Dr. Dan Monroe
United States Studies Coordinator
United States Studies is the sophomore-year component of the Millikin Program for Student Learning sequential core curriculum, which also includes University Seminar and two Critical Writing, Reading, and Research courses in the first year, and Global Studies in the junior year. US Cultural Studies emphasizes the study of the literature, history, and philosophy of the US, while US Structural Studies highlights its economic, political, and social relationships. The courses also allow students to expand their skills in ethical reasoning developed in University Seminar by reflecting on ethical and social justice issues in the US. The focus on democratic citizenship in a global environment expressed in the Millikin University Mission Statement is also featured in these courses when students engage in activities that further prepare them for active engagement in a democratic society.
Dr. Robert Money
University Seminar Coordinator
University Seminar is a place of intellectual growth, shared learning, and community building. As an introduction to academic inquiry, the University Seminar experience presents a unique learning opportunity for first-year students entering Millikin University. By engaging students in critical and ethical reasoning and reflection, the course facilitates the development of skill sets that are indispensable to professional success, democratic citizenship in a global environment, and the discovery and creation of a personal life of meaning and value. By having students engage in reflection about their service learning experiences, the course takes academic skills out of the formal classroom setting and connects them with our larger community. The course, thus, serves as an initial introduction to Millikin's commitment to "theory-practice" education, a pedagogical commitment that will be reinforced in the students' chosen majors. University Seminar is the specific location within our curriculum where we take seriously our obligation to help students build confidence as they transition to college life, both academically and socially. We are, after all, interested in the education of the whole person.
Dr. Julie Bates
Critical Writing, Reading and Research Coordinator
The Critical Writing, Reading, and Research program (IN 150/151) emphasizes critical reading, writing, research, reflective, and thinking skills in its two-semester sequence. The program is committed to making these goals attainable to diverse student body across disciplines. Meanwhile, individual classes engage these goals with different textbooks and themes and a wide variety of writing assignments. As students make the transitions to university studies, these skills lay the foundations for their college education and future professional success and prepare them for a meaningful life as a democratic citizen in a global environment.
Dr. Julio Enriquez-Ornelas
Global Issues Coordinator
Global Studies is the junior-year component of the Millikin Program for Student Learning sequential core curriculum, which also includes University Seminar and two Critical Writing, Reading, and Research courses in the first year, and the US Studies sequence in the sophomore year. Global Studies courses are taught by a variety of faculty from a variety of disciplinary perspective, but they all emphasize an analysis of a global issue of international importance. The course also allows students to expand their skills further in ethical reasoning by reflecting on ethical and social justice issues related to the topic of the course. The focus on democratic citizenship in a global environment expressed in the Millikin University Mission Statement is featured in Global Studies courses when students engage in activities that further prepare them for active engagement as democratic citizens of the world.