College Seminar (101-7-21)

Topic

'A Dark Rock Surged Upon': Navigating Race, Class,

Instructors

Mary E Pattillo
847/491-3409
1860 Campus Dr. Crowe 5-111

Meeting Info

University Library 3322: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

Writer and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) wrote the following about her time at Barnard College in the 1920s: "Among the thousand white persons, I am a dark rock surged upon, overcome by a creamy sea. I am surged upon and overswept, but through it all, I remain myself." A College Seminar gives students the tools to manage the "surge" of college, both socioemotionally and academically. You have left the familiarity of your families, neighborhoods, friends, and high schools to enter a new context, one with new forms of diversity, hierarchy, division, and opportunity for connection. Even though she was writing 100 years ago, Hurston is still an awesome guide as you navigate issues of race, gender, class, and academic belonging at Northwestern. The goal of the class is to give you the tools to manage the surges of college while maintaining yourself, even as you also change. Some topics we will explore include: privilege, politics, love, friendship, curiosity, perseverance, work, and community. Hurston's vast body of work will be the basis for our reflections, analysis, and writing.

Learning Objectives

The College Seminar learning goals are that students gain skills in:
• Setting and evaluating academic goals
• Communicating effectively, both orally and in writing
• Studying effectively
• Thinking critically
• Understanding standards of academic integrity
• Knowing when and how to ask for help

In addition to these goals, at the end of this course students should be able to:
• Identify and express areas of strength and areas for improvement
• Discern life lessons and tips from literature and other kinds of creative writing
• Navigate issues of race, gender, class, and more, at Northwestern and beyond
• Call on Hurston for nuggets of reinforcement 😊

Class Materials (Required)

Hurston, Zora Neale (1937) 2006. Their Eyes Were Watching God. New York: Amistad. ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0060838671

Hurston, Zora Neale (1942) 2010. Dust Tracks on a Road. New York: Amistad. ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062010438

Class Attributes

WCAS College Seminar

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Weinberg First Year Seminars are only available to first-year students.
Add Consent: Department Consent Required
Drop Consent: Department Consent Required