Hendrix College Odcast
By Hendrix College
Hendrix College OdcastApr 15, 2020
“Crossing my fingers and going out into the middle of the desert and hoping it worked out”
Rachel Elmakiss ’20 originally planned to research the importance of coffee to hospitality in Bedouin society and culture in Israel, but her project became more broad than that—and more personally challenging.
“In this environment everyone was freely sharing resources, freely sharing networks. And that’s really rare.”
A chance encounter with the writings of Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus sparked an extensive research project for Tristan Norman ’20, a Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation major. It ended up taking him all the way to Thailand for an international social enterprise summit.
“There are so many things that are happening at once in this topic, in London, in the world...”
The social consequences of our economic systems are visible in every facet of life. Mackenzie Gearin ’20 examined the unique and circular interactions between culture and business in London’s diasporic fashion scene.
“A lot of these people just wanted to share their story, and be seen, and know someone cared.”
Religious Studies Senior Grace Rogers spent a weekend in Little Rock homeless shelters and left with a new set of convictions
“They use them to advertise: Anything with water would have Poseidon in it.”
Andrea Stitt ’21 took an immersive trip to Greece that synthesized modern culture and old history—with a few language barriers and bumps along the way.
“It’s not the most pleasant sensation to get hit with a flipper”
During his six-week Odyssey trip to South Africa, Keane Sammons ’22 helped care for penguins at a SANCCOB facility. In the process, he learned a lot about working with wild animals as a potential career and found community with researchers and volunteers from around the world.
“I just remember being like, ‘This is so crazy.’ I never would have ever considered doing this or being here.”
Mathematics major Hayley Haden ’21 went outside her comfort zone for a complete immersion experience in France—and had her whole worldview changed in the process.
“It was kind of like a crash course of how to be accepting and observant of others.”
Whitney Greenlee ’20 learned new ways of living, teaching, and caring when interning for the Blueberry Harvest School, a community-oriented summer education program for the children of migrant farm workers.
"Whenever you’re in an environment of people that are so talented and motivated—you just have no choice but to rise to their level."
Studio Art senior Greta Kresse ’21 shares how immersion and concentrated focus in landscape painting had an impact on her work ethic, artistic vision, and confidence.
“I always tell my students in Zoology, ‘This class is really hard, and you’re gonna love it!’ and they actually do, most of them.”
Biology professor Dr. Matt Moran shares his experience working with students to conduct ecological research in the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve and Flint Hills area of Oklahoma and Kansas.
Dr. Moran holds the Bill and Connie Bowen Odyssey Professorship.
We can talk about things in such an open and honest way, and I think that honestly makes all of us get into that habit in our other organizations on campus, or in class—just being more willing to be
Students David Addepalli ’20 and Chelbi Gilmore ’20 discuss their involvement in Increasing Retention and Inclusion in STEM (IRIS), which has led them to opportunities for research and mentorships.
“When you can create inclusive spaces, you really start to understand the experiences your students are having.”
Biology professors Dr. Jennifer Dearolf and Dr. Laura MacDonald ’09 discuss how they leveraged the Odyssey Professorship they share to develop Increasing Retention and Inclusion in STEM (IRIS).
Dr. MacDonald and Dr. Dearolf share the Morris and Ann Henry Odyssey Professorship.
“I really get to be engaged in community, at Hendrix or more broadly, while still doing these things that I want to do in terms of my program of research.”
Psychology professor Dr. Leslie Zorwick and religious studies professor Dr. Robert Williamson share how they worked with students, local faith communities, and institutions from Little Rock to South Africa to inspire dialogue about what it means to live faithfully in a context of racial injustice.
Dr. Williamson and Dr. Zorwick share the Margaret Berry Hutton Odyssey Professorship.
“We’re kind of like ‘the people on the ground’ now, and I think that’s sort of awesome.”
English professor Dr. Dorian Stuber discusses how he and his students studied Holocaust literature and developed Holocaust education projects.
Dr. Stuber holds the Isabelle Peregrin Odyssey Professorship.
“Meow Wolf is not just another Instagram trap where influencers can go to take a flood of selfies to post to their Instagram feed.”
Student Mary Nail ’20 is a history major and filmmaker who will pursue film making after commencement. Her latest Odyssey took her to Santa Fe to explore an immersive experience from the art collective known as Meow Wolf.
See her documentary here https://vimeo.com/384450425
“That’s how we knew we did something right: when the students were so invested that they said, ‘No, people die in this interactive novel. It’s not a game.’”
English professor Dr. Alex Vernon and Spanish professor Dr. Garbiñe Vidal-Torriera tell how their professorship increased awareness of the Spanish Civil War among students.
Dr. Vernon and Dr. Vidal-Torriera share the Julia Mobley Odyssey Professorship.
“It just opened my eyes to viewing life differently, I guess—through someone else’s eyes.”
Student Nugget Settles ’20, a Spanish major and studio art: photography minor, has used her Odyssey experiences to teach Spanish to children in the community, and to enter into a language immersion experience with a Spanish-speaking family in Conway.
“If you’re thinking to yourself, ‘That sounds like a hot mess,’ you would be correct.”
Politics professor Dr. Peter Gess and psychology professor Dr. Jennifer Penner discuss their interdisciplinary work in conservation education and a unique partnership with students at Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology in Rwanda.
Dr. Gess and Dr. Penner shared the Dr. Brad P. Baltz and Reverend William B. Smith Odyssey Professorship.
“It’s such a cool feeling to have this relationship with your professors outside of the classroom, having gone through this experience with them, and remembering the times when we were in Costa Rica.”
Students Becky Sherman ’20, Ivan Midtbust ’21, and Emma Gimenez ’20 reflect on their experiences working with Dr. Anne Goldberg and Dr. Jennifer Peszka to study ‘Blue Zones’ where the population tends to live longer than average.
“I said to her, ‘Don’t you want to be a famous anthropologist who learns about how the microbiome is related to friendships?’ and she said, ‘No.’”
Anthropology professor Dr. Anne Goldberg and psychology professor Dr. Jennifer Peszka share their collaborative research on lessons for living longer in the Blue Zones.
Dr. Goldberg and Dr. Peszka share the Charles Prentiss Hough Odyssey Professorship.
"You want students to have some creativity, some ownership..."
Politics and International Relations professor Dr. Kiril Kolev developed a number of global awareness and undergraduate research opportunities for students, including a couple of publications in peer-reviewed research journals, summer travel (to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Serbia), and a semester study away program in Cyprus.
Dr. Kolev is the James and Emily Bost Odyssey Professor.
Release Date: April 8, 2019
"We didn't have cell service, and the students were freaking out the first day, but then it just dissolved..."
The birds are changing their tune and biology professor and conservation biologist Dr. Maureen McClung is conducting field research on why that might be. She's also spreading nature appreciation and conservation in a wide variety of ways to the Hendrix community while connecting Hendrix students, professional conservationists, and Arkansas ecosystems.
Dr. McClung is the Judy and Randy Wilbourn Odyssey Professor.
Release Date: April 1, 201
"The ways that we read, the ways that we pay attention..."
English professor Dr. Toni Jaudon is on a mission to read every pop-up book in the world! No, really, she is. But she's also exploring the ways we live with literature and the written word while bringing her students into the world of hands-on research in literary archives.
Dr. Jaudon is the Isabelle Peregrin Odyssey Professor.
Release Date: March 25, 2019
"It will shape their lives in interesting ways that I can't predict."
Anthropology professor and archaeologist Dr. Brett Hill shares not only how he discovered anthropology and archaeology, but also his efforts to create more equal partnerships when studying heritage sites with students.
Dr. Hill serves as the Charles Prentiss Hough Odyssey Professor and chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
Release Date: March 11, 2019
"Not doing some woo-woo, self-help kinda stuff..."
Psychology professor Dr. Lindsay Kennedy discusses the origin of the Hendrix Well-Being Initiative and how it's growing in unexpected ways.
Dr. Kennedy currently serves as the Nancy and Craig Wood Odyssey Professor.
Release Date: March 4, 2019
"Suddenly with the arrival of the Odyssey Program..."
Dr. Jay Barth shares his experience teaching politics at Hendrix before the Hendrix Odyssey Program launched, and how the Odyssey Program and Odyssey Professorship program have enhanced teaching and learning at Hendrix.
Dr. Barth served as the Bill and Connie Bowen Odyssey Professor from 2014-2017 and serves as Odyssey Director until the end of this academic year.