potential future scholars to campus. The JMHP has spent, with our partners in the Office of Admission, a substantial amount of time and effort this academic year in redesigning the entire Meridian application process, from the written application through the review process to the interview questions. We have done this in order to better align it with the mission of the JMHP, to prepare professional leaders and engaged citizens interested in solving pressing problems and build the future. Ian Toberman, the Assistant Director of the JMHP, has played a large role in this overhaul. It is the kind of work that is often invisible, but it is work that is necessary for the program and the university to thrive. When you see Ian, give him a hearty thanks for his work. And thanks to all who will be assisting us on Friday! I am looking forward to the day.
Back at you next week with, perhaps with a change of pace and a foray into anime!
This Week in Honors
VERY IMPORTANT! We're gathering information on students interested in pursuing health-related professional programs after graduation. If this applies to you, please take a moment to complete the survey here: https://siue.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5hwUWXkRR8nnSBM- Prof. Kamper has a book club! Read Socrates Express and discuss Feb. 19, Mar. 19, and Apr. 16 from 4:00pm to 5:30pm. Sign up here!
- Shape the Honors curriculum, join the shark tank competition to pitch a course idea!
- For 1st years: Suitable tasks added for Learning Lounges and Gaggle!
Advising Updates
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If you are planning to graduate in Spring 2025 or Summer 2025, you will need to apply for graduation! The deadline is March 1st, but we always suggest that students complete the application before beginning their last semester.
You can find more information here:https://www.siue.edu/registrar/services/graduation/applying-for-graduation.shtml
- Advising appointments are available on Starfish for Summer/Fall 2025. Sign up now!
- Pre-work before advising is now available: https://www.siue.edu/provost/honors/advising/forms.shtml
- Drop-In Advising for quick questions and support with your advisor can be done in-person or virtually.
- Ian In-Person Wednesdays 9:30-11:30
- Carol & Meagan Digital Drop-In Wednesdays 1:30-4:30
- Tisha In-Person Wednesdays 2:00-4:00
- Everyone In-Person Fridays 2:30-4:30
Service Updates
Nothing this week!
Honors Student Association
- HSA is having a dine and donate event TODAY with Peel Pizza! Online or dine-in, when you choose to eat locally, you will also support HSA!
- Calling all investigators! The HSA Escape Room is coming up quickly, with this year's theme being Murder Mysteries. Will you be able solve the puzzles and answer the mysteries before time runs out? Registration is officially open. Not interested in putting your investigation skills to the test? Check out the opportunities for service hours! With any questions, please contact dhindri@siue.edu
- Volunteer Sign Up: Help run our escape rooms the nights of the event!
- Trial Run: Get service hours helping test the escape room, but be quick! Only 16 spots are available.
- Have questions about upcoming events, HSA, or college life in general? Come talk with an HSA Representative at our Kimmel desk! This week's schedule includes Monday 3 - 4 (rep Annie), Tuesday 9 - 11 (rep Olivia), and Wednesday 11 - 12 (rep Rachel). Calendar here: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/2?cid=c2l1ZWhzYUBnbWFpbC5jb20
- HSA is collaborating with JMHP to bring back our annual Shark Tank event. Have an idea for an honors class you wish was taught? Present your idea to a panel of faculty members with the opportunity to make your dream a reality!
Outside of Honors
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Super quick, 2-question survey about social book club interest. This particular group is more focused on the social aspect of the club. There are no reading requirements or monthly discussions surrounding a specific book. Rather, in each meeting, we can discuss any recommendations, upcoming releases, and other bookish activities. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Megan Knight at meknigh@siue.edu.
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You could stay home this summer, or you could go to LONDON! May 13 - June 23. Earn 6.0 credit hours for IS 399 and THEA 490. NEW - You can request HONORS credit as well through Ian at itoberm@siue.edu. Contact Johanna Schmitz at johasch@siue.edu for the trip. More info here.
- A letter regarding the survey:
Hello everyone, my name is Liezel Lindo.
I am a senior psychology major hoping to recruit Honors students for my senior thesis study. In this study, you will complete a few surveys and recall a past experience. This survey will take about 15 minutes of your time. If you wish to participate, I have the link to my study pasted below. I would greatly appreciate your participation. This research will not directly benefit you but may benefit others by furthering research on adverse mental health outcomes.
Survey Link: https://siue.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5d40h5XeQlDCezA
The Initial submission of protocol 2803 The Effects of Recalling Academic Failure on State Perfectionistic Concerns (PI: Lindo, Liezel R.) was approved Exempt on Thursday, January 23rd 2025 by IRB.
Thank you for your time!
Liezel Lindo
