鲍鱼tv

鈥淭he glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.鈥� - Alfred Austin

The great challenge of our time is to build and nurture sustainable communities. Gardening is an act of compassion for oneself, their community members, and ecological partners. Planting and growing food and flowers, and knowing how to responsibly consume them can promote the health and wellbeing of all our community members whether in the JGHC, 鲍鱼tv, or our surrounding areas.

This fall, I welcome you to work in the dirt at the JGHC community garden located at the 鲍鱼tv Botanical Gardens, and alongside other community organizations. You will learn valuable skills you can take with you beyond the classroom, including how you can create third spaces through community gardening, have control over the nutrient density of your food, reduce waste through composting, increase physical activity through gardening maintenance, improve mental health and promote relaxation, and promote community wellness through education.

In this experiential learning class, you will receive 75 hours of community service, and can gain the tools to contribute to a stronger community food system and connect with others through community gardening.

鈥淭he only thing better than singing is more singing.鈥� 鈥� Ella Fitzgerald

The Honors Choir exists to be a welcoming, creative, collaborative, and non-competitive musical space for Honors students. Love to sing? Like to sing? Interested in singing? Join the Honors Choir.

All musical backgrounds are welcome. Honors Choir can contribute to completion of one Experiential Learning requirement. No audition or prior experience is required. The choir will offer a public performance at least once per semester.

Play guitar? Bass? Drums? Keys? How about sax, trumpet, banjo or fiddle? Got vocal chops like Ella or Stevie or Billie? Join the Contemporary Music Ensemble and explore the popular music of the last 75 years 鈥� from jazz and R&B, to straight up Rock N Roll, electronica and beyond.

The CME will offer one concert during the semester and may perform at other events as needed. Participation in two semesters of CME may count as one Experiential Learning activity. Open to all Honors students. Experience preferred but not required.

Permit required. .

In the mid-nineteenth century, American women's colleges opened their doors, and fictional depictions of these green spaces of sports, girl crushes, late-night meals, and (sometimes) learning soon followed. These novels explore how school serves to socialize the heroine into the feminine ideal. As society questions the appropriateness of higher education for women, the novels quickly move from showing the opportunities college offers ambitious girls to assuring readers that college prepares girls for the domestic sphere. 

In this class, students will uncover the societal implications of the representation in American girls鈥� college stories by reading novels from the time period, 1870-1920 (all of which can be read online for free). Students will take turns leading class discussion with a short presentation. They will also conduct original research by exploring the archives at 鲍鱼tv Special Collections to locate and analyze a school-centered book from this period. We will explore the historical context of girls鈥� education and women鈥檚 colleges, as well as replicate some of their dorm-room recipes. The final project of the class will ask students to consider how this framework impacts today's modern YA novels in a poster that can be submitted the 鲍鱼tv Undergraduate Humanities Conference.

Shakespeare observed that "all the world's a stage." Have you considered how we embody and put into action, how we perform our various ideologies, identities, and cultures? This course focuses on our individual and collective performances in the secular, sacred, and quotidian realms. Drawing from performance studies, communication theory, anthropology, sociology, and other fields, this course invites students to view all human interaction as a kind of performance and to consider their varying significances. What happens when the taken for granted becomes our focus? In this course, performances will serve as both objects of study and methods of inquiry to illuminate what we consider to be the everyday. 

The view of life as theater is an ancient and enduring metaphor for human reality. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in the perspective of life as theater and in performance-centered approaches to communication and culture. This course will draw attention to the relationship between everyday life and traditional aesthetic performance. We will explore how communication in everyday life may be understood using performance as a metaphor and method of study. We will also look at how aesthetic performances are informed by everyday experiences. We will discuss culture as a continuous performance, from the ordinary speech of an individual to the elaborate practices of groups and organizations. We will seek to uncover how our various performances 鈥� traditional, everyday, sacred, and secular 鈥� construct and maintain culture.

This discussion-based course explores the intersection of storytelling and medicine, examining how literature illuminates the emotional, ethical, and social dimensions of health care. Through narratives of illness, healing, and caregiving, students will deepen their understanding of the human experience in medical contexts, nurturing empathy and critical reflection.

Readings include William Carlos Williams' "The Use of Force," Raymond Carver's "A Small, Good Thing," and Tolstoy's "The Death of Ivan Ilyich," with themes of existential crises and emotional isolation. Students will engage in discussions and write two response papers, analyzing how these narratives resonate with their perspectives on illness and the human condition.

This is an arts-based research course designed to investigate the limits and boundaries of human imagination. We will ask big questions like: What kinds of knowledge are made through imagination and creative practice? You do not need to be an artist to take this course or know how to make any kind of art in advance. This course is a discussion and studio-based course where we will be talking to one another and making things together. Throughout the semester we will do things like:

• Make miniatures
• Build imagination-powered transmogrifiers
• Practice Sweding
• Augment reality
• Play with Kindergarteners
• Exploring the not-yet-imagined

We will also read about human imagination, creativity, and design in arts-based research contexts.

This course will culminate in a final arts-based research project of your own design. You can make something, write something, produce something, something something, as long as it attends to the question of 鈥淲hat does imagination do?鈥�.

Comics and graphic novels are one of the most popular forms of storytelling today. Their mixture of art and writing can transport readers to visually fascinating worlds and make intimate connections to a wide range of characters from superheroes to alien creatures. Comics are also an invaluable way to speak about our real world, giving us insights into the lives of others. In Art & The Refugee Experience, we will be looking at comics about asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants to better understand these ongoing world crises. 

This course is broken down into two major focuses, the first being research-based writing about the refugee experience. As a class, we will read comics such as "Safe Area Gorazde" by Joes Sacco and "Rolling Blackouts" by Sarah Glidden in order to develop complex ideas and responses about these pressing issues. What does the refugee journey across the Mediterranean look like? What is the daily experience of living in a refugee camp? We will work together to answer questions like these and brainstorm possible solutions.

Second, we will learn the artistic skills and techniques that comic creators use to tell their stories, with the ultimate goal of each student making their own short comic! Don't worry, no prior art skills are necessary, and you will not be graded on your artistic proficiency. As we work to create our own comics, we will investigate how images and visuals can capture aspects of our lives that otherwise might have been missed.

Finally, this course will include interviews with artists, guest lectures from journalists, and discussions with writers who have first had experience working with refugees. There will also be out-of-class opportunities to engage with 鲍鱼tv's Contemporary Art Museum.

鈥淵ou can kiss your family and friends goodbye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach; because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you.鈥� -Frederick Buechner

Cartography is the study and practice of map-making, and Narrative Cartography invites students to map the stories of their lives. Through reading, writing, and multilayered forms of journeying, students will tell stories that matter to them, from the mundane to the profound. This practice-oriented course leverages written narrative to visit personal places seldom explored such as the meaning in and of our names; how and why we hold the political values that we do; the stories that our bodies tell; death, dying, and remembrance; our personal foodways; and what it means to celebrate our failures, among other concerns. At its most expansive, this course is a foray into our shared humanity and recognition of the universal in the particular.

We won't actually be climbing mountains, unless you participate in the optional field trip where we will climb some small cinder cone volcanoes. Instead, we will see how mountains are built along with discussing other geological processes occurring in varied landscapes as we journey through many of the National Parks across the country. Take an adventure with me to discover how these landscapes formed and how they've changed through geologic time, why some house explosive volcanoes and why others provide tranquil scenery. We'll discuss the basics of Geology and how they apply to park landscapes. It is said that the National Parks are America's greatest idea. During our travels through the parks, we'll contemplate the controversy and dilemma their very existence presents and learn some practical life lessons along the way.

The optional field trip is offered so that you can experience some of the parks first hand. Come climb with me, and I think you will agree that setting these lands aside for all people and for future generations truly is America's greatest idea.

Did you know that if you live to 100, you鈥檒l spend 33 years asleep? But sleep isn鈥檛 just rest: it鈥檚 your brain鈥檚 clean-up crew, clearing metabolic waste, repairing proteins, regulating hormones, and optimizing cognitive function. But what happens when this cycle is disrupted? We will take an interactive, discussion-based approach to exploring some interesting queries like this. We may question if our sleep-wake cycle truly synchronizes with the light-dark rhythm of the solar system? Is it similar to how plants respond to sunlight? If yes, what is the underlying mechanism?

We will form groups to analyze cutting-edge research to understand the underlying mechanisms how circadian misalignment affects memory, behavior, creativity and cognition and how strongly is it linked to neurological disorders, obesity, depression, and lack of motivation 鈥� a fascinating and timely topic. Based on our gained knowledge we will present seminars and have group discussions and debates to tackle real-world challenges such as shift work, jet lag, sleep disorders, lifestyles of 鈥渘ight-owls" and so on. By working together, we鈥檒l not only deepen our understanding of circadian biology but also explore its impact on students across different disciplines and discover ways to optimize daily life. Are you ready to unlock the power of your body鈥檚 clock?

This course explores biomimicry鈥攖he practice of learning from and emulating nature鈥檚 time-tested strategies to solve human challenges sustainably. Students will examine how biological principles inform innovation in engineering, design, business, and sustainability, leading to regenerative solutions that align with natural ecosystems.
Through case studies, hands-on projects, and interdisciplinary discussions, students will:

• Understand fundamental biological patterns, processes, and systems that drive resilience and efficiency in nature.
• Explore biomimetic applications in fields such as materials science, energy, architecture, medicine, and organizational design.
• Analyze the ethical implications of biomimicry and contrast biomimicry with and without an ethos鈥攅xamining the impact of extractive versus regenerative innovation.
• Apply systems thinking to develop nature-inspired solutions to real-world sustainability challenges.

By the end of this course, students will be equipped with a biomimetic mindset鈥攅nabling them to rethink traditional approaches to problem-solving and integrate nature鈥檚 intelligence into their fields of study and professional practice.

This course examines popular culture as a potential site of resistance that contributes to social change. Looking at contemporary popular culture and the worldwide push against global neoliberalism in comparative perspective with culture and social movements of the past, this course examines how power and resistance operates in society. In varying ways, these cultural products force new perspectives and call for new ways of being through the creation of what Kenneth Burke referred to as "alternate ethical universes," further functioning as "equipment for living." We will explore relevant debates, historical and contemporary, concerning the impact of popular culture on social change. There is a focus on social media, humor, art (both "mundane" and "fine"), music, comics, gaming, television and film, and fandoms as sites of resistance. The approach to this course is theoretical, practical, and transnational. It draws from sociology, communication, critical theory, cultural studies, postcolonialism, and other related fields.

This course introduces students to key sociological concepts and their relevance for understanding and explaining major issues in both culture and social change. It aims to define and interrogate fundamental concepts in sociology and cultural studies, while also illustrating these through timely and topical social issues of global scope in the news. While it addresses globalization, it puts this in historical perspective and relates it to enduring ideas in sociological analysis.

What makes us happy? What helps us flourish? There鈥檚 an entire body of research that explores the scientific bases for happiness and well-being. Students will learn evidence-based strategies for improving overall life satisfaction by reading the latest research from social science, psychology, business, behavioral economics, public health, philosophy, rhetoric, communication, and other disciplines. Using this research to guide their practice, students will implement and reflect upon proven strategies for increasing their happiness and well-being.

Major topics include defining and measuring happiness, identifying and cultivating character strengths to increase happiness and well-being, and setting goals to establish and maintain happiness habits that stick. Students will learn about and perform evidence-based behaviors shown to influence happiness and well-being, including (but not limited to):

• Balancing productivity
• Rest, and relaxation
• Fostering social connections by cultivating personal and communal support
• Raising energy through intentional movement
• Exercise, and sleep hygiene
• Practicing mindfulness, meditation, gratitude, and savoring

Social movements have long been considered a major driver of political, social, economic, or cultural change. In the US, from the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, to the Tea Party, the Occupy Wall Street Movement or BlackLivesMatter, social mobilizations have been central in shaping society. Recently, social movements have also gone global and have been important actors on the world stage.

This class has three main goals. First, it is designed to provide you with an overview of the study of social movements; second, it aims to familiarize you with recent mobilizations around the globe. Finally, throughout the semester you are asked to follow, research, and report on a particular social movement of your choice. Overall, this class will equip you with a solid understanding of how scholars have approached movements to understand their emergence, impact, and decline. Moreover, you will gain an overview of recent mobilizations and movements and become a specialist on a particular social movement organization of your choosing.

At a time when contemporary democracies are threatened by growing discord and divisiveness, this class examines the critical importance of argument, debate and civil discourse to citizenship and civic responsibility. From the ancient Greek city states to the contemporary world, students will evaluate the essential role of free speech, viewpoint diversity, and the exchange of ideas to strengthening the foundation across many forms of democracy. The class will explore decline in the debating tradition and the consequent threat to democracy along with the importance of individual and collective resiliency in an increasingly divided and dangerous world most often characterized by technological mediation. The class will also consider the importance of recognizing and responding to the rise of demagoguery, bullies and authoritarianism, the antithesis of democracy, in both domestic and global contexts.

Students will critically assess the great debates in western civilization and beyond, the importance of presidential debates throughout the history of American democracy, and advance their own rhetorical skills through demonstrating active listening, critical thinking, forming a substantive and persuasive argument, and rebuttal.

This course delves into the complex ethical issues that come up when we look at death, dying, and the afterlife through the lens of various spiritual and religious traditions, with a focus on how these perspectives contribute to the broader concept of fostering a healthy humanity. Students will explore how different faiths and spiritual beliefs shape end-of-life choices, influence the grieving process, and frame views on the afterlife, all while considering the ways these perspectives support both individual and collective well-being. Key topics such as medical assistance in dying, euthanasia, funeral rites, and the allocation of healthcare resources, will be examined on the basis of how they are shaped by religious and spiritual values. 

Through thought-provoking readings and media, philosophical debates, and case studies from religious studies, bioethics, and cultural anthropology, students will gain a deeper understanding of how various religious traditions address mortality as part of holistic well-being. The course will involve plenty of active and written discussions, encouraging students to reflect on how the material has shifted or deepened their ethical views on death, dying, and spirituality. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to critically navigate complex ethical questions around death, and to better understand how spiritual and religious frameworks shape both personal and societal approaches to end-of-life care and the pursuit of a "good death."

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has entered daily life at great speed and brought massive transformations, marking this the New Industrial Revolution. AI can enhance society through advancements that play a vital role in various sectors, including health care, marketing analytics, entertainment, climate science, law, and cybersecurity. While offering and expecting numerous benefits, the advancement and widespread adoption of AI technologies ignite significant discussions about their potential negative and unforeseen impacts on society and individual lives. This calls for a united effort to adopt a rational discourse surrounding AI, free from fear-inducing sensationalism. The immediate concern lies in the impact of AI on people and society. 

This class will examine AI and its impact by looking at AI in law, warfare, education, entertainment, and the labor market. This course takes a critical lens to examine both the advantages and drawbacks of artificial intelligence and undermines myths about it in today's world. Students will learn how AI influences society, analyzing its capacity to enhance efficiency, productivity, and innovation while also dealing with its ramifications for privacy, employment, and ethical concerns. Through a combination of case studies, discussions, and skill-building activities, students will not only attain an understanding of the intricate complexities surrounding AI-based technologies but also gain practical skills that will empower them in the AI-driven world.

The Middle East stands as one of the most unique and historically rich regions in the world. As the crossroads of civilizations, the birthplace of the Abrahamic religions, and a bridge connecting Africa, Europe, and Asia, the region has long played a pivotal role in global history. However, it is also a region frequently in the headlines, marked by wars, civil conflicts, terrorism, refugee crises, and environmental disasters. This course examines the critical question: What does the future hold for the Middle East? Will it regain its historical prosperity, or will instability and conflict continue to define its trajectory? More importantly, what role does the United States, the world鈥檚 most powerful nation, play in shaping that future?

Students will explore the history of the Middle East, the root causes of its current instability, and the strategic importance of the region to U.S. national security. The course will also analyze U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, addressing how and why the United States engages in the region and what impact its policies may have on the Middle East鈥檚 future. Through in-depth discussions and case studies, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the region鈥檚 complexities and the U.S. role in shaping its path forward.

This course centers the Indian Ocean as an ancient maritime expanse that catalyzed new forms of intercontinental trade and diplomacy, multi-religious discourses, oceanic paraphernalia, as well as financial and technological networks. Exploring trajectories from the Swahili coast to Colonial Burma, and the Bay of Bengal to Imperial Mecca, we will develop strategies to hear and listen to the Indian Ocean that is inclusive of music, ritual, noise, vocality, textuality, visual art, ecology, borderlands, citizenship, and coloniality.

Our discussions will peruse legal documents, navigational tools, hymns, musical instruments, pilgrimage artifacts, travelogues, architecture, and foodways. We will ponder the geopolitics of seafaring, revolutionary ports of encounter, and the migratory experiences of humans and animals that have shaped, and continue to shape, an Indian Ocean world. In addition to many group-led discussions, students will produce a final project that creates a studio-recorded sound collage which recounts an Indian Ocean narrative.

This course will explore the chaotic years of major breaking news event throughout one of the most impactful years in American history. The year 1968 transformed not only American society, but the rest of the world. Over the course of the semester some of the events to be explored in this class include:

• The Tet Offensive, which altered the course of the Vietnam War and American public opinion
• The Prague Spring; Lyndon Johnson's fateful decision not to seek a second term
• The assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy
• The unrest surrounding the Democratic National Convention in Chicago
• The political resurgence of Richard Nixon
• The Apollo 8 mission to the Moon

Students will also be required to take a weekly currents quiz and participate in weekly team presentations.

This course is designed as a comparative presentation of current issues across international health care systems with a focus on South Africa, Italy, Japan, and France. Emphasis is on discussing diverse areas of health and is appropriate for students of any major interested in health care delivery, personal health, or health education. We will discuss and debate health care delivery systems, medical malpractice, physical/mental health, physician-assisted suicide, the opioid crisis, women鈥檚 reproductive health, medical devices, and healthcare disparities in the United States and abroad.

This is a hands-on class, and students will be actively engaged and working in teams to complete a project. Although health and healt hcare in other countries might seem far removed from our daily concerns in the United States, many nations face issues of uneven access, constrained resources, and a focus on improving the efficiency of services. Understanding how different nations confront issues of universal coverage, access, equity, and quality will enhance students鈥� ability to develop new ideas and approaches for addressing these challenges in the United States. Students will be introduced to community partners of 鲍鱼tv's Area Health Education Center (AHEC) for project ideas.

Students will explore the many factors contributing to health in the Dominican Republic. Throughout the semester, we will consider political, economic, environmental, structural, spiritual, and cultural perspectives that impact health in the Dominican Republic. At the end of the semester, students will participate in an Honors service trip to the Dominican Republic, where we will work with the Kerolle Initiative for Community Health. On the trip, students will serve in mobile medical clinics, stay in homes with community members, and participate in service projects to improve the overall health of the communities in and around Sos煤a. Travel to the Dominican Republic is a requirement of the course. Please apply through the Honors website.

*This course is permitted for students accepted to the December 2025 service trip to the Dominican Republic.

The concept of Ubuntu acknowledges the interconnectedness of human experiences. In this course, students will explore multidimensional health considerations for individuals, communities, and nations around the world to better understand core global health components such as health access disparities, collaboration, sustainable solutions, and health equity. By taking an interdisciplinary approach to health with examples from diverse locations and cultures, students will be guided towards new and renewed appreciation of the value of investments not only in their own health, but also the health of others. Students will be prompted to identify current gaps and gains in health and challenged to propose creative, feasible solutions that can contribute to sustainable stride overall global health gains. To this end, this course will empathize the opportunities and value of varied approaches. Guest speakers will provide real-world examples of diverse approaches to global health contributions. Students will be invited to draw on their interests and strengths as assets to strengthening an ubuntu approach to health.

This course investigates the relationship between language, culture, and meaning, offering an interdisciplinary perspective that integrates interdisciplinary international studies, linguistics, anthropology, and psychology. Through documentary films, ethnographic case studies, and real-world examples of international service, students will explore how language both shapes and reflects cultural identity, values, and social structures. A key component of the course is the use of films created by native filmmakers, showcasing original languages and storytelling traditions to provide a firsthand account of cultural immersion and meaning-making.

By examining linguistic frameworks in diverse societies, students will gain insight into how language influences perception, decision-making, and social cohesion. This exploration extends to the bio-psycho-social dimensions of language, including how different cultures conceptualize intimacy, aging, mental health, and well-being. Through the lens of applied linguistics and cultural anthropology, students will analyze how communication practices impact personal and collective notions of purpose, resilience, and belonging in an interconnected world.

One of the central themes of the course is how linguistic relativity-the idea that the structure of a language affects cognition-shapes human interactions with the environment, sustainability efforts, and social adaptation. By examining indigenous languages, multilingual societies, and linguistic preservation efforts, students will assess how language influences environmental stewardship, policy-making, and cultural survival in an era of globalization. Case studies will span communities in the Americas and the Pacific Islands, multilingual societies in Africa, Asia, and Europe, as well as linguistic diversity in the Middle East.

These case studies will highlight the intersection of language with social identity, migration, regional policies, and ecological knowledge systems. Students will also explore modern challenges such as work-life balance in global contexts, linguistic barriers in health care, and the effects of digital communication on cultural preservation. By the end of the course, students will develop a deep appreciation for the ways language and culture shape human experience, but also cultivate critical thinking, cross-cultural communication skills, and a global perspective essential for engaging in an increasingly interconnected world.

Population movement and displacement has been an increasingly powerful phenomenon in our global age. This course considers the experiences of immigrants, refugees, and exiles from the perspective of human rights theory. The aim of this course is to instigate critical thinking of the complexity of their experiences, which is critical for an informed debate. We begin our conversations by examining the state as a moral agent, and state boundaries鈥� function of inclusion/exclusion. We will examine the causes and consequences of displacement. Why do people migrate across international borders? How do we understand the politics of immigration and the policies that let some people in, but keep others out? We will also spend considerable time learning about immigrants' process of integration and 鈥渓earning鈥� their new home. We will look at socioeconomic integration and consider broader questions of belonging and membership.

In this class we will engage with various learning materials, including documentaries, to learn about and reflect on various human experiences in relation to migration. You will also reflect on a story of migration within your surroundings, and compose a migration narrative and create an interactive, multimedia Story Map. In addition, we will explore the immense power of food as a vehicle for cultural preservation and expression and work together on a collaborative project compiling a cookbook, where you can share authentic narratives, anecdotes, and recipes of dishes that remind you of home.

This course is an in-depth exploration of the South Asian Diaspora Experience. Many different social, economic, political, and cultural identities make up what is considered the South Asian diaspora. Simultaneously, the South Asian diaspora has become a large organizing phenomenon. This duality is worthy of critical inquiry and analysis, which students in this course will use interdisciplinary methods to engage in. We will explore films, texts, food, cultural artifacts, and local community engagement. This course asks students to engage in creative writing, art projects, group presentations, and community engagement projects. Students will learn to explore their own place in diaspora, the role of the South Asian diaspora community in major historical events, and the role of the South Asian diaspora community here in Tampa Bay.

Ahlan wa Sahlan: Welcome to Food, Society and Culture in the Mediterranean Region!

Food often carries significant social and cultural importance in many societies. In this course, we will explore food traditions in the Mediterranean region and Mid-East Asia, focusing on their identification as Arab-Mediterranean Cuisine and the complexities this identification presents within the region鈥檚 multicultural identities. We鈥檒l examine how recipes and dietary practices pass knowledge from one generation to the next, the stories food tells, and how it preserves cultural heritage and reinforces family values. Students will have the opportunity to explore Mediterranean and Eastern cuisine in the Tampa Bay communities. What does food reveal about the nature of its people and the origins of its identity? How has taste traveled across the Arab region and beyond? How has comfort food preserved its authentic flavors and cooking techniques? Together, we will investigate the journey of food as it narrates key historical events, agricultural challenges, celebrations, religion, and dietary customs in the Eastern world. Students will learn to navigate cultures through food, network with diverse community members, and participate in field trips to local food festivals and Arab and Eastern restaurants in the Tampa Bay area.

"Can the subaltern speak?" - Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak

Beasts and Burdens leverages film as a discursive site in which to investigate the "south鈥� not only as a physical, geographical location but as a position of marginality. Along the way, we will investigate our own southern positionalities vis a vis Gloria Anzald煤a鈥檚 concept of borderlands epistemologies; that is, what are the ways in which we all inhabit and traverse multiple worlds and marginalities? GK Chesterton observed, 鈥淭he traveler sees what they see whereas the tourist sees what they have come to see.鈥� During the course, students will travel through diverse topographies, accompanying, among others, Hushpuppy and Wink through Beasts of the Southern Wild; refugees through Ai Weiwei鈥檚 Human Flow; Jamal, Salim, and Latika through Slumdog Millionaire; and the Kim and Park families through Parasite, investigating themes of trauma and resilience, power, privilege, agency, and the ways in which inequality actually gets under our skin. Beasts and Burdens seeks to center the margins, beginning with Gayathri Spivak's question, 鈥淐an the subaltern speak,鈥� and by expansion, 鈥淐an the subaltern be heard and to what ends?鈥� Finally, we will examine the emotion work of the 鈥渉appy ending,鈥� and the ways in which we can overcome a false sense of powerlessness to affect positive change.

County governments and municipalities provide essential services that affect people鈥檚 lives in the most intimate and immediate ways:

• Water for drinking, bathing and irrigation, wastewater and stormwater management
• 911/emergency response and first responders including fire rescue and law enforcement
• Courts and jails
• Parks and pools and splashpads
• Support for arts and culture
• Not to mention animal control and large swaths of our transportation and ports network ...

Go behind the scenes and talk to policymakers about the challenges facing local governments today. Learn about leadership from people who have run large and complex organizations in the public sector. Develop techniques to make your voice heard. Learn effective tools for influencing outcomes, not just standing on the sidelines. Meet current and former elected officials who will share 鈥渉ow things really work.鈥� Assignments will feature interaction with local officials regarding a subject area of the student鈥檚 interest. This class will involve a limited number of field trips including but not limited to Tampa International Airport, Port Tampa Bay, the Tampa Bay Water Desalination Facility and government offices in downtown Tampa. Where practicable, transportation and/or complimentary parking may be provided on an as-needed basis, but flexibility and cooperation related to site visits is expected, and students should anticipate extra time for travel on site visit weeks.

This workshop-based course focuses on the art of memoir writing, guiding students to transform personal experiences into compelling narratives while exploring the therapeutic benefits of storytelling. Writing about our lives fosters self-understanding, emotional release, and personal growth. Through exercises, reading assignments, and peer workshops, students will learn to craft vivid scenes, develop a unique voice, and navigate the ethical challenges of writing about real people and events. Readings include memoirs like:

• The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
• When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
• Mary Karr鈥檚 The Liars鈥� Club
• Joan Didion鈥檚 The Year of Magical Thinking
• Essays by David Sedaris, and Vivian Gornick

Over the semester, students will draft, critique, reflect, and revise their creative writing, culminating in a polished final project. By the end of the course, they will have a completed memoir piece and a deeper appreciation of how writing can promote emotional well-being.

This course explores the constitutional and legal principles shaping interactions between citizens, law enforcement, and the courts in the United States. With a focus on the Fourth and Fifth Amendments, we examine key questions such as:

• Under what circumstances can law enforcement "seize" a person?
• When can deadly force be used to apprehend someone?
• What defines a search, and when is a warrant required?
• How is eyewitness testimony used at trial?
• How does the law protect the right against self-incrimination?

Through team-based collaborative learning, students will discuss and debate the ongoing challenge of balancing individual rights and society's interest in crime control. In the capstone project, students will demonstrate their ability to examine the impact of the Fourth and Fifth Amendments on a topic relevant to their major.

This capstone course provides an immersive exploration of Morocco鈥檚 dynamic tourism industry and rich cultural heritage, which drew 17 million visitors in the summer of 2024. As Morocco prepares to host the 2025 African Cup in December and the 2030 World Cup, students will gain firsthand insights into the country鈥檚 rapidly growing international markets and strategic developments in hospitality, infrastructure, and sustainable tourism.

A key component of this course is a collaborative project with Moroccan students, where participants will engage in hands-on activities to develop proposals for micro-business ventures or sustainable initiatives, with an emphasis on securing potential funding opportunities. Through cross-cultural collaboration, critical analysis, and real-world application, this course equips students with valuable skills in the field of international business, tourism, and sustainable development.

This hands-on studio course explores the creative potential of 3D printing and digital fabrication, equipping students with the skills to design, prototype, and produce functional and artistic objects. Through a combination of technical instruction and creative experimentation, students will engage with a variety of fabrication techniques, including 3D modeling, additive manufacturing (3D printing), and complementary digital and traditional fabrication methods. A key component of the course will involve designing and fabricating custom tools for the Honors Building Art Studio and Tech Media Studio, giving students the opportunity to apply their skills toward real-world applications that enhance shared creative spaces. Emphasis will be placed on both practical problem-solving and conceptual innovation, encouraging students to think critically about the intersection of technology, design, and artistic expression.

For the final project, students will have the freedom to propose and develop either an artistic creation or a functional invention using the fabrication techniques learned in class. Whether producing sculptural works, interactive installations, or innovative tools and devices, students will gain experience in iterative design, prototyping, and production workflows. This project can be driven by independent prompting, or in collaboration with a community partner who may have a need for a custom tool. For instance, the Coral Restoration Foundation is in need of specialized cleaning tools for their coral tree nurseries, or the Honors College Oyster Restoration Brick (ORB) researchers are looking for design solutions to optimize their clay printing workflows. No prior experience with 3D printing or fabrication is required, just a willingness to experiment and explore new creative possibilities. By the end of the course, students will leave with a portfolio of projects, a deeper understanding of digital fabrication technologies, and the confidence to bring their ideas to life.

鈥淒evelop your senses-especially learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.鈥� - Leonardo da Vinci

In collaboration with the Tampa Museum of Art's Connections program, Judy Genshaft Honors College students will garner skills to facilitate therapeutic interactions with works of art for patient groups dealing with diagnoses such as dementia, Parkinson's disease, depression, substance use disorder, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). During the semester, students will acquire methods that have been found to help (neuro)diverse museum attendees to access and express memories, improve communication skills, externalize emotions, relieve stress and anxiety, and promote positive feelings as they share their personal artistic interpretations without fear of judgement or failure. Students also will practice observation, deep listening, and critical thinking to aid in the facilitation process. 

At the end of the term, students will facilitate therapeutic interactions with art during Connections-inspired museum tours with friends and family, drawing upon Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) and other forms of artistic engagement such as tactile and musical experiences, culminating in the development of a community-engaged research project at the intersection of mental healthcare, community engagement, museology, and art.

We will conduct class onsite at the Tampa Museum of Art, so please allow time to travel back and forth when you are planning your schedule. While transportation is not provided, parking is validated.

Students should enroll in Thesis I when they are in the final 2-4 semesters of completing their degree. Please go to Honors Thesis for more information and compare different Research Track options. No permit required. Only juniors and seniors may enroll in thesis.