First Year Seminar

Do you like to solve puzzles and play games? This is a hands-on, active-learning style course where we will play games and solve puzzles and along the way discover interesting ideas in mathematics. Students will be introduced to elementary ideas in college mathematics by looking for patterns. The mathematics in this course is designed to be accessible to all incoming students. Topics we explore will include graph theory, topology, probability, and cryptography.

​​​​​Finding your voice, making change, and building a movement are increasingly important as we look toward the future. But how do we do it? And more importantly, how do we do it effectively? What works and what doesn’t? Research shows that nonviolence is the most successful strategy. Does that surprise you? Let’s talk about what nonviolence really means, why it is so successful, and how you can use it to amplify your voice, work for social change and bring others to your cause. We’ll have a good time unearthing some real creativity along the way as we figure out how to make change happen.

Why do people confess to crimes they did not commit?  Why is eyewitness testimony sometimes inaccurate? Are there valid techniques for detecting lies?  What factors influence jury decisions beyond the mere evidence of a case?  This course will use psychological theories and experiments to answer these and other questions relevant to human behavior and erroneous decision making within the legal context.

Those of us that are Potter fans love Harry, however, Harry's success in defeating Voldemort is scaffolded by a supporting cast of characters. The female characters in the Harry Potter books and movies provide the foundation, motivation and in some cases, the sense of family, all of which are essential for Harry to persevere. The course will also explore the background of the female author, JK Rowling and how her perspective influenced the development of the female characters. Discussion will focus on questions such as: What role does each character play in molding Harry's core values? How do the female characters who are nemeses to Harry actually make him stronger and more effective as a hero? We will unpack the influence of major characters such as Hermione, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley as well as a few of the minor characters like Mrs. Figg and Professor Trelawney. We will use a variety of media to explore characters and will work in small groups for our discussion.

Did you know that regular running strengthens your immune system, improves your mood, and boosts your confidence? It’s true! Running is a sport that doesn’t require fancy equipment or a gym membership; the only things you need are a good pair of running shoes and the open road. Join our class to learn about the physical and mental benefits of this powerful cardio exercise. Through a variety of books, articles, essays, scientific studies, movies, and guest speakers, students will be inspired to run for their lives. (The average runner lives three years longer than the non-runner!). This is an active class where students will be running, jogging, and walking—all in preparation for a local 5K.

This course will explore the science behind vaccines (a.k.a.”jabs” in some regions of the world) and the history of their development over the past several centuries from combating smallpox to Covid-19. It will give an introduction to pathology of diseases, immunology, and epidemiology as well as an objective look at vaccine opposition over time and the role vaccines play in public health and the countless lives they have saved.