Archive for the ‘Lifestyles’ Category

Broadening the way you think, joining new clubs and getting involved are great ways to start the process of making your horizons more widely spread. But you can start another side to that expansion right here at Western by trying some of the classes that really make your schedule interesting.

In every department, there are classes that most students don’t know about, and wouldn’t believe Western even offered. Trying out a class that doesn’t coincide with your major or past education not only takes you to new boundaries, but they sprinkle in some diversity to a schedule that can get a little lackluster by senior year.

For many of the four-year major and degree programs, the classes required equal about 50 hours, although all major programs differ in this area. For general studies, the hours add up to between 42 to 46 hours. However, for graduation, there is a requirement of 124 hours.

This leaves as many as 28 hours for students to expand their course choices to classes outside their normal realm. Why not mix up your schedule with some of the courses you’d never think to try?

Missouri Western strives to offer not only classes that go into necessary depths to prepare students for their degree requirements, but also expand their horizons in categories that are useful, interesting and also helps them branch out from their comfort zone.

THR130: Stage Combat. This class studies weaponry styles, skills, and methods used in staging violence for theatre and screen. Although this class has additional fee requirements, attendance at a professional combat workshop over a weekend is also mandatory although students tend to feel that these workshops are more play than work.

ENG210: Monster Flicks. This course works with developing necessary skills for reading visual “texts” of science fiction films such as Frankenstein, Blade Runner and The War of the Worlds.

Junior Craig Wilburn found the class easy to get involved in.

“It’s interesting to see the transformation in cinema and how the times have changed,” Wilburn said. “I’m not an English major and I still found it very enjoyable.”

ENG210: Back to Black: African American Lit from Slavery to Rap. Bill Church, the instructor for this section, explained how the course works. “For our section, we will learn not only about various literary genres, terms, and themes, but also about the how those literary forms were adopted and altered by enslaved people of African origin and their descendents.”

LAT350: Civil Rights law. This course examines individuals who claim that their Constitutional rights have been violated, such as the Writ of Habeas Corpus, for example. According to professor David Tushaus, “studying how the law handles these kinds of problems will give students a better understanding of their criminal justice system, and a realization that the law is not always just.” The prerequisite requirement for this class is LAT 101, introduction to law.

PED222: Human Sexuality. This class offers an in-depth look over controversial issues of physiological, psychological and behavioral aspects of sexuality.

HIS245: History of the Middle East in the Twentieth Century. Paying special attention to the origins of current political, social and economic issues in the Middle East, this course offers a closer look into the historical developments since 1900.

BIO116: Naturality Training. This course is a hands on class which analyzes the interpretation of Missouri inhabitants, plants and animals. Certification is awarded in accordance with students passing this class. There is a prerequisite of a passing grade in BIO101 for this class.

GOV380: Asian Politics. By going in depth with Asian politics and culture, this class examines governance, culture and leadership in Japan and Southeast Asia while also tackling the subject of United States relations. The prerequisite for this class is GOV101, American National Government.
These classes are just a few of the many fascinating classes at Western that offer students a new outlet for broadening their horizons. For a complete list of all of Missouri Western’s courses, borrow a copy of an undergraduate catalog from your advisor and browse through it to see what other unusual classes are offered.

Have you ever wondered about the beginnings of salsa dancing, Latino culture, tango, rumba, zumba and the Spanish dialect? Missouri Western’s new organization called the Association of Latin American Students (ALAS) addresses all of this and much more as it plans to educate our institution and embrace the Latino and non-Latino students.

Sophomore and President of ALAS Adrian Cossyleon explains the overall purpose of the organization.

“Our main goal is to expose campus to our culture and do it in a way that portrays us in a positive light,” Cossyleon said. “We want to also expose the myths surrounded by Latinos.”

These myths include immigration and English: Second Language assumptions. Junior and Treasurer of ALAS Pamela Covarrubias expresses how ALAS has been actively working to be a positive advocate for students while representing the Hispanic community.

“We are representing the Hispanic community both on and even off campus,” Covarrubias said. “We are trying to do mentor programs in the community and let students know that they can go to college.”

Covarrubias, who helped found Western’s ALAS organization last year, expresses the major concerns that ALAS has been focusing on and some events that ALAS is planning for the future.

“We are focusing on the Haiti crisis and the Dream Act of 2003,” Covarrubias said. “We are thinking of a lot of ways to do something to help but it’s really hard because there is not enough knowledge about the dream act. We talked about having a teacher teach Latin American Studies and possibly join it with African American studies to bring awareness.”

According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, the Dream Act of 2003 entitles undocumented students that have completed elementary and secondary education to not be liable for their immigrant status

However, this act does not provide specific benefits for these students and does not allow them financial aid that could be used for college or training schools.

The revision of this act could allow higher education for many undocumented students that do not have the opportunity to receive education anywhere else. Among raising this concern, ALAS plans to also reach out to Western and let students know that they want to help them and encourage them.

“There is an organization for them,” Covarrubias said. “There is a group on campus that will help them feel good and feel accepted.”

Along with encouragement, ALAS also plans to help students expand their horizons and not make everything such a black and white issue. Western senior and ALAS member Jacely Alcantara expands on this theory.

“I feel that it is really important to try and bring some culture to campus and represent it more than anything,” Alcantara said. “I feel like campus will learn to be a less bit black and white and try to expand their horizons in exploring other cultures other than their own.”

Though currently ALAS only has five members, they still plan to host events and gain awareness and membership in the future. Among mentor programs and communityservice, ALAS plans to have a Spanish table that will consist of fluent speaking Spanish natives and majors, salsa lessons, an XBOX tournament and a talent show in March.
There will also be a churro night witch will be held on Wed. March 24 in the Center for Student Engagement. Cossyleon provides a little more detail.
“We’re going to have churro night for campus and other student organizations,” Cossyleon said. “Anyone’s invited.”