Learning Experiences

SOC 3306 (S19) Deviance

Duluth Police Department Chief Mike Tusken visited the class to discuss various topics. One of the main topics revolved around the opioid epidemic. Some of the takeaways from the presentation were: 

  • we can't arrest ourselves out of the drug problem
  • we need to understand the human struggle
  • empathize with victims of diseases of despair
  • be stewards of our own health care

One new program within the department is the embedded social worker program. Students were encouraged to consider a variety of careers within the police department.

ENGL 5661 (S19) Publishing the Middle Ages

Students in Dr. Krista Twu's ENGL 5661: Publishing the Middle Ages course completed a collaborative project with UMD Archives at the end of spring semester 2019. Their work was on display on the 4th floor of the UMD library.

GEOG 3401 (S19) Weather & Climate

In the spring of 2019 students from Dr. Pat Farrell's GEOG 3401: Weather & Climate class connected with individuals in the Duluth community to talk about the idea of climate justice.  The students created videos from these interviews and shared them at the March 2019 Our Climate Futures: Meeting the Challenges in Duluth two-day conference.

FST 3894 (SS17) Language & Culture in Spain

Students study Spanish language, literature and culture at Universidad de Salamanca (University of Salamanca). Students live with a Salamantine family to further cement language skills and be a part of Salamantine daily life. Students stroll through the urban environment of the Old City. They enhance their language skills with Spaniards and international students alike in a diverse and multicultural city. Students travel on excursions guided by University of Salamanca professors within Salamanca and throughout Spain (Toledo, Granada, Sevilla, and throughout Castilla and Leon).

FORS 3313 (SS17) Surfing, War, and Tourism: Nicaragua May 2017

History Professor, Scott Laderman led a group of UMD students through western Nicaragua on a short-term study abroad program.  The program allowed students to experience the beauty and cultures of Central America and the thrill of surfing while learning about surf culture, the sordid role of the United States in Latin America, and the explosive growth of the tourism industry.

CUE 1001 (S17) Introduction to Cultural Industries and Creative Economy

Students in Dr. Aparna Katre's Spring 2017 CUE 1001 class conducted a class project to create a Story Map of Duluth’s Creative Economy.

ANTH 3156 (F16) Digital and Participatory Research Methods

Dr. Syring from CLA’s Department of Sociology & Anthropology modified this course as a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) course. Dr. Syring teamed up with Dr. Algara-Siller from Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, Mexico and their two classes collaborate virtually to study the environmental challenges in each of their communities and produce their own videos highlighting those challenges.

JOUR 2400 Community and Journalism - Abrielle Vizenor: Journalism in the Bahamas

The purpose was to pick a journalist from a different country, get in contact with them and then learn their ways of journalism along with learning about the community the paper serves.

ANTH 4633 (F15) Ethnobotany: Duluth Community Plant Story Map

In the fall of 2015, eight students in David Syring's ANTH 4633: Ethnobotany course researched plants native to the region and collaborated with the UMD Geospatial Analysis Center to create the first entries in the Duluth Community Plant Story Map.

ANTH 4653 (S16) Anthropology Senior Seminar

This course is the undergraduate capstone course for Anthropology majors. During Spring 2016 the course was constructed around the theme of technology and culture.

ANTH 4696 (SS16) Field Research in Archaeology

Students taking part in this summer's Archaeology Field School. 

SPAN 1202 (F16) Intermediate Spanish II

Dr. Andrew Snustad from the Department of Foreign Languages & Literatures enhanced his SPAN 1202 course during fall 2016 by designing the course as a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) course. Professor Snustad teamed up with Professor Damián Martínez Villatoro´s English Translation course in Tuxtla-Gutiérrez, Mexico at the Autonomous National University of Chiapas.

ANTH 3300 (S16) Energy, Culture and Society

Students in Professor Kathryn Milun's Energy, Culture, Society course hosted their first annual Duluth Power Dialog downtown at the Zeitgeist Arts Cafe.

Participatory Media Lab 

The Participatory Media Lab serves as a collaborative space for faculty and students exploring the techniques of critically informed, digitally enhanced social research.

Highlighted Experiences

Writing for the Love of the Game

Alumnus Jake Przytarski, a journalism major, who wrote for The Statesman and now has an internship with Proplayerinsiders.com.
 

The Storytelling Project

 
The UMD-Duluth Storytelling Project is a collaborative creative writing initiative that matches UMD writing students with adults who have disabilities resulting from cerebral palsy or traumatic brain injuries.

Museum Studies - Highlight

The Museum Studies Certificate combines innovative courses in theory and practice of museum work with intimate involvement in the professional museum world.

Geographic Information Science Certificate - Rod Owre: Highlight

The five-course series offers students the opportunity to expand their knowledge and expertise in the area of Geographic Information Science (GISci).

Sustainability Studio: Theory and Practice - Writing Studies BA students

Students were involved in a grant proposal to assist migrating birds. They researched and designed a window cling material and composition that spans a window display on campus (hallway to Darland). The chosen vinyl cling material is incredibly durable, easy to maintain, and greatly reduces the glares and reflections that birds misinterpret. Each section of material was cut and installed by students in the class.