In an effort to explore the diversity among campus groups, next semester’s Day of Learning in Community will be presented entirely by members of Northwestern’s body.
“There are lots of different groups on campus—Cafe tables, dorms, wings, majors—and everyone’s got something to say,” said Dr. Kevin McMahan, Associate Dean for Intercultural Affairs, who is involved in planning the event.
Students are invited to propose topics for DLC sessions that they believe show how NW is “Different Together,” the event’s theme. Students who submit proposals that are selected may choose to lead the sessions.
McMahan encourages students to brainstorm creative topic ideas that share about themselves. Sessions could include showcasing a work of art, performing a dance, teaching a sport or playing a game. They can be in the form of a presentation, a panel discussion, a debate, a simulation or something entirely different.
“Students, staff, faculty, male, female, different cultures; that’s the idea— getting many voices from many backgrounds,” McMahan said.
Student-led sessions, the upcoming DLC will reveal the findings of a survey concerning campus communities that will be given to NW students at the beginning of next semester.
The survey will be designed later this semester with the help of Dr. Chris Hausmann’s social research class. As part of an approaching exam, Hausmann’s students will design surveys.
Andrew Schneider, a junior sociology major who is in Hausmann’s class, is interested in the effects groups have on individuals.
“We look for people who are similar to us to make life easier. Groups can be a way to feel secure, but they can also restrict you,” Schneider said.
Schneider believes that isolated groups have the potential to be harmful to individuals, and McMahan agrees.
“One question within our groups is, do we experience the freedom to be known, or are we just fitting in?” McMahan said.
Students who have an idea for a DLC session topic can submit their proposals online at www.nwciowa.edu/dlc/students by Wednesday, Nov. 30. DLC will be held Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012.
