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Fall Symposium Day, Sept. 28: Transformations

Symposium Day Overview

7:30-9 a.m.  A Day (staff and faculty)

9:15-10 a.m.  Advising group meetings

10:15-11:15 a.m.  Featured speaker I/Session I

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.  Featured speaker II/Session II/lunch on your own

12:45-1:45 p.m.  Featured speaker III/Session III/lunch on your own

2-3 p.m.  Featured speakers IV/Session IV

3:15-4:15 p.m.  Session V

Live Broadcast Schedule
WAUG.fm will broadcast Symposium Day’s featured speaker presentations and conduct live interviews of featured speakers and other guests between sessions (11:15 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:45 p.m. and 3 p.m.). Listen to the broadcast in the Brew.

Advising Sessions
9:15-10 a.m.

Students meet with their advisors in assigned rooms.

Concurrent Session I
10:15-11:15 a.m.

FEATURED SPEAKER
Threshold: Stories from a Changing Planet

The Gerber Center, Gävle Room
Amy Martin ’95, founder and executive producer of an award-winning podcast and public radio program focused on the natural world, and a regular contributor to NPR

What does a bison have to tell us about what it means to be American? How could a layer of frozen soil impact world politics? What do skinny ice and fat trees have to do with the future of human life on Earth? On the podcast and radio show “Threshold,” Amy Martin takes deep dives into pivotal stories of environmental change. She just returned from four months of reporting in the Arctic, and the Augustana audience will be the first to see and hear some of what she discovered in the far north. Martin learned radio journalism at Augustana’s own WVIK radio station, but the path between that work and her decision to found “Threshold” is anything but linear. She’ll share a bit of her journey from farm girl to philosophy major to singer-songwriter to journalist, and describe why she sees great promise in this moment of grave environmental peril.

Fairy Tales and Identity: What the Bears Knew
Brunner Theatre Center, Honkamp Black Box
Paul Lewellan, communications studies; Jordan Arndt, Andy Brown, Megan DeRoeck, Karolyn Erickson, Jordan Ford, Rachel Frances, Desiree Hernandez, Ashley Howard, Lindsey Jones, Sam Koeppel, Mackenzie Leatherman, Randy Leslie, Micah Martin, Andrew McLaughlin, Brinda Murali, Jenna Roecker, Meagan Rotramel, Lana Scholl, Gabrielle Snyder, Clare Stephenson

Transformation is a staple of children’s literature—the frog becomes a prince, the ugly duckling is actually a beautiful swan, and the beast is not beastly at all. Modern interpretations by Disney and others often have simplified or sanitized the stories, marginalizing women, excusing bad behavior or glorifying violence. Students in the Performance Studies class seeks to examine children’s stories through a less naïve, more modern lens and to present them to an adult audience. The four student performances will deal with the issues of addiction, identity, attraction, commitment and transformation through the stories of the Little Mermaid, Goldilocks, Peter Pan and Sleeping Beauty.

Active Anti-Racism: Strategies for Fighting Against Racism and Oppression
Brunner Theatre Center, Wilson Center
Dr. Olivia Williams, environmental studies; Dr. Brian Lovato, political science; Logan Green and AJ Reed, environmental studies

This panel will discuss various approaches and strategies for handling situations involving racist behavior and language. How do you speak out against the racism of friends and family members? What does it mean to be an ally or accomplice? What are effective strategies for reducing the power of white supremacists?

Refugee
Hanson Hall of Science 102
Brianna Snead, Office of Multicultural Student Life; Amy Rowell, World Relief; My Pham, accounting and business administration

This presentation will consist of an in-depth discussion and informational series about what it means to be a refugee. A brief film titled “Refuge” by Matthew K. Firpo will be shown. Participants will discuss its importance as well as translate it in terms of the current refugee crisis.

Travel for Transformation
Hanson Hall of Science 304
Dr. Megan Havard, world languages, literatures, and cultures; Sarah Lipps, biology; Ashley Marcinkus, elementary education; Eleni Metrou, biology; Carli Schwanebeck, women’s and gender studies; Shannon Snyder, environmental studies; Laura Zeno, English education

The Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James) is an ancient pilgrimage route through northern Spain, a journey that invites travelers to be transformed by faith, by friendship and by physical exertion. Hear from six students who studied the Camino de Santiago on campus in spring 2017, walked for 14 consecutive days through the mountains of Spain over the summer, and then connected these experiences to their studies at Augustana in surprising ways.

The Transformative Power of Video Games
Olin Center 305
Dr. George Boone, business administration and communication studies; Dr. Emily Kahm, religion; Dr. Michael Scarlett, education

Video games have long entertained players across the world, and the industry itself records increasing profits each year. This panel challenges its participants to think about how video games can change how people think about their social world. Each presentation dissects the role of video games in prevailing social ideas, whether those ideas concern the use of space, how we become educated or the formation of religious beliefs.

Transformative Journeys: International Voices on Authentic Learning at Augustana
Olin Auditorium
Dr. Jake Romaniello, Reading/Writing Center; Alfred Dei-Ampeh, Thao Chu, My Pham, Shemal Sarma, Esli Ray Sinavyigeze, Zhenwei Xu (Jackson), Jingwen Yang

Junior and senior international students will share their personal stories of transformation, guided by several overarching questions: 1) How has Augustana changed since you arrived? 2) How has Augustana changed you since you arrived? 3) What changes would you like to see at Augustana in the future? These questions will serve as a guide to open the conversation to more pointed questions from the audience.

Concurrent Session II 
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

FEATURED SPEAKER
The Latest on U.S. Immigration Law
The Gerber Center, Gävle Room
Donald B. Kempster, lawyer (immigration, naturalization law, real estate), adjunct faculty member and author

Current immigration law and its enforcement seems to change almost daily. Donald B. Kempster, one of the most experienced immigration attorneys in Chicago, will begin with an up-to-the-minute overview of current law and will describe examples of how it works and fails to work in particular situations. He also will analyze prospects for future changes in the law.

Making It Up!
Brunner Theatre Center, Honkamp Black Box
Heywire members: Ethan Conley-Keck, Daniel Williams, Austin Allbert, Jessica Lechtenberg, Keenan Odenkirk, Nick Romero, Nick Phalen, Ty Tanker, Brandon Smith, Collin Schopp, Tristan Odenkirk, Katrina Scheer, Trevor Allbert, Tatiana Garcia, Chase Fahy, Candice Gericke, Ailin Garcia Byrne

In a world where nothing is consistent, people need skills to adjust. Come see Heywire, Augustana’s improv troupe, demonstrate how comedic improvisation skills help people adjust to the many changes everyone goes through.

Transforming Campus Culture One Bystander at a Time [also offered at 3:15-4:15 p.m.]
Brunner Theatre Center, Wilson Center
Dr. Wendy Hilton-Morrow, Academic Affairs; Chris Beyer, Residential Life; Dr. Austin Williamson, psychology; Emilee Goad, psychology and communication studies

In this interactive session, participants will consider realistic scenarios college students may face, including alcohol emergencies, hazing, domestic partner violence and sexual assault. If you saw someone in one of these situations, would you know what to say or do? This session will help equip students to successfully intervene in these and other problematic circumstances.

Challenge and Transformation
Hanson Hall of Science 102
Dr. Paul Olsen, English

Consider excerpts from literature (poetry, fiction, autobiography) that demonstrate the challenge for change. These writers will show the obstacles and complexities in confronting new paradigms, in changing one’s “world view.” The emphasis will be on how individual and personal challenges for change can affect the greater community.

East Asian Term: Did Study Abroad ‘Transform’ Me?
Hanson Hall of Science 304
Dr. Marsha Smith, sociology, East Asian Term director and Asian studies co-chair; Ben Bruster, geography, history; Amanda Esparza, biology; Matthew Henry, environmental studies, geography; Leah Galamin, psychology; Lauren Imhoff, biochemistry; Caitlin Lebel, geology, biology; Jaime McLean, women’s and gender studies; Tori Shock, pre-medicine and Asian studies; Zachary Stanphill, history

Students often say that study abroad transformed their lives, but seldom give any meaningful details about how transformation occurred. Eight students who traveled to Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China for 11 weeks will discuss how this travel experience impacted them—culturally, professionally, interpersonally or intellectually. Each student will have a few minutes to reflect on their experiences. Then audience participants may share ways in which they have experienced transformation when encountering diversity.

Transformation of Consumer Marketing: A Migration From Reactive to Proactive Intelligence Powered Data Science Management
Olin Center 305
Dr. Hyeong-Gyu Choi, business administration; Dr. Deke Gould, philosophy

The world of marketing science is undergoing a historic transformation: a migration from consumer-centric intelligence to data science management. In addition to accumulated consumer strategies that were based on the input from the consumers, management and experts, the industry is embracing data science management-powered technologies as its next generation of strategic tool. This session will discuss and encourage open dialogue regarding ramifications of the new waves of data science technologies, such as a cashier-less experimental store, Amazon Go, and smart shelves technologies that can interact with customers, in the context of a transformation of marketing science, along with (1) the significance of embracing data science revolution as the future management and (2) the meaning of new consumerism and consumer privacy.

Becoming an Ally in the Age of Trump: Ending the Cycle of Oppression
Olin Auditorium
Office of Student Life and Leadership, Multicultural Programming Board: Lydia Lara, Spanish, political science, Latin American studies; Mariamawit Ghanna, accounting, business administration; Ken Brill, associate dean and director of Office of Student Life and Leadership

Allyship is not an identity—it is a lifelong growth of building relationships based on trust, consistency and accountability within spheres of working with marginalized communities and people. Yet, in the present condition of the United States, the trust that interconnects allies with marginalized communities is slowly being buried and lost. This session offers a space to take accountability and acquire the ways to become an ally without drowning out the voices of the marginalized groups currently under attack by the Trump administration. It is time to come together and learn the ways we can make a difference and transform our ideologies to stand in solidarity with groups in our communities and our country.

Concurrent Session III 
12:45-1:45 p.m.

FEATURED SPEAKER
The Gerber Center, Gävle Room
The Two Reynas: Becoming Twice the Girl I Used To Be
Reyna Grande, award-winning author and Latino literature advocate

Reyna Grande came to the United States at the age of 9 as an undocumented immigrant. Her experiences with immigration, acculturation and assimilation have deeply influenced her work, which centers around the topic of the duality of being an immigrant and her split identity. Growing up feeling as if she wasn't Mexican enough or American enough, she struggled to find a place to belong, often feeling like an outcast in both cultures until she realized she was not less, but more. Grande will speak about her transformation into becoming twice the girl she used to be.

How Having a Brother with Autism Changed My Life
Brunner Theatre Center, Wilson Center
Nick Winter, communication sciences and disorders, neuroscience

Nick Winter shares his story of growing up with a brother with autism and how it forever changed his life. Through hardships, life lessons and many different changes along the way, Winter has learned how to see the world through the eyes of possibility and to overall become a much happier and grateful person.

Transforming Sound, Transforming Expectations
Denkmann Memorial Building, Wallenberg Hall
Dr. Randall Hall, music (saxophone); Kate Pisarczyk (saxophone); Susan Schwaegler (bass clarinet); Caitlin Thom (harp)

Kali Yuga, the Augustana free improvisation ensemble, explores musical transformation. All music can be understood as the generation and transformation of musical ideas, but the nature of these ideas varies greatly. This presentation explores the process of sonic transformation, but also raises a number of questions. As an experimental ensemble, Kali Yuga routinely transcends (or transgresses) the established boundaries of traditional (and often limited) concepts of music, sound and noise, effectively challenging inherited expectations of what qualifies as musical content. As an improvisation ensemble, it questions the segregation of composition (as musical creation) from performance (as musical interpretation) and its implied hierarchy. In so doing, this music exposes limitations in conventional thinking in general, which may lead to unexpected transformations in other facets of life.

Campus Health Promotion Strategy Focus Groups with PUBH 350
Hanson Hall of Science 102
Dr. Lena Hann, public health; PUBH 350 students

Student teams from PUBH 350: Health Behavior and Health Promotion will conduct focus groups about a variety of health issues currently impacting the Augustana community. Join one of the focus groups to provide feedback on health promotion program ideas regarding the following topics: mental health services, smoking on campus, a campus health clinic, student stress management, nutrition and LGBTQ health. All members of the Augustana community are invited to participate. Feedback will be used to guide PUBH 350 students’ Health Promotion Program proposals that later will be shared with Augustana community stakeholders. Focus groups are IRB-approved, and participation is voluntary.

Is Poverty a Sin?
Hanson Hall of Science 304
Hannah Griggs, religion

Hannah Griggs’ research shows that both democratic and conservative Evangelical Christian discourse frame poverty as a sin, which presents troubling implications for American democracy and American Christianity. By framing poverty as a sin, Americans subvert the task of democratic tolerance, while Christians fail to fulfill the Biblical mandate to love one’s neighbor. This session theorizes ways to transform democratic and Christian discourse about wealth and poverty.

Beyond Bitcoin: Currency and Computation in the 21st Century
Olin Center 305
Dr. Andrew Sward and Vecna, mathematics and computer science

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are transforming our traditional understandings of money and financial contracts; we now are living in a new computational paradigm. We will discuss the realistic impact of Bitcoin on traditional finance, while also dissolving some of the myths and "hype" associated with this technology. We then move beyond Bitcoin to discuss the evolution of this paradigm over the next decade.

TRANSforGAYtions: The Impacts of Coming Out as LGBTQ+
Olin Auditorium
Jennifer Terry, GSA president; members of the Augustana Gender and Sexuality Alliance

How does coming out impact the identities of LGBTQ+ people and the perceptions of those around them? Some people say that coming out as LGBTQ+ changes nothing about one’s identity; others feel as though it transforms them entirely. In this session, members of the Augustana Gender and Sexuality Alliance will discuss transformations in the context of coming out into the LGBTQ+ community.

Concurrent Session IV
2-3 p.m.

FEATURED SPEAKERS
Women in the Black Panther Party + Young Lords: A Conversation
The Gerber Center, Gävle Room
Iris Morales, Young Lords; Joan McCarty, Illinois Black Panther Party

Iris Morales, former member of the Young Lords, and Joan McCarty, former member of the Illinois Black Panther Party, will discuss the roles and work of women in these organizations working against poverty, oppression, police brutality and racism. Dr. Claire Kovacs, director of the Augustana Teaching Museum of Art, will moderate the discussion.

Body, Space, and Audience: Theatre and Transformation
Brunner Theatre Center, Honkamp Black Box
Dr. Jennifer Popple, theatre; Dr. Lisa Hall Hagen, theatre, Utah Valley University

In “The Empty Space,” theatre director Peter Brook writes that the only things necessary for something to be considered theatre are: a space, a person to walk across it and someone to watch. Modern theatre is changing this triad of audience/space, actor/body and action/text. In this panel, we’ll examine how the body can transform text, and how space can transform the meaning of both. Two theatre directors will workshop and talk through contemporary examples, including their own work, with this triad and how it has transformed their relationship to performance and text.

Audible Transformations: Minimalist Music for Piano
Denkmann Memorial Building, Wallenberg Hall
Dr. Robert Elfline, music

Beginning in the 1960s, American composers began turning to a style that later would be described as minimalism. More than just a reduction in the amount of material used in the creation of an artwork, the movement had a focus on clearly audible structures. Many of these structures involve transformations—pieces that end in a completely different place from where they began. This recital will feature five such works for solo piano, composed between the years of 1977 and 1988.

Transformative Sex Education
Hanson Hall of Science 102
Dr. Emily Kahm, religion; Dr. Lena Hann, public health; Dr. Jessica Nodulman, communication studies

Participants will hear from three sex education specialists about how sex education in the United States needs to be transformed and how good sex education can itself be transformative for thinking about relationships, health and life. After a brief introduction, participants will get to experience “transformative sex ed” by spending 15 minutes in each of three interactive mini-sessions on sexual values, sexual communication and sexual health.

Radical Islam versus Islamic Radicals: A Discussion
Hanson Hall of Science 304
Robert Williams, psychology; Dr. Cyrus Zargar, religion

After surviving more than a millennium of changes and conflicts both within the faith and without, Sunni Islam faced a new challenge: the arrival of Western thought and manners of living. In response, a slew of Sunni reform movements manifested themselves and fundamentally altered what it means to be a Sunni Muslim. This presentation explores those various reform movements and their impact on both how Sunni Muslims view themselves, as well as how the West views them. The session concludes with a question-and-answer session where the audience can transform their own ideas about Sunni Islam.

Sound Shifters: Transformation in Popular Music
Olin Center 305
Dr. Sarah Burns, music

Whether just a passing fancy, instigated by a lineup change or merely a stylistic evolution, sound shifters—musicians and bands that have switched musical genres—have been transforming their musical journeys. This session identifies musicians and bands that have transformed their careers by switching genres. After listening to and watching music videos, through group discussion we will explore possible reasons that may have prompted these transformations.

2-3:15 p.m. (note extended time)
How Do We Engage Opinions We Don't Agree With?

Olin Auditorium
Yen Dao, Learning Commons; Chris Beyer, Residential Life; Dr. Ian Davis, communication studies; Dr. Deke Gould, philosophy; Dr. Jennifer Palar, business administration; Samuel Payan, Office of Multicultural Student Life; Mary Windeknecht, First Year Advising

Social media has transformed the national conversation on the right to free speech. We will discuss what it means to be civil, debate the topic of “Free Speech: Should employers be able to fire employees over social media posts?”, and invite the audience to practice civil discourse with their topic of choice.

Concurrent Session V
3:15-4:15 p.m.

Campus Cupboard Blessing of the Space (3:15-3:30 p.m.)
Olin Center 310
Rev. Kristen Glass Perez, CORE

Celebrate the purpose and mission of the Campus Cupboard with a blessing of the space by Pastor Kristen Glass Perez. This short ceremony will offer a chance for faculty, staff, administration and students to see the Cupboard and hear about its creation.

Transforming Campus Culture One Bystander at a Time [also offered at 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.]
Brunner Theatre Center, Wilson Center
Dr. Wendy Hilton-Morrow, Academic Affairs; Chris Beyer, Residential Life; Dr. Austin Williamson, psychology; Emilee Goad, psychology and communication studies

In this interactive session, participants will consider realistic scenarios college students may face, including alcohol emergencies, hazing, domestic partner violence, and sexual assault. If you saw someone in these situations, would you know what to say or do? This session will help equip students to successfully intervene in these and other problematic circumstances.

3:15-4:45 p.m. (note extended time)
Black Student Union Art Slam
Brunner Theatre Center, Honkamp Black Box
Michael Rogers, Black Student Union, Office of Multicultural Student Life

The Black Student Union invites the campus community to come to an open art slam that will explore the theme of "transformations." Members of the group will perform artistic pieces and individuals attending the session are invited to bring poems, songs, etc. they wish to perform. All are welcome!

Extended Sessions
10:15 a.m.-2 p.m.

De-Stereotype Me
The Gerber Center, 4th Floor
Sustained Dialogue Steering
Committee, Austynn Eubank, DaeNia La Rodé, Daniel Williams, Emma Samatas, Jenna Dolan, Robert Burke, Shannon Thomas, Taylor Ashby, Yemu Mapurisa

Stereotypes exist, and bringing them to the surface is the only way to stir people to address their prevalence and impact. Join Sustained Dialogue in making T-shirts expressing one of your identities on the front, and on the back writing how you don't fit a stereotype of that identity. Then share your experiences in a brief video to be shared with campus.

+IMPACT
The Gerber Center, 4th Floor
Natalie Trujillo, psychology, sociology, women’s and gender studies; +IMPACT group members

+IMPACT will encourage open dialogue among students regarding sexual health, sexual assault and healthy relationships through educational campaigns on campus. We will utilize feminist perspectives, trauma-informed care and cultural diversity when discussing these topics. +IMPACT will always be a safe space for survivors and bystanders to be able to seek information, resources and support.

Community Service/Volunteer Opportunities
10:15 a.m.-3 p.m.

Compassion in Action
Olin Center 105 and 109, Core Commons
Keri Bass, CORE Community Service

Students will have a chance to impact the community through campus volunteer projects: making blankets for children, dog toys for animal shelters, and bookmarks for libraries and schools. Stay 15 minutes or stay all day. Thank you to our Augustana Royal Neighbors chapters for providing financial donations to make these projects happen.

Tie Blanket Making
Olin Center 105
The cold season brings many insecurities to families, one being shelter.           With no shelter, families and individuals are left to endure the cold. Help make tie blankets that will be donated to Edgerton Women’s Clinic.

Dog Toy Making
Olin Center 109
The QC Animal Welfare Center is always looking for donations and volunteers to play with the cats and dogs. Help make dog toys to donate to the QC Animal Welfare Center.

Bookmark Making
CORE Commons
Get creative and make bookmarks for the local public library.

Food Drive Dropoff
CORE Commons
The Augustana College Campus Cupboard is seeking donations to re-stock the Cupboard. While dropping off items, learn about the ways Augustana and its student groups are alleviating food insecurity. Donation wish list: White/brown rice, pasta sauce, canned fruit/fruit cups, granola bars, cereal, snack crackers, conditioner, deodorant.

 

Blood Drive
PepsiCo Rec Center, Court #3
Dr. Meg Gillette, English; Foundations 101 students, Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center

“We owe each other our bodies,” writes Eula Biss. When Christians take communion, they celebrate that Jesus gave his blood so that they might live. Experience another kind of transformation at today’s blood drive. Blur the boundaries between Self and Other and help transform people’s lives.

 

Special Opportunity
The Campus Cupboard in Olin 310 will be open to serve from 10:15 a.m.-3 p.m. and from 6-8 p.m. on Symposium Day. The Campus Cupboard Blessing of the Space by Pastor Kristen Glass Perez will begin at 3:15 p.m.

 

For more information about Symposium Day, contact Dr. Jeff Ratliff-Crain.

Symposium Day is financially supported by the Institute for Leadership and Service and by the Office of Academic Affairs. The organizers thank our guests and all of the students, faculty, staff and administrators who make this day possible.

 

 

 

 


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