For The Record: What Makes a Good Student
[00:00:00] Chloe: You are now listening to For The Record, a Blue Record miniseries.
[00:00:07] Yeah, check it, yeah,
[00:00:13] get us together. A Spelmanite is a warrior fighting for justice. We can never be silent, so yeah, we causing a ruckus. Lift our voices up to bring injustice down. Speaking truth to power, we loving the sound. Undaunted by the fight, love is all we need. It's time to clear out the air so we all can breathe.
[00:00:32] Ain't no stopping us, we stick together. This bond is gonna last forever. Marching every day until we free. That's our buried treasure.
[00:00:46] Hey.
[00:00:52] Hello, everyone. My name is Chloe Catro. I'm a third year art history major and curatorial studies minor from Prince George's County, [00:01:00] Maryland, and I am an archivist for For the Record.
[00:01:04] Jasmine: Hello, my name is Jasmine Patrick. I'm a sophomore English major from Bolingbroke, Illinois, and I am here on the Blue Brocade podcast as an archivist.
[00:01:13] Hi, guys. I'm sorry I'm not able to be there in person, but it is so great to be connected with you all via phone. So, how have you guys been? How's the semester been going?
[00:01:42] Chloe: That's really great. Um, my semester has been going. Midterms are approaching. Just getting ready, just getting ready for that. I have a couple, couple big assignments to do.
[00:01:54] So I'm trying to pace myself, you know. Wish you got it in the bag.
[00:01:57] Alexandra: Thank you! I'm [00:02:00] not here physically with the Archivist, unfortunately. I'm in Barcelona studying abroad for the semester. Um, so we're I was doing admissions. I feel like I'm missing so much, but also, like, I'm getting the experiences of a lifetime, so I'm so grateful and very excited, but I'm gonna miss homecoming, like, and just, I miss the small town feel of campus and everything.
[00:02:25] I know, we miss you so much, Alex! I miss you guys, too. But this is, but like you said, it's an opportunity of a lifetime, and you're, you'll be here next year. It'll, it'll be fine, but this is, this is a new experience. I know, and
[00:02:40] like, don't you, Brad? I think
[00:02:42] that's literally one of the reasons I came to Selma, and so, it's like, I
[00:02:46] Dr. Spence: had
[00:02:47] Chloe: to Yeah, yeah, you had a, you had the vision.
[00:02:51] You executed, you're executing it. It's, it's great. I'm very happy to see it. I'm so proud of you. So proud of you. What made[00:03:00]
[00:03:06] you a good question. Okay, so I Knew I always wanted to go to HBCU. I knew I was going to HBCU. I knew I wanted to go To Spelman as early as ninth grade. Um, I don't know. I just I just felt like that was my call It's yeah, it's hard for me to describe it really but like what I can put in words is that I did really like that Spelman was Focused like its curriculum was based or founded in black women teaching students about black women and like it's a space for black women.
[00:03:49] Well, yeah. And, um, I just like really admired that. And I was like, okay, this is where this is where I need to be. Um, and yeah, here I am now. [00:04:00] Having a great time.
[00:04:08] Dr. Spence: Your academic journey has been at fun
[00:04:11] Alexandra: so far?
[00:04:12] Jasmine: Um, I, I like to think that I have a good relationship with my professors. I believe that I have been blessed with good hearted professors, but I think also being fresh into the world of academia, sometimes it's a little bit difficult to read. My professors, I mean, we both have different lifestyles.
[00:04:30] We both have different personalities. Um, but. We also have to understand that Spelman is a space where they prioritize relationship. So, it's not, you may, you may happen to meet a professor where you're not going to talk to them, ever. But, in my experience, I've always had professors actively attempt to make a relationship or a bond
[00:04:54] Alexandra: with me.
[00:04:54] So, what do you guys feel like, in your perspective, makes a good student?
[00:04:59] Jasmine: Um, I would [00:05:00] say that really a good student is what you determine it to be. I think a good student is relative to what your focus is in academia, what your future focus is in academia, in your career. But we all know that there are some boundaries that a student has to recognize.
[00:05:17] It's a professional boundary that, um, works for the best and the good of both the student and the professor. So again, I do think that. It's, it's definitive.
[00:05:30] Chloe: So, absolutely. And, um, and your work in the classroom, um, yeah, speaks to that as well. Yeah,
[00:05:42] Alexandra: I, I also think like having a yearning to learn more. Um, I know for me, like I, I love learning as corny as it sounds like I love reading things and learning new information.
[00:05:54] So I also think like being able to ingest information and then also. [00:06:00] Take that information and do something with it, you know, like apply it to your life in various ways or like, um, just, just work with it if that makes sense.
[00:06:15] Dr. Cynthia Nielsen is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Spelman College for teaching and research interests in the areas of sociology, criminology, law, and violence against women, supports the law and criminology concentration in the college's Department of Sociology. Dr. Spencer's interest in issues of higher education access, gender role socialization, and violence against women frames her research, writing, community service involvement, and public speaking.
[00:06:42] She has solved, she has served as a consultant for the Ford Foundation Institutional Transformation Project, the University of Chicago Provost Initiative on Minority Affairs, the Agnes Scott College Center for Teaching and Learning, and the Georgia Department of Corrections. In addition to her faculty [00:07:00] position at Spelman, Dr.
[00:07:01] Spence serves as director of the UNCF Mellon program. The Mellon program provides fellowships for students interested in becoming college professors in areas of the humanities, physics, mathematics, sociology, anthropology, and other disciplines employing philosophical or historical analysis.
[00:07:19] Dr. Spence: Hello?
[00:07:20] Alexandra: Hi, Dr.
[00:07:21] Spence! Yes, I can hear you. Hi,
[00:07:25] Dr. Spence: how are you all
[00:07:26] Chloe: good? How are you? How are you?
[00:07:30] Dr. Spence: Well, well,
[00:07:32] Jasmine: we are so, so very grateful to hear you on this call today. Um, so we're just going to go ahead and jump right to it. If you don't
[00:07:42] Chloe: mind. Okay,
[00:07:44] Dr. Spence: that's fine.
[00:07:49] Alexandra: Okay, so I'm going to, I'm going to read my quote now. Okay, guys. Okay. Or not my quote, my little statement. Okay. Um, have you, have you ever wondered how your professors [00:08:00] perceive you or in their eyes, what makes a good student? Well, today we're going straight to the soul. This month's episode is called what makes a good student interviewing faculty lodging.
[00:08:10] You have the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Cynthia Wilson today, and we'll also review some thoughts from another platform team member we know and love.
[00:08:26] Jasmine: Dr. Andrea Lewis. Okay. So, Dr. Spence, uh, we want to hear from your honorable voice. What do you think students need to know before entering the classroom?
[00:08:38] Dr. Spence: Before entering class or before entering the endowment? What did you say?
[00:08:42] Jasmine: Before entering the classroom.
[00:08:45] Dr. Spence: Class. Well, certainly, first of all, I want to congratulate you all on the podcast, and I know that this is the beginning of many interesting, uh, discussions that you all will carry on the, um, Blue Record.
[00:08:59] [00:09:00] When I think about students and the ways in which they enter the space of a classroom, I want to emphasize that the classroom, for me, is sacred space. You know, Bell Hooks talks about the transformations that can occur within a classroom setting. And she states that the classroom is the most radical space in the academy.
[00:09:27] And I believe that. I believe that because it is in that space where we can actually change the ways that individuals see and know their world. But the only way that we can do that is for students to actually come and be prepared and have, they must read text because the only way that we learn about the ways in which individuals kind of consume knowledge and produce knowledge is to actually be engaged with those who have already done it.[00:10:00]
[00:10:00] And while we don't want to groom students who are going to be regurgitators of knowledge. We want them to be able to consume knowledge and then to place themselves in conversation with the great thinkers, with, um, their classmates. With the professor. And so one of the ways that they do that is that they're well read, that they treat the classroom as sacred space.
[00:10:31] And what does that mean? It means that I'm prepared. I entered this space, and I know that something very special is going to happen here in this classroom, that I'm going to be engaged with my fellow classmates, I'm going to be engaged in conversations that are facilitated by my professor. And the way that we do that is that we treat it as a serious enterprise.
[00:10:59] So you must [00:11:00] read the assignments. You must be willing to engage with others to share your thoughts. You must be able to demonstrate that you can be in conversation with the scholars that you're being exposed to. And so I call that a scholarly posture. And that means that a solid posse doesn't mean that you're sitting up straight, all buttoned up.
[00:11:23] No, it means that you are entering this sacred, radical space for the very intention to learn, to be a learner, to actually be also a teacher. Because it's through the interpretations that students add to the conversation that they teach others. They even teach the professors. So it's a space of reciprocity also.
[00:11:49] Chloe: That's a great response. Dr. Spence, thank you so much. I really love your definition of scholarly posture, um, whenever, whenever you, um, define it for us. Thank you so much. [00:12:00] So our next question is, um, well in Judith Pace, in Annette Hemings article, understanding Authority in Classrooms, the Scholars observe that.
[00:12:10] The student teacher relationship is compromised when the teacher is not respected. Can you recall a time when your authority as a teacher was a defining feature in shaping your classroom environment?
[00:12:24] Dr. Spence: Well, and so I have that happen all the time. Yeah, and The reality is, I think most professors don't want to be viewed as authoritarian, that we want to be viewed as collaborators, but oftentimes the experience that a professor brings to a classroom can sometimes be challenged by [00:13:00] students.
[00:13:00] I don't have that. That's not my experience. My experience with authority being challenged is when students don't accept the assignments and don't take responsibility for their learning. And that's when I believe, not that my authority is being challenged, but the authority of the sacred trust that I hope to establish with my students when we begin this journey every semester.
[00:13:34] There is in fact a trust. relationship that should exist between student and teacher. And if I'm willing to provide assignments that are going to move a student's understanding from point A to point B, point C to point D, I can't do that alone if the student is not willing to [00:14:00] accept the responsibility that they hold as students.
[00:14:04] Because again, I talked about reciprocity. This is a reciprocal relationship. And so, I don't, um, see a lot of challenging of my authority per se. But I do experience students challenging assignments. And when I, and it's not that they say we shouldn't have this assignment. It's every now and then they just don't do the assignment.
[00:14:31] And that's just not good. Because that does, in fact. Um, make our relationship a more vulnerable relationship because I don't believe that they're invested. I don't believe that a student is invested in the teaching and learning, um, space if they don't do the assignment.
[00:14:49] Jasmine: This is going to lead me to my next question.
[00:14:51] In what ways have you seen students at Spelman and in the AUC express their voices? And are there any instances that resonated with you [00:15:00] most?
[00:15:00] Chloe: You all
[00:15:01] Dr. Spence: may know that one of my areas is violence against women. Yes. And, and because that's an area of, um, of some level of specialization and experience working in the community with organizations that are addressing issues of intimate interpersonal violence, I am very sensitive to the needs and concerns of students at Selma.
[00:15:28] When we talk about the levels of violence external to the Spelman community, but internal to the Atlanta University Center. And so I have, um, on numerous occasions worked with Spelman students to craft their statement around violence against women and intimate interpersonal violence on the campus when they don't believe that it's being properly addressed.[00:16:00]
[00:16:00] Uh, the authorities, whether that be authorities at Spelman or authorities at our neighboring institutions. Um, that has been, um, wonderful working with students to just help them. They already have the voices. I'm just helping them strategize on how to be strategic in voicing your concerns. So that's one area.
[00:16:22] Another area is, um, last year, or no, a year before last, we had a number of students who were very much concerned about housing shortages on campus. And what they thought was a lack of response by the institution to address the challenges of students who have been basically forced to live off campus.
[00:16:44] Because the institution accepted more students than normal. And in that instance, juniors and seniors were, lost their rooms. Rooms that they had, that had been promised to them. And certainly, I have to weigh both, [00:17:00] because I understand that colleges and universities have to make certain decisions that everyone's not going to like.
[00:17:07] But, it was a process issue for me. And because of that, I've worked with students to state their concerns to the president, to, um, the, the VP of Student Affairs, and others, to say this, this just should not happen, and, you know, what are we going to do about this? What kinds of allowances can be made for students who are now our commuter students?
[00:17:32] And what kinds of allowances can be made for students around food and security? So, I am a proponent of students taking, uh, matters into their own hands. I always emphasize, however, to do your homework and don't just go out and emote. But once I know that you've done your homework, that you are sincere, and that your questions are valid questions, I will work with you to craft any kind of [00:18:00] statements or to actually just be your cheerleader.
[00:18:02] When you are out there taking a stance and also knowing, assuring students that they'll have the protection that I'll stand and, um, stand for them and that I will protect them if they feel that speaking out is going to render them vulnerable in the community. I try to assure them that I'll be here, I'm.
[00:18:32] Alexandra: It's so fascinating to hear how you will really rally for your students and, um, how much you just love and really support them. Um, so for our last question before we run out of time for you is, um, you've been teaching at Spelman for a while now. And so we were wondering, how has your instructing style changed since you first started teaching at Spelman?
[00:18:56] Um, or has it changed at all? And then, just like, what are your [00:19:00] reflections of? Um, your methodology of teaching during your, during your time at
[00:19:05] Dr. Spence: Spelman. Yeah, well, I have. I've been teaching at Spelman a very long time. I know. A very, very long time. I love you. But,
[00:19:16] um, my pedagogy has changed, I hope, um, in response to the students and what's happening in the rest of the world. And I guess the clearest example that I can give you is that I'm not really a big social media person. I am a podcaster. I, you know, I listen to podcasts, but you're not going to find me on Twitter much.
[00:19:39] You're not going to find me much on Instagram or any of the other social media sites. But yet I know that my students are. And so even for the past year and a half, one of the courses that I've been teaching, uh, My Body, My Choice, that focuses in on reproductive justice issues, I have the students, uh, [00:20:00] part of their assignment is to track discussions about reproductive justice on Twitter and Instagram and, um, what's, what's the other one?
[00:20:10] Um. Yeah, TikTok. And I do that. And so, and so they like doing that. I've changed that. I mean, because I know that you all are already out there doing it. And so they're teaching me, they'll tell me, Oh, Dr. Smith, but see on TikTok, it's like this, or on Instagram, it's like this, or this is how you follow it. If this is how you would curate the messages.
[00:20:33] And so that's just an example now. Of something that I do where students are teaching me, but I'm also trying to be very much responsive to who you are and what your world is and to make certain that my teaching is reflective of that and engages the ways in which you all kind of move about in the world.
[00:20:55] So that's one example. So now, I thought [00:21:00] changed a lot. You know, I, I used, um, I started when we were doing Blackboard. You know, we're right in the house.
[00:21:09] Yeah, and so y'all don't even know anything about all of that. But now, you know, everything is online, or I do a lot of, um, links to articles for students. Because I, you know, you have to change. You must change. You know, if you're going to stay here and be relevant, um, I even listen to the music. I will tell you about students and social imagination and you all are going to be surprised by this, but I'm going to do a sermon based on it.
[00:21:35] They kept talking about. Sexy Red. Oh. Uh huh. Uh huh. There you
[00:21:44] Alexandra: go.
[00:21:45] Dr. Spence: So I said, okay, well I'm going to listen to Sexy Red so I can see what's going on with Sexy Red. And you know, certainly Sexy Red will not be on my playlist. But, but, I will, I will [00:22:00] engage my students in a conversation about why is, why is Sexy Red, why is Sexy Red You know, someone that people know, but also, what does that reflect about society?
[00:22:14] You know, what, who, what audience is Sexy Red speaking to? Because as a sociologist, we're always talking about our audiences. So, what is her audience, and how does she, how does she construct reality? And so, um, so yeah. I mean, those are just examples of how I try my best to be attuned. To what's going on in students lives and their, um, their minds and, you know, because you all are, you're full human beings.
[00:22:42] And so I need to be aware of that and I think faculty members need to always be aware that you all are full human beings. And that we need to make sure that we understand how you live out your humanity.
[00:22:57] Chloe: Absolutely, Dr. Spence. Thank you so much. Oh my [00:23:00] gosh, I want to sit on, in on that sexy red class. Oh my gosh, I would love to, I would love to hear the perspectives.
[00:23:10] Dr. Spence: We're coming to it, we're coming to it. Um, yep. And they were surprised that I, you know, students were surprised that I listened to Sexy Red, and they were like, what? I said, yeah, you are, that's who you're listening to, I want to know who she is. No, but
[00:23:24] Chloe: Dr. Spence, we appreciate, as students, um, well, speaking for myself, I mean, I'd appreciate that.
[00:23:30] Like, when my, um, professors take time to, You know, look at things I'm interested in personally and include it or introduce it to the world of academia because, um, everything, you know, it's kind of dry. It can be kind of dry. So we appreciate that. And, you know, as you know, it could be a way for us to be more engaged.
[00:23:52] And within our work and to look at things differently. Um, so thank you so much, Dr. Smith for all that [00:24:00] you do. We love you so much. Well,
[00:24:02] Dr. Spence: listen, you, I thank you all. And I'm really proud of what you're doing and I wouldn't be here if I didn't love you. Okay. You all take care. You do the
[00:24:15] Chloe: same.
[00:24:17] Dr. Spence: Bye bye.
[00:24:24] Chloe: We're now going to discuss the reflections of Dr. Andrea Lewis, she's a director of the student success program and associate professor of education at Spelman College. Her professional experiences include elementary school teacher, public and private school administrator, and college and faculty staff.
[00:24:44] In addition to her work, In student success, Dr. Lewis chairs the college completion action team, co chairs the campus assessment response and evaluation team, co directs the international prestigious fellowships, and organizes a Cuba study [00:25:00] trip. through the Gordon Z. Tibbs Center. A summa cum laude graduate of Spelman College, Dr.
[00:25:06] Lewis earned her master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania and entered the Nominational Theological Center and a doctor from philosophy from Georgia State and a doctor of, excuse me, philosophy from Georgia State University.
[00:25:21] Alexandra: Yes, we are so grateful that Dr. Lewis was able to send in her answers, um, just so we could get another faculty perspective.
[00:25:29] And so, um, one of the questions we asked her was, What is something you want students to know before entering your classroom? And she responded to come ready to learn and be prepared to lead with broader knowledge. And also to ground themselves with, um, her motivating quote, I expect the best because you are the best.
[00:25:50] I don't think that kind of motivated me. I'm like, wow, I, I am the best.
[00:25:54] Chloe: Yeah, the exclamation point, I think, really set it off. I know, really.[00:26:00]
[00:26:02] Um, so the next question we asked Dr. Lewis is, do you think that the lack of racial diversity at HBCUs makes it difficult for perspectives on race to vary in your classroom? And she said, no, because Spelman students grew up in countries across the globe. Each has a personal narrative that defines their experiences and opinions centered on diverse topics, including race.
[00:26:26] And I, um, really, I really liked her response to that because, um, you know, when I was in high school, I was like, Oh, I want to go to HBCUs and my friends who were black, they were like, Oh, I don't want to go to HBCU because, you know, I want something different. You know, I'm like, I want more diversity. And, um.
[00:26:42] But there is diversity. Yeah, just as Dr. Lewis said, and I know, and I knew that coming, I mean, like, as a high schooler, but I was just like, the people don't know, the people don't know yet, but it's okay, it's okay.
[00:26:55] Jasmine: Okay, so, thank you, Chloe. We're going to go [00:27:00] ahead and move on to the next question. We asked Dr.
[00:27:04] Lewis, in Judith and Pace, is Judith Pace in Annette Hemmick's article? Understanding Authority in Classrooms The scholars observed that student teacher relationships is compromised when the teacher is not respected. We asked Dr. Lewis if she could recall a time in which her authority as a teacher was a defining feature in shaping her classroom environment.
[00:27:24] Dr. Lewis responded, I have not been disrespected by Spelman students. I believe they know my heart is genuine, and my love for Spelman is in everything I do, including showing tough love. Wow. Um, As someone who personally knows Dr. Lewis, I would say that that everything that she responded with is absolutely true.
[00:27:49] She is extremely loving, she embraces her students, and she does show tough love. Um, it's never to the extent where you walk away with your feelings hurt, but you [00:28:00] are always walking away feeling empowered. And it is really good to be a student, senior at Spelman, knowing that. We're surrounded by a community who want us to leave feeling empowered.
[00:28:12] Chloe: Absolutely. And yes, thank you to all those professors who show tough love instead of, um, just giving us the bad grade. Like, you failed. No, I'm just joking. But, um, yes, thank you to all our professors who care. Yeah.
[00:28:32] Alexandra: Um, so another question we asked Dr Lewis was, in your opinion, what prohibits one from being a good student?
[00:28:39] Students are often their own barrier to success. Distractions from social media, fear of missing the latest and best party, unhealthy relationships, not reaching out for help, and lack of time management often cause students to not be their best selves in the classroom. I can attest to this.
[00:28:58] Dr. Spence: I'm not saying I'm not a
[00:28:59] Alexandra: good [00:29:00] student, but Well, I mean, I get it.
[00:29:02] Jasmine: What would you say is one boundary that you feel that has prevented you from being the best of your best as a student?
[00:29:11] Alexandra: Um, I just, I, I must say, I'm a social, I'm, I wouldn't say I'm a social girl, I'd say that I'm an ambivert, but like, I do have FOMO, and I just, it's mostly like, I just love hanging out with my friends.
[00:29:25] I just love them. And so oftentimes to solve that, we'll like do homework together. And then that's like me getting my little social ness and then also seeing my friends, but like, I am also so,
[00:29:40] Jasmine: what'd you say? Also committing to
[00:29:42] Alexandra: your work. Yeah. And then also like. I will say, I have fallen victim to TikTok scrolling so many times.
[00:29:52] And it's so easy.
[00:29:54] Chloe: So easy. I really would say, like, me... It's too easy. [00:30:00] No, I share your, I share your experience. So, so yeah. Oh my gosh. Okay. We don't have to get into the obsession. We don't have to get into the addiction. We don't have to do it. We need to TikTok. We need a TikTok anonymous group.
[00:30:15] Jasmine: I think.
[00:30:16] Alexandra: No, literally.
[00:30:17] And then the last question that we, um, had from Dr. Lubas was, what initially drew you to Spelman? And she replied, I grew up in a white town and only had a black teacher for 22 days during a middle school industrial art rotation. I longed to see me at school and Spelman was my place to call home.
[00:30:36] Chloe: 22 days?
[00:30:37] That's crazy. That's
[00:30:38] Alexandra: rough. I know, like, I'm, I never, I grew up in Ohio, so like, I didn't have, A lot of black speakers, but I had some for more than 22 days. Like, I'm just, that must be really damaging, like, to be a young black girl and literally not see anybody who looks remotely like you.
[00:30:58] Chloe: And to be honest, I think this, [00:31:00] um, the experience of, A lot of people who go to HBCUs, um, specifically Spelman, because that's the only, um, experience I can speak to.
[00:31:10] Um, and it's just hearing my friend, well, why do you, friends, why do you want to, why did you get into Spelman? Because I was the only black person in my class, uh, because I didn't want people to ask about my hair anymore. Because, you know, they didn't know who I was. I'm like, oh, I'm so sorry. That's true.
[00:31:24] That was your experience. Um, it wasn't my personally, but it's just like, it's like, wow, just to hear other people's experiences. So, I'm, I'm really happy to hear that Spelman or a student's perspective HBCU, um, has been a haven for them, you know. Mm hmm. I found this quote. In a yearbook from 1966, the Spelman College yearbook from 1966, their Reflections yearbook.
[00:31:51] On page 110, and it talked about Merrill Scholars. Um, and it said, Selection as a Merrill Scholar is the [00:32:00] highest honor a student can receive at Spelman. Each year, four students who demonstrate, Among other things, exceptional ability in academic work, and Commensurate. Commensurate, oh my gosh. Um, performance in their contributions to campus life are awarded this honor by an administration faculty committee.
[00:32:26] So this is an academic excellence program, um, that once existed at Spelman College. Um, and it speaks to what is acceptable as a student or what they expect from their students, um, to be high performed. This is what I'm getting from this. Now, Alex, you are a part of the Ethel Waddell Gitche. Ooh, did I pronounce that correctly?
[00:32:54] Alexandra: The Ethel Waddell Gitche Honors Program.
[00:32:56] Chloe: Yes. Excuse me. I'm, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry to [00:33:00] some members of the program as well. Um, um, so, and the honors program is an academic excellence program. So I just wanted to hear your perspective of what they. What are their expectations of students of the program and have, what has been your experience to performing at such a high academic, um, standard?
[00:33:24] Alexandra: Yeah, um, I think the quote that you read, Chloe, really is like, what does, what does the ideal student look like, um, in the eyes of administration and faculty? And it really reminds me of, Kind of like, um, the, someone has a lot of opportunities for prestigious domestic and international fellowships. And it kind of reminds me of that process.
[00:33:50] It's like, you have to submit all of these materials in, in a Google Drive. And then they choose who best, [00:34:00] um, represents the school, for lack of a better word. They're like, who they believe
[00:34:05] Dr. Spence: to compete in.
[00:34:07] Alexandra: The total selection and so like that's their nomination, um, but in regards to the honors program I really enjoy it and I really do feel like it pushes me to be a better student We have these um, we have pinterest boards where we have to document like honors coins Which basically includes like going to um, education events or like if you go to If you go to, um, an event that the Muslim Justice Program is hosting, or like, if you go to the museum, or an academic building, or even studying abroad, you get points.
[00:34:41] And so, um, I just really feel like it encouraged me to do things I wouldn't normally do in order to earn those points. And then also, um, being in honors, you also have to take honors electives, which I literally love so much. [00:35:00] Um, I took a class on reality TV last year, and then also a class on, um, women and social resistance movements.
[00:35:07] Both were, which were amazing, and I learned so much. Um, but, I definitely would, going back to like your initial question, your point, I definitely would say the honors program, It's kind of similar to the Merrill program, but I think the Merrill program Obviously was like way more selective just because it was like only four students um, so maybe it could almost be compared to like summa cum laude or Um, or like the honor societies, I guess, but I don't really know how they work, like Phi Beta Kappa and everything, um, because it's like an induction to like an honor society.
[00:35:46] I
[00:35:47] Chloe: understand, and thank you so much for your wonderful perspective. I've seen some, I've had assignments at the, um, High Museum before, and I can't tell you how many people I've seen there. [00:36:00] I'm like, why are you here? Oh, I had an assignment for the... For our program, um, while I was also there for an assignment for my art history, so I'm like, I have her!
[00:36:10] But, um, yeah, absolutely. And I know the work you all do there is absolutely wonderful. Thank you so much for your perspective on, um, the expectations and how it, um, builds you up. You know, you, you put into it and how much you for that.
[00:36:33] Dr. Spence: Um, so,
[00:36:35] Alexandra: thank you all that can
[00:36:37] Chloe: wait, wait for that. Go ahead. Wait for the for off the off the record. Can I, can I, um, say this quote that the other quote I found that was talking about? Yeah, go ahead. Um, okay. Back on the record. Okay. So I found, um, lastly, I found another quote from another yearbook. Um, the, it's from [00:37:00] 1968 and this quote was just like sitting on a page by itself.
[00:37:04] Okay. Um, and it says the learning process is one that is dependent upon several factors. It is of primary importance that an institution have both a capable faculty and a group of students who have demonstrated the ability to learn. The student must be able to apply this newly acquired knowledge if the process is to be deemed a successful one.
[00:37:30] During the course of her Educative experience, I mean development, the Spelman young woman learns that it is possible to learn in a variety of environments. I know some of the languages, you know, we speak differently, a little differently now. This was 1968, but, but it's a good representation of what Spelman has always.
[00:37:54] Been and always expected of its students and faculty and faculty and staff. [00:38:00] Yeah. Um, I agree. I
[00:38:01] Jasmine: think it is extremely reflective of the, um, interdisciplinary nature that Spelman kind of like drives into us. So, it, it shapes students and contours students on a path where we're not just interested in 1 field or 1 subject it explores.
[00:38:22] The various lenses of life and that honestly is what makes a good student, a student who wants to learn.
[00:38:28] Chloe: Absolutely. Oh, that's a great summary.
[00:38:34] Alexandra: So let that quote marinate, guys, and thank you all so much for having us for your For the Record episode, and we will see you all next month. Bye! Thank
[00:38:51] Dr. Spence: you!