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The Department of Philosophy and Religion 2016 Newsletter

Posted on: December 13th, 2016 by erabadie

Click to read a note from Steven Skultety, chair and associate professor of philosophy and religion, introducing three new faculty members—Deborah Mower, associate professor of philosophy; Kristy Slominski, instructional assistant professor of religion; and Shem Miller, instructional assistant professor of religion—along with spotlights on students Madison Gable and Keri Crum; alumni Thomas Chandler and John Kimble; and faculty Donovan Wishon, assistant professor of philosophy, and Sarah Moses, assistant professor of religion.

UM Students Share Hospital Shadowing Experiences

Posted on: December 2nd, 2016 by erabadie

Students followed health care professionals at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi

DECEMBER 2, 2016 BY EDWIN SMITH

UM Center for Population Studies Director John Green (left) chats with Assistant Professor of Religion Sarah Moses and BMH-NMS Chaplain Director Joe Young during the Medical Humanities students reception.Photo by Thomas Graning/UM Communications

After spending several weeks shadowing area health care professionals, University of Mississippi students interested in similar careers shared highlights of their mentorship experiences this week.

The Tuesday (Nov. 29) reception for those enrolled in the fall 2016 Medical Humanities course was held in Bryant Hall gallery on the Oxford campus. Members of Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi who mentored the group joined UM administrators, faculty, staff and students for the event, which featured five of the 12 enrolled students making brief presentations.

“Our goal was for the students to gain a better understanding of how various factors shape the human experience in illness and in medicine,” said Sarah Moses, assistant professor of religion and course instructor. “Creating this class took lots of work, but hearing these students’ reflections today shows it was well worth the effort.”

John Green, professor of sociology and director of both the Center for Population Studies and the new Society and Health minor in the College of Liberal Arts, agreed.

“Listening to these students share their reflections is very rewarding,” he said. “We are definitely committed to making this course in the society and health minor a long-term investment.”

Medical Humanities, one of two advanced course requirements for the minor, is a combined readings and field experience course in a hospital setting to study the ethical, social and cultural issues in medicine. Additionally, students must take advanced elective courses.

“While only 12 students were able to take the course this fall, I already have 25 students on the waiting list for Medical Humanities in fall 2017,” Moses said.

Each of the presenters said that being in the course was more like a transformative “life experience” than a class.

“Being in this course made me a more well-rounded person,” said Josh Law, a senior religious studies and pre-med major from Birmingham, Alabama. “Ultimately, I believe I will be a more well-rounded health care professional in the future because of it.”

https://youtu.be/oZHzxbEg_tM

Sarah Robinson said she discovered how important addressing nonmedical needs and communication are to an ailing patient and his or her family members.

“Being in this course helped me to see both patients and those who work with them in various ways as whole people,” said the junior Spanish and pre-med major from Covington, Louisiana. “That understanding is critical to the effective treatment and care.”

Miller Richmond, a senior international studies and pre-med major from Madison, said Medical Humanities proved to be a perfect followup to his study abroad experience last spring.

“Being immersed in a different culture broadened my understanding of people as human beings,” he said. “Medical Humanities continued to expand my thinking. I now more fully understand that patient care goes much farther than physiology and medicine.”

Other student presenters were J.R. Markos, a senior from Jackson, Tennessee, who is majoring in public policy leadership, and Cayla Scott, a senior religious studies major from Mendenhall.

Green is slated to teach Society and Population Health, the other mandatory advanced course option for students entering the minor, during the spring 2017 semester.

“In Society and Population Health, students learn about health disparities in Mississippi and the value of interdisciplinary and interprofessional teams in tackling these issues,” Green said. “They also make field visits to medical/nursing schools and public health programs.”

Following the completion of Elementary Statistics and one of the advanced courses, Ole Miss students can apply to the minor program. It is also recommended that students take General Psychology and Introductory Sociology to complete the general education social science requirements.

Students must take courses from at least two different departments when completing the last requirement of 12 credit hours of advanced social science and humanities courses. They should note that the same course may not satisfy requirements for both the major and the minor.

Students who complete relevant internships, special topics, study abroad or directed study courses must consult with the director for approval before enrollment in the course.

“This unique and timely minor provides a social science and humanities perspective to the understanding of health,” said Lee M. Cohen, UM liberal arts dean. “I believe such a perspective will foster an appreciation and respect for team-based problem-solving to improve the delivery of health care.”

For more information about the minor in society and health, visit http://sohe.olemiss.edu or contact Lynn Woo, research associate with the Center for Population Studies, at lcwoo@olemiss.edu or at 662-915-7288.

Alumni Embark on 300-Mile Bike Ride for United Way

Posted on: November 22nd, 2016 by erabadie

Cyclists plan to travel from Ole Miss game with Vanderbilt to Egg Bowl in Oxford

NOVEMBER 18, 2016 BY CHRISTINA STEUBE

Charlie Wildman (left) and Adam Vinson plan to ride their bikes from Nashville, Tennessee, to Oxford over Thanksgiving week to raise money for United Way. Submitted photo

Two University of Mississippi alumni embark this weekend on a 300-mile bike ride in support of United Way of Oxford and Lafayette County.

After Saturday evening’s Ole Miss-Vanderbilt football game, Adam Vinson and Charlie Wildman plan to ride their bikes from Nashville, Tennessee, to Oxford, arriving in time for the annual Egg Bowl matchup with Mississippi State University on Nov. 26. The two are raising money to assist families in the Lafayette-Oxford-University community during the holidays.

They plan to ride down the Natchez Trace Parkway, which has always been a goal of theirs. Once they realized an opportunity to make this a charitable event while supporting the Rebels, they decided to make it a reality.

“I noticed there were two games separated by about 300 miles over Thanksgiving week,” Vinson said. “I asked Charlie if he was interested in cycling from one to the other, because he has done rides like this before, and he said he was absolutely down!”

The work began to make this a charitable adventure, and the friends decided that United Way of Oxford & Lafayette County would be the best beneficiary.

The donation breaks down to just 10 cents per mile, so Wildman and Vinson are encouraging the LOU community to contribute to the United Way via https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/RebelsRide or text RebelsRide to 71777. Donations will benefit families in the Oxford and Lafayette community.

“We’re really excited that they are Ole Miss alums and care about this area,” said Ben Strassman, an AmeriCorps VISTA working in the United Way chapter. “They spent their formative years in Oxford and want to make sure the money directly affects our county and our city to make it the best it can possibly be.”

Strassman added that 99 cents of every dollar donated will stay in the LOU community.

This will be Vinson’s first ride of this distance, but Wildman is a veteran of charitable journeys. He and a friend organized and completed a 25-day, 2,000-mile ride from Cumberland, Maryland, to Telluride, Colorado, during the summer of 2015 and raised $11,000 for a New Orleans-based disabilities charity.

Vinson and Wildman met in 2004 as members of the Delta Kappa Epsilon social fraternity at Ole Miss.

Vinson, an Oxford native, graduated from UM in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and psychology. Upon graduation, he served with Teach for America in the Mississippi Delta. He earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Pennsylvania in 2012 before moving with his wife, Katherine Bensel, to New Orleans, where he is pursuing a graduate degree in electrical engineering from the University of New Orleans.

Wildman graduated from UM in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in geological engineering. He has worked at firms in Dallas and New York City, where he worked onsite during construction of the Second Avenue Subway and served as the president of the Ole Miss Club of New York. He lives in New Orleans and is working on a master’s degree in civil engineering at the University of New Orleans.

To contribute to Vinson and Wildman’s cause, visit https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/RebelsRide. To keep up with their journey, follow them on Facebook and Twitter through #RebelsRideUnited.

Austin Powell Named Rhodes Finalist

Posted on: November 9th, 2016 by erabadie

Honors College senior interviews Nov. 18-19 for prestigious international fellowship

NOVEMBER 9, 2016 BY EDWIN SMITH

ASB President Austin Powell is a finalist for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. Photo by Kevin Bain/UM Communications

Austin Powell has long dreamed of winning a Rhodes Scholarship. Now, the University of Mississippi senior is just one step away from achieving that goal.

The Corinth native goes to Birmingham, Alabama, next weekend to interview as a Rhodes finalist and will learn Saturday (Nov. 19) whether he is selected for one of the prestigious scholarships. A public policy leadership and philosophy double major in the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and the Lott Leadership Institute, Powell said he was excited when he heard the news.

“My ultimate goal is to come back and raise the quality of life for Mississippians by developing an in-depth understanding of the criminology and the criminal justice system, how different entities can become community partners in Mississippi, and how the state can take partial ownership of the solution,” said Powell, son of former state Sen. Eric Powell and Gwen Salters Powell.

“When combined with my interests in correctional systems policies and the offender’s relationship with race, poverty and education, the Rhodes experience will offer professors, like Mary Bosworth, to guide my research on the disconnects that lie between empowering offenders in the entrepreneurial class and the reality of the low post-release employment opportunities.”

The Rhodes Scholarships, the oldest international fellowships, bring outstanding students from many countries to the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Besides “intellectual distinction,” the selection committee seeks excellence in qualities of mind and of person, which combined offer the promise of effective service to the world in the decades ahead. Rhodes Scholars are elected for two years of study at Oxford University, with the possibility of being renewed for a third year.

Powell’s selection as a finalist is an honor for him and an important distinction for the university, said Douglass Sullivan-Gonzalez, Honors College dean.

“Austin Powell is a citizen scholar, actively seeking solutions for racial injustice and inequality,” he said. “The Rhodes Scholarship will allow him to continue his development at the University of Oxford as a leader and a scholar. He is investing his talents into his home state and tackling economic and justice issues with broad implications.”

Powell has put together a long list of accomplishments during his four years at UM. He is Associated Student Body president, was assistant director for the Ole Miss Big Event, social chair for the Columns Society and co-philanthropy chair and tribune for Sigma Chi fraternity. Powell is also a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, a McLean Innovation Scholar, a Trent Lott Institute Scholar and a Coca-Cola Scholar.

While teaching entrepreneurial and leadership development at the Marshall County Correctional Facility, Powell gained insights for the subject of his honors thesis, being directed by Jody Holland, UM assistant professor of public policy leadership.

“I have not met another student who has impressed me as much as Austin has in combining creativity, hard work, initiative and courage,” Holland said.

Associate Dean of Students Valeria Ross agreed.

“Austin is a rare find,” she said. “There is a genteel goodness about Austin that allows him to get things done and at the end of the day, the entire team is still intact and the relationships are stronger. He finds the good in whatever has taken place, and he never takes the easy way out.”

Powell begins a two-day interview process Friday (Nov. 18) before the District 7 selection committee. Finalists are chosen from each state to interview by district, and District 7 includes Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This process leads to the selection of 32 scholars nationally, from roughly 900 applications.

To prepare for the interview, Powell said he has been reading The New York Times and listening to National Public Radio every day, researching correctional education and poverty studies, and mapping out answers to probable questions.

UM’s last Rhodes Scholar was Shad White, selected in the 2008 competition.

Powell has a healthy outlook about the interview process.

“I’m humbled and excited at the potential chance to represent Ole Miss and the state of Mississippi,” Powell said. “I know many people don’t have this opportunity, so I want to enjoy this experience and the interview process.”

Classics Students Compete in Archaeological Ethics Bowl

Posted on: April 27th, 2016 by erabadie

Three debate ethical dilemmas faced by archaeologists

APRIL 27, 2016 | BY EMILY SCHNEIDER

The UM Archaeology Ethics Bowl team is made up of juniors Alicia Dixon (left), Zachary Creel and Libby Tyson.

Earlier this month, three University of Mississippi students spent the day putting themselves in the shoes of professional archaeologists, debating issues of ownership, trespassing, reporting, stewardship, commercialization and sexual harassment in Orlando, Florida.

The students, all juniors in the university’s Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, are the first UM team to compete in the Society for American Archaeology annual Archaeological Ethics Bowl. The event pits teams from universities across the country to discuss and debate various scenarios representing ethical quandaries professional archaeologists may face in their work.

“These dilemmas included real problems that archaeologists face when conducting fieldwork, as well as issues relating to conservation and preservation of cultural heritage,” said Hilary Becker, assistant professor of classics and adviser for the team.

The team – Alicia Dixon, Zachary Creel and Libby Tyson – decided to enter the competition after taking Becker’s honors class in classics, “Archaeological Ethics: Who Owns the Past,” where they argued cases from previous Archaeological Ethics Bowls.

“The most exciting part of competing was hearing different sides to the cases and thinking about how we might think outside the box for next year,” said Dixon, a classics and philosophy double major from Baldwyn. “We were also very excited to meet the other teams, who we know put in time and effort learning the cases, just like we did.”

Dixon, Creel and Tyson worked since last summer to prepare for the competition, meeting at least weekly since June. The team conducted their own research on the legal and ethical implications of various archaeologist cases, in addition to debating amongst themselves.

“There’s something awesome about working really hard for an extended period of time and then seeing that work pay off when a judge smiles because of a point your team just made,” said Tyson, of Hazlehurst, who is majoring in classics and English.

Four teams competed in this year’s competition: UM, the University of Georgia, the University of Puerto Rico and California State University at Los Angeles. The competition was conducted in three elimination rounds. First, UM faced the University of Georgia, and the second round matched UCLA with the University of Puerto Rico. In the finals, Georgia defeated the University of Puerto Rico.

Despite the UM team being all undergraduates, they competed against five graduate anthropology students from the University of Georgia.

Although they did not win the championship, which carries an American Institute of Archaeology membership for each member of the winning team and a school trophy, the experience has them already planning for next year’s event.

“We competed well and learned a lot so that we will certainly be even more competitive next year,” said Creel, a classics and art history major from New Orleans.

UM to Host Philosophical Meeting, Organization Chapter

Posted on: December 9th, 2015 by erabadie

December 9, 2015

Come join the Society of Philosophers in America (SOPHIA) for a philosophical conversation about the nature and challenges of community on Friday, December 11 at 4pm in Barnard Observatory’s Tupelo Room on the University of Mississippi campus.

Dr. Andrea Houchard, Director of the Philosophy in the Public Interest program at Northern Arizona University, will be our facilitator.

After a typical SOPHIA-style symposium, we will discuss and hold a first organizational meeting for a formal Oxford MS Chapter of SOPHIA.

Students, faculty, staff, and community members are encouraged and welcome to participate in leading our new group, the first in the state.

This event is free and open to the public. If you have any needs related to a disability, please contact Dr. Eric Weber etweber@olemiss.edu, 662.915.1336. Limited visitor parking passes are available.

We are grateful for the generous support of the Mississippi Humanities Council and of the University of Mississippi’s College of Liberal Arts and Honors College. Visit PhilosophersInAmerica.com

SOPHIA is a non-profit organization with two primary aims. The first is to promote education in the philosophical ideas, practices and traditions of America and of other world cultures. The second is to sponsor conferences, debates, and symposia and otherwise to provide a forum for the exchange of philosophical ideas among scholars of America and other countries and cultures, all for the purpose of educating philosophers and teachers of philosophy from diverse cultural and philosophical traditions and furthering international philosophical communication.

SOPHIA has sponsored regional events with the goal of engaging both professional scholars and Americans outside of academia, offering philosophical insights where philosophers can be of service, and generating ideas for scholars to consider from their wider communities.

Study USA Philosophy Course Allows Student Immersion

Posted on: November 30th, 2015 by erabadie

UM students leave the classroom to explore issues during two-week Wintersession terms

OCTOBER 19, 2015 | By PAM STARLING

UM students (from left) Robert Lucas, Rachel Marsh, Jenna Campbell and Foy Stevenson visit the Federal Bureau of Investigations headquarters in Washington, D.C., in January. They met with numerous officials concerning environmental ethics issues as part of the UM Study USA program.

UM students (from left) Robert Lucas, Rachel Marsh, Jenna Campbell and Foy Stevenson visit the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. They met with numerous officials concerning environmental ethics issues as part of Philosophy Professor Neil Manson’s Environmental Ethics Course.

Most University of Mississippi faculty members will say that “seeing a light bulb go on” when a student truly connects with the subject matter is one of the most rewarding parts of their profession. It is that passion for sharing knowledge and creative ideas that is driving many UM faculty members to create learning experiences that go outside the four walls of a classroom.

In its seventh year, the university Study USA program is assisting faculty members as they work to put students in direct contact with research and experts who hold firsthand experience in a variety of subjects.

“The knowledge and practical applications that my students learn in two weeks is more than I could ever teach them in a classroom for a whole semester,” said Neil Manson, UM assistant professor of philosophy, about his Study USA Environmental Ethics course. “Through this program, my students have the opportunity to see how these environmental policy issues are playing out each and every day in real-life situations. The opportunity to meet these key players in D.C. is just an invaluable learning experience.”

During the upcoming Wintersession break in January 2016, students in various disciplines can take advantage of opportunities to immerse themselves in academic courses during one or two-week excursions. Hospitality management in Las Vegas, a civil rights road trip around the Southeast and journalism in New Orleans are just a few of the classes scheduled for Wintersession 2016.

Manson taught Philosophy 345: Environmental Ethics, which deals with the human relationship with the environment, during the 2012 and 2015 Wintersession terms.

Students spent the first week on the Oxford campus. During this time, Thomas Moorman, Southern region director for Ducks Unlimited, spoke to the class about the mission of the organization that serves as the United States’ largest wetlands conservation group. Students also toured the UM wastewater treatment facility and heard about the environmental work that plant supervisor David Adkisson is engaged in.

The next week, the class traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with legislators, activist groups and other officials involved in U.S. environmental issues, including U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, who chairs the Senate agricultural committee.

“Senior staff members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and well as members of Senator Cochran’s staff gave us insight on how the U.S. farm bill is crafted each year and discussed the Keystone and XL pipelines,” Manson recalled. “These are important environmental decisions that our government is debating right now, and they will have a major impact on the next generation of Americans.”

Students also visited BIO, the biotechnology industry organization, to learn more about the controversies surrounding genetically modified foods and how they might affect the food supply in the future. They also visited with officials from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to discuss both sides of the animal rights and food supply issues.

For the fourth time in as many years, Manson will lead a group of students to Washington during UM’s Wintersession 2016 term, this time for his class in medical ethics.

“If I had not taken this course, I would never have become as interested in medical ethical issues that are on the forefront of health care legislation right now,” said Hannah Hudson, a May 2015 UM graduate.

Hudson participated in the Study USA Biomedical Ethics course during Wintersession 2014 and is now pursuing a master’s degree in bioethics at Emory University.

“The Study USA course I participated in has opened so many doors for my future,” said Jenna Campbell, a junior political science major from Palatine, Illinois. “I’ve learned how crucial learning outside the classroom can be.”

UM Outreach Director of College Programs Laura Antonow agrees.

“Dr. Manson’s courses have been such eye-openers for students,” Antonow said. “Ethics exist in real life. It’s not just something that was discussed in ancient Greece. These discussions and policy decisions based on these issues are happening now in Washington, and this Study USA course helps students to see how this affects all of us.”

Jimmy Thomas: Influencing Writing Through Southern Culture

Posted on: August 31st, 2015 by erabadie

By Ellen Whitaker | Courtesy of The Daily Mississippian Rebel Guide: Orientation 2015

Jimmy Thomas | Photo by Ellen Whitaker

Wander through the maze of Barnard Observatory, past multiple rows of dark wood bookcases, and begin at the base of the curved stairwell, not the main one, but the one off to the right. Climb two sets of pre-Civil War stair- wells and land in Jimmy Thomas’ office. Seriously, land in it—no door, no office number, no secretary answering a phone. Just look up and be greeted by a light-infused circular room and a soft, friendly smile from Thomas himself.

Thomas is the associate director for publications at the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, located in the east wing of Barnard Observatory on the University of Mississippi campus. Thomas has not only worked for the Center since 2003, but he also is an adjunct professor in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric.

“I came on board to work on the New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture,” Thomas said. “It is a 24-volume encyclopedia ranging from everything from religion in the South to race. It includes things like art and architecture, language, ethnicity, literature, the environment and so on. I originally came on as a project manager, and we would publish about four a year.”

Ted Ownby, director of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, said that Thomas’ knack for making sure that the encyclopedias were published on time was impressive. “First of all, Jimmy is a really good editor,” Ownby said. “He is extraordinary with deadlines. I think 23 of the 24 volumes of the New Encyclopedia came out on time. I think that is virtually unheard of in academic publishing history. So, he holds up to those standards, that no, we do not publish roughly on time—we publish on time.”

Thomas grew up in the Mississippi Delta, specifically Leland and Greenville, and graduated from UM with a bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy in 1994 and a master’s degree in Southern Studies in 2007. After finishing his master’s, Thomas began teaching Liberal Arts 102, which is an alternative to Writing 102 and is offered through the Department of Writing and Rhetoric. LIBA 102, a first-year seminar, is only available for freshmen students to take after they have completed a 101 writing course.

Thomas said that the advantage of taking LIBA 102 instead of Writing 102 is that students would be taking a research writing course from an expert in that subject, whether it is Southern Studies or even engineering.

Sara Seckman, senior communication sciences and disorders major from Atlanta, took Thomas’ class in the spring of her freshman year. “I was told that LIBA classes were a fun alternative to writing courses,” Seckman said. “I saw that the subject was Southern Studies and thought that it would be cool. We are Ole Miss, and I feel like it is the epicenter of Southern studies.”

Seckman said that Thomas is her favorite professor at UM.

“He was the first professor in college that just made me feel like that I could do it, like I could conquer the class,” Seckman said. “I really got into my final research project, because I enjoyed the class so much. He just made me feel like a great student. He is passionate about what he does, and it really comes out in his teaching.”

In Thomas’ research writing class, each student writes three research papers—two shorter papers and one eight- to 10-page paper. For the final project, students pick an iconic Southern person, place, thing or event and write about it.

“I chose to write about voodoo in New Orleans for my final project,” Seckman said. “I called some shops down there and had these crazy conversations with some crazy people that I would have never talked to before. He gave us free rein and let us get creative with it.”

Getting the students to be engaged intellectually and to care about the subject that they are writing about is how Thomas said he influences his students’ greater understanding of writing.

“If you are interested in the topic, if you want to know more about it, then you are going to do better,” Thomas said. “But getting them to care about language—the way we communicate—is a big challenge. But if you can do that, then you are kind of there.”

Thomas said that his favorite parts about teaching are getting to know the students and watching them improve their writing over the course of the semester.

“They do not have to be Faulkner when they walk out of my class, but if they can walk out of the class and feel like they have accomplished something, then that makes it worthwhile.”

Class Analyzes New York In Film

Posted on: April 20th, 2015 by erabadie

Class meets with cinema professionals, explores New York movie sites

APRIL 16, 2015 | BY MICHAEL NEWSOM

Elizabeth Romary, a sophomore international studies major from Greenville, North Carolina, met actor Ethan Hawke at St. Bart’s Cathedral in New York, where Hawke’s documentary ‘Seymour: An Introduction’ was screened. Romary, who was in the city with her Honors College class, attended the event on her own time.

Elizabeth Romary, a sophomore international studies major, met actor Ethan Hawke at St. Bart’s Cathedral in New York, at the screening of his documentary ‘Seymour: An Introduction.’

Few places become the backdrop for films as much as New York, and a University of Mississippi class traveled there during spring break to better understand how the city is portrayed in movies.

The 300-level class, taught by Alan Arrivée, assistant professor of cinema, and Timothy Yenter, assistant professor of philosophy, is made up of Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College students. The class covers the portrayal of the city, from the early days of film in the 1920s to the years since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“The idea was to not only have students watch the films together, but talk about them and read what people from a wide variety of disciplines have to say,” Yenter said. “We want to see what novelists have to say, what film critics have to say and what film scholars and historians of culture have to say. We’re reading widely in order to get a sense of what others have brought to the discussion and also what we can bring to it.”

The class examines why so many films are set in the Big Apple. The representations of race and class in different genres is also part of the curriculum. The professors encourage students to reflect on whether they see themselves represented in the films and whether they see places they recognize.

“The two most obvious things that have come up in class are questions of how is space represented as being in New York City and in what way New York is represented as it was during the time of filming,” Arrivée said. “We also want to know in what way was New York artificially constructed to serve the plot, the theme and the goals of the filmmakers. Then, on top of it all, what incredible changes have taken place in the reality of the city over the course of the films we are studying.”

The Honors College provided funding for the course and the trip. It also funded another class this semester, which explored ethical issues surrounding antiquities and which also went to New York during spring break. The two special topics classes were the fruit of proposals for classes submitted by professors.
The Honors College tried the concept in 2013, and the winning proposal focused on the World Cup. Six Honors College students traveled to Brazil for the event in 2014.

Experiential classes are an excellent opportunity for students, said John Samonds, associate dean of the Honors College.

“They not only saw New York and screened various films while they were up there, but they also met with film directors and others involved in the industry,” Samonds said. “We’re always so excited to be able to support endeavors like this. This kind of opportunity is one of many characteristics about the Honors College that we think makes this a very vibrant and attractive honors college.”

Rachael Cooper, a junior English major from Olive Branch, said the class has given her the chance to watch and analyze great films such as “On The Town” and “His Girl Friday,” which she might not have seen on her own. And the chance to see the places they were filmed has been invaluable.

“The New York trip allowed me to conduct hands-on research for my final project and also give me free time to explore the city and see some landmarks and locations from film and television,” Cooper said. “I think you develop a new appreciation for the famous and lesser known spaces in the city made famous by the films once you’ve had a chance to stand in those spaces yourself and see how huge, or tiny, they are in reality.”

Sean O’Hara, a junior computer science major from Jackson, said what stood out to him on the trip was the powerful attraction people have to the city and how that force pulls them to move there.

“For me, it was the interplay between the magnetic and idiosyncratic qualities of the city,” O’Hara said. “Almost everyone I met on the trip was from somewhere other than New York, but some unifying thread seemed to have brought them all together. I relate to that in many ways, and I think it’s just an innate quality of New York in that it embodies this perfect mess of society. It’s this ultimate icon for America’s beautifully random hodgepodge of people and culture.”

An Ethical Proposition for UM

Posted on: March 16th, 2015 by erabadie

Alumni donate to strengthen curriculum in ethical reasoning

March 16, 2015

UM alumni Frances and Hume Bryant (right) and Bruce and Mary Betsy Bellande (left) of Oxford, Miss. enjoy a ten day cycling trip through the Provence region of France in 2014 while sporting their UM jerseys.

Hume Bryant and his wife, Frances, have established the Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Hume Bryant Lectureship in Ethics Endowment through a recent pledge and gift of real estate. The new endowment will offer faculty support to enable additional ethics courses across disciplines, allowing more UM students to ponder ethical queries through academic instruction and carry strengthened reasoning skills into their post-academic life.

“Ethics courses help students learn to think and decipher all the grey areas between what we call ‘right and wrong,’” said Bryant. “If you don’t learn how to think critically, you probably shouldn’t be in a position to make important decisions. For instance, it came out recently that corporate managers knew about an automobile malfunction that killed people but were afraid to say anything. How does that happen? I think people sometimes make decisions without considering the ethical consequences.”

Chancellor Dan Jones (left) and Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts Richard Forgette (right) thank Frances and Hume Bryant for their gift creating an endowment to support the teaching of ethics at the University of Mississippi.

Bryant, a 1964 engineering graduate, enjoyed his years at UM from youth through graduation. The son of a university professor and administrator, his childhood home was where Lamar Hall now stands, and he attended University High School, housed in what is now the music building. As an undergraduate he participated in the band playing the flute and piccolo.

The band is still my favorite part of the game day experience,” he said.

He met his first wife, Barbara Kalif, at UM. After graduation, Bryant was assigned to the Strategic Air Command in New England where he ended his active duty tour as a captain. After earning a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University, he embarked on a 25-year career with Southern Pacific railroad that moved the couple to San Francisco, where they raised two children, William and Michelle.

Barbara Bryant passed away while they were living in California. After moving to Chicago and Fort Worth, Hume Bryant retired to Oxford in 2000.

I loved the cities I lived in, but grew tired of the commotion,” he said. “I was very fortunate to come home to a place like Oxford.”

But as a young man, Bryant was eager to expand his horizons.

“We have a very complicated history,” Bryant said of the university and Oxford. “Growing up, there was often talk among my family about issues that were not necessarily popular, but were very important. I know now that these discussions were really about ethics.”

Bryant’s family played a major role in UM’s history. His mother, Willie Hume, was the niece of Alfred Hume, the first chancellor to possess an earned doctorate. Hume served UM for nearly 60 years as a professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, two-term chancellor and three appointments as acting chancellor. He is credited for preventing Gov. Theodore Bilbo from moving the university to Jackson.

His father, W. Alton Bryant, was chair of the Department of English, provost and later vice chancellor. He is noted for encouraging fellow administrators during the tumultuous period of integration to “be concerned about how rules were implemented and the effects of carrying them out as much as their literal meaning.”

Bryant also noted another key influence, the Rev. Duncan Gray, Jr. While rector from 1957 to 1965 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Oxford, Gray became a motivating figure during James Meredith’s admission. Gray was among a minority of outspoken Mississippians regarding the ethical dilemma of integration. During a Sunday morning sermon the day of the 1962 riot, Gray told his congregation, “No university in the world would defend this position rationally, and no Christian church would defend it morally.”

That evening, Gray moved throughout the angry mob, removing bricks from hands and encouraging people to go home before he was overtaken by a mob and beaten.

“I was in Carrier Hall as the riot started, then went to the Sigma Nu house,” Bryant remembered. “Some fraternity brothers and I tried to misdirect potential trouble makers coming to the campus. Thinking back over that time, I realize that while I still did not necessarily associate ‘ethics’ with the incident, I did know that Reverend Gray followed his beliefs at great risk to his person – and did what was right – regardless of the consequences. I was so impressed with his actions that the following spring, I went through confirmation classes with Reverend Gray and joined St. Peter’s.”

Today, Bryant serves Oxford by volunteering on the Oxford Tree Board. His tenure has helped acquire almost $200,000 in Mississippi Forestry Commission grants for the community. He enjoys gardening, nature, biking and lives near the downtown square in walking distance to his favorite places, including the UM campus and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.

He is not alone on his walks and bike rides, however. Through mutual friends, Bryant met Frances Byars King and the two were married in 2013. Frances Bryant attended UM from 1976 to 1980 studying marketing. She has spent her career in sales and works for AirMedCare, the largest independent air medical network in the nation.

“We are two polar opposites,” said Frances Bryant. “I’m very spontaneous, while Hume is the consummate planner. But that works very well for us. I was so proud when he wanted to establish this lectureship. It’s a good fit, and captures an essence of him that I care for deeply.”

Steven Skultety, chair and associate professor of the Department of Philosophy and Religion, was pleased to hear UM alumni established the lectureship to highlight the importance of ethics in a liberal arts education.

“Many people believe ethics can teach us nothing because they assume values are subjective, unscientific and up to each person,” said Skultety. “It is incredibly important that our university helps students understand that constructing a persuasive ethical argument demands as much logical reasoning and unbiased attention as conducting a scientific experiment or creating a mathematical proof. After all, when they enter the work world, our graduates will inevitably face decisions and dilemmas that will call upon their critical skills and familiarity with ethical principles.”

UM offers environmental, biomedical, and general survey ethics courses to undergraduates and legal ethics within the School of Law. However, as yearly offerings average only one section per year, availability is limited.

Skultety believes the Bryant Endowment will help address that need.

“With guidance from the College of Liberal Arts and the Office of the Provost, we plan on using this gift to create a position for a full-time ethicist,” said Skultety. “Not only will this position lead to more classes being offered but also will promote greater coordination among faculty teaching ethics in some capacity. A full-time ethicist will increase visibility for ethics on our campus, and he or she will serve as the point-person for anyone studying ethics in a scholarly way. The prospect is very exciting.”

On a larger scale, this gift represents foundational beliefs about the importance of a liberal arts education that were shared by Hume Bryant’s predecessors.

“On behalf of our university community, we thank Hume and Frances Bryant for their generous support,” said Morris Stocks, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “This gift will strengthen our liberal arts faculty and help provide meaningful opportunities for our students to develop critical thinking skills and find moral purpose as they endeavor in their academic and career pursuits. The Bryant family has a long legacy of leadership at the University of Mississippi, and we are truly grateful for their commitment.”

Frances Bryant has a daughter, Cade King Clurman, living in Annapolis, Md. and a son, Trey King, in Inverness, Miss. The Oxford couple enjoys visits with their five grandchildren, planning their new home and traveling abroad with Mary Betsy Bellande, Hume Bryant’s sister, and her husband Bruce.

Individuals and organizations can make gifts to the Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Hume Bryant Lectureship in Ethics Endowment by mailing a check with the fund noted in the memo line to the University of Mississippi Foundation, 406 University Avenue, Oxford, Miss., 38655; visiting http://www.umfoundation.com/makeagift; or contacting Denson Hollis, senior development officer for the College of Liberal Arts, at 662-915-5092 or dhollis@olemiss.edu.

Katie Morrison