Huntington’s January Term to offer unique courses
FOR RELEASE: Sunday, December 14, 2008
Note: Photographers interested in taking photos of a January Term course may contact Heather Barkley at (260) 359-4171. Huntington, Ind.-Huntington University's 2009 January Term will begin on Jan. 5 and run through Jan. 21, offering seven off-campus trips and more than 25 on-campus classes. This two-and-a-half week term gives students the opportunity to study a specific subject in greater detail.
Bachelor's degree students are required to take three January Term courses during their career at Huntington. Students must complete January Term courses from at least two departments.
Students opting to travel with Dr. Mark Fairchild, professor of Bible and religion, will explore the expansion of the church in ancient Anatolia and Greece. Using the books of Acts and Revelation, archeological remains will be examined and discussed. The tour will include Antioch, Galatia, Ephesus, Pergamum, Sardis, Colossae, Hieropolis, Laodicea, Smyrna, Istanbul, Corinth and Athens.
With a special emphasis on Christian environmental stewardship, Dr. Jeff Webb, associate professor of history, will teach a class focused on the Florida Everglades that will spend one week on campus and then eight days in southern Florida. While in Florida, the class will visit the Everglades and Biscayne National Parks in addition to tent-camping in the Big Cypress and Everglades National Park.
Emphasizing issues of poverty, race and social justice in the urban world, students taking the Urban Issues course with Chris Lahr, adjunct faculty, will spend J-Term in Atlanta, Ga. Students will volunteer for community service sites, and two days each week will be devoted to coursework and field trips.
Students opting to remain on campus may choose to learn a skill such as basketry with Lisa Ricker, adjunct faculty; puppetry with Daryl Pannabecker, adjunct faculty; mime with Kristie Worfel, adjunct faculty; or hat-making with Michael Slane, assistant professor of theatre.
Also offered is a class devoted to the study of the life of David taught by Dr. Chaney Bergdall, professor of Bible and religion. This class will dig into the books of 1-2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles in an attempt to compare and contrast the purposes of their authors and to learn more about the life of the well-known Biblical king.
For sci-fi enthusiasts, Dr. Lance Clark, associate professor of communication, will teach a class on "The X-Files." The course will ask questions about the human existence and the supernatural and will discover how Christian images and icons add a powerful underlying layer to a show.
Jason Latino, adjunct faculty, will delve into the world of graphic storytelling in the "Comics as Culture" class. The class will study the comic industry from its beginnings to its current state and will discuss its processes and future.
For those hoping to spend their J-Term reading books, Dr. Todd Martin, associate professor of English, will offer a class that will choose three books from the 2008 New York Times Best-Seller List to read as a class and discuss. Dr. Del Doughty, professor of English, with Jon Stotts, adjunct faculty, will read Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose" and use the book as a springboard to discuss issues such as medieval theology and philosophy. And, in light of the recent release of the "Prince Caspian" movie, Dr. Paul Michelson, distinguished professor of history, and Dr. Edwin Woodruff Tait, assistant professor of Bible and religion, will explore C.S. Lewis' "Narnia" giving consideration to the historical, geographical and religious aspects of the series.
