Posters, panels, presentations, and performances—all were a part of Wittenberg University’s second annual Liberal Arts in Action: A Celebration of Learning.
The event was held on Friday, April 11 in the Joseph C. Shouvlin Center and Benham-Pence Student Center, and included almost 200 student participants of Wittenberg’s “best and brightest” from a variety of disciplines, according to Nona Moskowitz and Amy Livingstone, planners of the 2014 Celebration of Learning.
Students chosen to present were selected by the different academic departments, and many students said that they enjoyed learning about their fellow students’ experiences.
“The Celebration of Learning is an opportunity to learn from one another,” said Andrea Mattingly, a participating sophomore. “It’s impossible to take every class here at Wittenberg, but getting a taste of many departments and classes really helps students to appreciate the work all other students put into all their courses.”
In addition to the 200 participants showcasing their work in the Student Center and in Shouvlin Center, more students participated in the day’s events through the Senior Studio Art Exhibit in Koch Hall and the main stage play, The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
Although the celebration of a liberal arts education is common among other small liberal arts colleges, the all-department participation made this student conference unique to Wittenberg, according to Moskowitz.
“We really wanted the participants to be able to start conversations across disciplines, in order to truly model a liberal arts education,” said Moskowitz.
The idea of celebrating Wittenberg’s liberal arts came about last year as a closing part of President Joyner’s inauguration year; Joyner wanted a student-based event that modeled the liberal arts and included everyone—professors, participants, and attendees.
“The celebration is a larger moment in spring semester where we are really celebrating our students’ accomplishments and talents,” said Livingstone. “It celebrates the common goal of what our community here at Wittenberg stands for.”
Planning for the event began early in the fall semester of 2013, and included only a few minor tweaks from the previous year’s successful celebration.
As this year’s event unfolded, attendees could not only see the engagement across campus, but also the passion in students’ eyes as they presented their work, according to Mattingly.
“As we move forward with future celebrations,” said Moskowitz, “we hope to build momentum with more student participation as attendees and more excitement from students and professors.”
